Doors and Walls that Help Maintain Efficient Food Operations and Meet Current GMPs

Additionally, they should be corrosion-resistant (which is often a problem with older door systems) and use stainless steel or other non-corrosive sideframes.

New Generation of cGMP-Compliant Doors

Food manufacturing facilities have been using bi-parting doors made from stainless steel since the 1950s (and many facilities continue to use bi-parting doors). However, many facilities are moving toward upward-acting roll-up doors due to limited wall space in a plant. A rigid-panel center-opening door spanning a 6-foot-wide opening, for example, requires approximately 3 feet of wall space on each side when its panels open. A roll-up door, on the other hand, requires none, since its fabric “curtain” collects in a head assembly at the top of the door when it is opened.

A new generation of roll-up doors—featuring antimicrobial materials and other clean room upgrades—has come on the market in recent years. These new features, coupled with their tight sealing and ability to operate at high-cycle speeds, are reasons they are catching on with food manufacturers. State-of-the-art high-speed door models can move at up to 100 inches per second, minimizing air intrusion while also decreasing the likelihood of forklift collisions. If they are bumped or impacted, however, their curtain automatically snaps back onto the door track.

Made from smooth 100 mil Duramax (which is highly resistant to acids and bases and has a low water absorption rate), industry-leading doors are highly resistant to mold and have superior wash-down qualities. They use a one-piece radial header (with easy draining during cleaning) and non-corrosive Lexan and ultra-high molecular weight side frames that stand off from the wall to minimize surface-to-surface contact, reducing pockets where bacteria can grow.

To ensure complete 360-degree clean capability, the side frames can be removed for cleaning, and the drive system and controls are completely sealed and wash-down rated, meeting both USDA and FDA standards as well as cGMP requirements.

Wash-Down Walls

Fabric walls and industrial curtain partitions also play key roles in maintaining sanitary conditions in food manufacturing facilities, where they are increasingly being used for applications related to blending, mixing, powder ingredient, raw ingredient, or other production operations. While antimicrobial walls have always been important in segmenting environments there is a growing use of flexible, industrial fabric walls around processes where wash-down protocols apply. Not only are they quicker, easier, and less expensive to install than walls made of traditional materials, they can be moved or reconfigured if the facility’s needs or floor plan changes.

One of the most common uses for industrial fabric walls in the food industry is for the isolation of production lines so they can be cleaned while other lines nearby continue to run at peak efficiency. Not only do these flexible fabric walls allow plant engineers to easily enclose areas and contain overspray from cleaning, but they can also help reduce potential for cross-contamination during production processes.

Some wash-down fabric walls are constructed of durable, cleanable, antimicrobial vinyl specifically designed for use in operations where compliance with federal food regulations is paramount. To eliminate the potential for harborage concerns, fabric walls with manufactured panels with heat- or radio frequency-welded seams and air- and water-tight panel-to-panel connections should be employed.

Wash-down fabric walls are typically suspended from existing ceiling structures or roof decks. Stainless steel components and hardware allow the walls to hold up to wet and harsh conditions that occur when production equipment is cleaned as part of HACCP best practices protocol. Should the ability to open and close the wall be needed, heavy-duty stainless steel track and trolley systems are available to ensure easy operation and durability in the wash-down environment.