Automation, staff comforts, and sustainability are just a few factors to consider when designing a food processing facility for lifespan and efficiency. Companies do not redesign and structure their food processing plants yearly or every ten years. A long-term perspective is required for facility design: How will the industry evolve? How will consumer trends influence manufacturing? What are the next problems and challenges?
Understanding the answers to these questions is critical for developing a cost-effective design that will be relevant for decades. For more information, you can contact food plant architects Stendel + Reich.
Safe, clean environments that prevent cross-contamination
Protecting food processing plants from cross-contamination is and will continue to be a primary priority for manufacturers, regardless of whether they are retrofitting or building from the bottom up. The continued dominance of fresh food will raise the stakes as corporations focus more on what is considered ready-to-eat versus raw.
These two elements are critical to the procedure:
- Segregation of spaces
Design elements must be FSMA compliant and prevent cross-contamination. Segregation is comprehensive and different. A plant separates allergens into two categories: raw vs. cooked and clean vs. “dirty.” Clean places should essentially be protected against contamination. There are clear ways to do this, such as physical barriers. Still, there are also more subtle issues to consider, such as the appropriate distance between air inlets and exhaust and room pressurization tactics. Insulated metal panels go a long way when it comes to space segregation. They are also good thermal and vapor barriers.
- Cleanability
Condensation, foot traffic, plant and personnel hygiene, and procedure violations are just a few of the enemies of sterility. These things attract germs and pathogens to clean regions, leading to contamination and serious difficulties in numerous areas. Design layouts must be carefully considered to ensure personnel can clean in difficult-to-reach spots, such as behind and within the equipment. Designs with sloping floors and drains make frequent cleaning easier.
Visitor tourability and walk-throughs
Food processing factories frequently change product lines, change vendors and suppliers, and take potential investors on tours. Touring protocols have long existed, but new facilities now offer different touring channels. The epidemic merely emphasized the importance of isolation as a form of protection.
Sustainability
Sustainability has been discussed for years but is now a revenue and viability driver. Consumers use sustainability as a purchase factor, giving preference to merchants that verify that their suppliers have ambitious and clear targets for lowering a plant’s carbon footprint.