Safety, Sanitation, and Basic Maintenance of HPP Equipment are the fundamental building blocks on the machine side of the equation for a successful HPP Operation
Why does HPP Maintenance seem to get ignored while HPP Safety and HPP Sanitation don’t? Well, first off, Safety and Sanitation are front and center of an operation.
Q&A Inspectors, FDA Inspectors and USDA Inspectors are routine conducting onsite inspections Safety and Sanitation many on a daily basis. Therefore, providing multiple layers for check and balances. Next, certifications like BRC, SQF, and GFSI that provide a very structured repeatable framework. And these certifications and audits further ensure the knowledge base that is spread from top to bottom throughout the organization.
When it comes to HPP Maintenance there are no standard certifications.
Let me explain…
HPP Maintenance Training Programs today lack mandatory Manufacturer Compliance. Therefore, Operator and Maintenance personnel are not tested and certified on the machines prior to taking acceptance. Consequently, there is no ongoing training and recertification. Subsequently, over time and through attrition the company ends up with operators and maintenance personnel that have little to structured training.
Increased HPP Machine Downtime is a pattern you see over time. Increased HPP Machine Downtime would seem logical with continued use. However, if the daily and periodic High Pressure Processing Maintenance schedules are being proactively followed the HPP Machine Downtime should remain constant.
The following download is a presentation that was done at the HPP Workshop at the Institute for Food Safety and Health (IFSH) in April of 2018. The presentation provides a framework for implementing a successful HPP Maintenance Program regardless of the brand of HPP Equipment.