Quality should be the first thing you think about whenever you set out to make any food product. Ensuring ice cream sanitation during ice cream manufacturing will influence the quality of the end product.
Standard sanitation programs are necessary to reduce ingredient contamination. As such, you will need to ensure proper sanitation for ice cream during production by using only the highest quality of ingredients and the cleanest equipment.
To achieve satisfactory levels of ice cream sanitation at the plant, implement the following:
Here, check the viscosity of the mix (using viscometer) and the stabilizing capacity of the stabilizers used in the mix
Conduct Total Viable Count (TVC) and Total Plate Count (TPC) of the product. Also carry out coliform (especially fecal coliform) test on the product to ensure that it is of very high hygienic standards.
As a minimum standard, an ice cream should meet the following parameters:
Use an ice cream score chart to conduct the sensory analysis. A typical score card would look like this:
Parameter |
Possible points |
Score |
Flavor/smell |
40 |
Assign score |
Body and texture |
30 |
Assign score |
Colour, appearance & packaging |
10 |
Assign score |
Melting quality |
5 |
Assign score |
TVC/TPC |
15 |
Assign score |
Total |
100 |
Total score (sum up) |
Using the chart, award points for each category based on how you perceive the quality to be.
This scorecard emphasizes the degree of perfection n ice cream quality and gives the manufacturer room for improvements.
The analysis for the score awarded to the ice cream sample should conform to the category table below:
Total score (%) |
Rating |
93-95 |
Excellent quality |
90-92.9 |
Good quality |
87-89.9 |
Fair quality |
<87 |
Poor quality |
Thorough cleaning and sanitation of the ice cream plant equipment is necessary to assure the quality of the products. It is futile to sterilize dirty equipment because it only increases the chances of recontamination.
Conducting a thorough cleaning will not only make the equipment clean but also provide an opportunity to inspect the facility for wear and tear.
The equipment can be scrapped using an abrasive material or a detergent under high pressure can be used. Soap use is discouraged because it is very difficult to completely rinse from the system. Furthermore, soap leaves a thin film on the surface of the equipment.
Don't use soap to clean processing equipment; it is hard to rinse and leaves a contaminating film behind.
On the other hand, a strong alkali may corrode the equipment. Use only correct proportions and correct concentrations.
Dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, which is effective at concentrations of at least 200 ppm (or 200 mg/kg). These compounds are preferred because of their wetting ability, non-toxicity, and non-corrosive nature. They should be used at pH 5 and a temperature of 23°C.
Sodium hypochlorite, which is very corrosive. The corrosive nature of hypochlorites necessitate their usage at concentrations of between 50-200 ppm. Hypochlorite compounds act very fast.
These are very slow in action and used at concentrations of between 50-200 ppm. After sterilization, steam all the equipment at 115°C under pressure for five minutes. You may also use hot water and/or air at between 82-100°C for ten minutes to sterilize the system.
CIP cleaning and sanitization of the ice cream plant equipment is necessary to assure the quality of the products. Thorough cleaning is necessary because it is futile to sterilize dirty equipment.
Conducting a thorough cleaning will not only make the equipment clean but also provide an opportunity to inspect the facility for wear and tear.
The equipment can be scrapped using an abrasive material or a detergent under high pressure can be used. Soap use is discouraged as it is very difficult to completely rinse from the system and leaves a thin film on the surface of the equipment. Strong alkali may corrode the equipment.
According to The Society of Dairy Technology, CIP is:
The cleaning of complete items of plant or pipeline circuits without dismantling or opening of the equipment and with little or no manual involvement on the part of the operator.
The efficiency of a CIP system goes beyond what the eyes can see. It not only removes the soil but also traces of bacteria, yeast, and spores, whose effects you may only be trace through smell.
CIP cleaning not only removes soil but also bacteria, yeast, and spores you cannot reach by other means.
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