Dry Ice Blast Cleaning

Unlike steam cleaning or power washing, dry ice blast cleaning won’t cause flash rust or leave behind a wet surface on which bacteria or mold can grow. It is a fast cleaning method that is used by food companies around the world to clean everything from baking ovens and food conveyors to mixing vats and packaging equipment, all without damaging the equipment. The cleaning process can be performed while the equipment is still hot and running, which eliminates prolonged production shutdown times. And dry ice blasting machines such as those offered by Cold Jet of Cincinnati are portable, which means production equipment can be cleaned while it is still in place, eliminating the need to transport the equipment to designated cleaning areas.

Dry ice blast cleaning can help to dramatically reduce equipment downtime, sanitation labor, cleaning prep time, and costs associated with replacing damaged equipment. It also helps to increase worker productivity and safety, both by allocating labor more efficiently and by eliminating employee exposure to harmful chemicals and the potential for injuries related to manual cleaning processes. Product life is also greatly improved when compared to chemical, water, or abrasive cleaning methods. By using dry ice blast cleaning, companies can support sustainability and green initiatives by eliminating dependency on harmful chemicals and water. Using a cleaning process like dry ice blast cleaning can help to create a cleaner and safer production environment while reducing costs and ensuring the safety and quality of food products.

Today, leading food companies, including Kraft, ConAgra, and Hershey, among many others, are using dry ice blasting in their processing and packaging lines to take advantage of this technology’s cost, quality, productivity, and environmental benefits.

Rabkin is the chief marketing officer for Cold Jet. For more information, call (800) 337-9423 or go to www.coldjet.com.

References

1. General Mills. A champion’s code of conduct. 2008:15. Available at: http://www.generalmills.com/ corporate/commitment/COC_English_GMI_site.pdf. Accessed December 8, 2008.
2. Nestlé Policy on the Environment. Nestlé Web site. Available at: http://www.nestle.com/ SharedValueCSR/Environment/Introduction/Introduction.htm. Accessed December 8, 1008.
3. Sara Lee Corporation: Sustainability Report: 2008. Available at: http://www.saralee.com/sustainability_report/2008/Assets/PDF/SaraLee_SR2008_Environment.pdf. Accessed December 8, 2008.