Efficient Drainage Solutions for the Food and Beverage Industry
The 2018 outbreak of Listeriosis in South Africa infected over 1000 people and claimed the lives of more than 200. It was a horrifying event that served to highlight the crucial importance of stringent hygienic measures within the food-processing industry and, indeed, wherever food is handled on a commercial scale. In food-processing plants, canteens, and restaurants, effective drainage solutions play an important role in helping to maintain the exceptionally high standards of hygiene necessary within the food and beverage industry.
While quality-control programmes that involve the testing of ingredients and finished products for the possible presence of pathogenic microorganisms are obviously essential, the need to dispose of any batches found to be contaminated can add considerably to a producer’s operating cost. As a result, preventative measures aimed at maintaining a hygienically clean environment are of particular importance. With adequate drainage solutions in place, any waste nutrients that might otherwise encourage bacterial growth can be safely disposed of and the contaminated surfaces thoroughly flushed with water and disinfectant agents.
A drain, however, is far more than just a hole in the ground. Firstly, it must be constructed from a material that is both tough and resistant to rusting and corrosion as this could allow particles of food to become stuck to its surface which, in turn, could provide a breeding ground for germs. For this reason, it is usual for the better drainage solutions fitted in commercial kitchens to be manufactured from high-quality stainless steel.
Drains, especially in abattoirs, processed-food factories, and commercial kitchens frequently receive solids along with the rinse water and it must be a simple task to remove them in order to prevent blockages. Accordingly, another important requirement for this type of drainage solution is a strainer to trap such particles and which can be quickly and easily removed and replaced to clear the detritus that might otherwise clog a drain.
After entering the drain, the strained waste liquids must then find their way into the sewer system and, in the absence of pumps, must do so under the action of gravity. To achieve this, the stainless-steel pipes must be angled at a gradient that is sufficient to cope with the maximum expected runoff without any tendency to back up and cause flooding. In situations where runoff volumes are high and may have multiple sources, rather than a single, central drain, a more effective option is likely to be a drainage solution that employs a suitable length of channelling.
Whichever of these options is to be adopted, the installation will require a high degree of precision in order to ensure a result that is both aesthetically pleasing and functionally efficient. Ideally, all of the hardware components should be suitable for installation in concrete, compound, or tiled floors and, once installed, the drainage solution should require only the bare minimum of maintenance.
These are just a few of the qualities of the world-class Blücher drainage solutions that, together with an extensive knowledge of the food and beverage industry and its exacting hygiene requirements, have served to make Pescatech a preferred supplier to many of South Africa’s leading brands.
