The production of safe, wholesome food requires that it be made from good raw materials, but also that the highest level of hygiene is maintained in its production. However, cleaning in the food industry is expensive and therefore important that they play their role, without costing companies and the environment too much.
A few years ago, there was a lot of discussion about the so-called ideology cleaner production technology and was originally from the US Environmental Protection Agency and aimed to reduce pollution immediately at the point of pollution. This ideology also extended to the food industry, where companies tried to make the best use of the raw material, reduce electricity and water consumption and, last but not least, reduce the use of detergents.
Among the things that food companies have done to reduce the use of detergents is to improve the design of production equipment and make it more environmentally friendly, but also to study the diverse flowering of microorganisms that thrive in different food processing and require different responses. It is not the quantity of the substances that matters, but their activity.
In 2005, a project began at IFL called Improved use of detergents in the fishing industry and reduction of cleaning costs and is scheduled to end later this year. The project is carried out in collaboration between IFL and Tandur hf., A company that specializes in services and advice to companies and institutions regarding hygiene and cleaning materials.
The project, funded by the IFL and AVS funds, aims to find ways to increase the efficiency of cleaning in the processing environment of marine products, while reducing the use of detergents and cleaning costs. Tækjasjóður Rannís supported the purchase of special washing equipment for the project, which has now been installed in the processing hall of the Fisheries House and was tested this morning.