26 n FOOD AND BEVERAGE March 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com How automation is helping to ensure food hygiene In its Food Safety and Sanitation Trends report published last year, PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, revealed that ease of cleaning is now the main factor that users consider when assessing new food processing and inspection equipment. The report also noted a growing focus on automated functions that reduce manual intervention during sanitation. Maintaining hygiene standards and product integrity depends on how equipment is designed, built and maintained. When production equipment incorporates thoughtful design and the right technology, it supports regulatory compliance while making cleaning easier and production conditions safer. This has increased the demand for features such as CIP (clean-in-place) systems and corrosion-resistant stainlesssteel surfaces that simplify sanitation and reduce contamination risks. At the same time, the regulatory landscape is evolving. Since 1995, all machinery sold in the UK must meet the Supply of Machinery (Safety) regulations (SMR08 and its preceding regulations), which includes safety by design. These regulations require that machines used for food production, packing and inspection, are designed and built to avoid any risk of infection, sickness or contagion. These hygienic design principles extend to critical inspection equipment such as metal detectors, checkweighers, X-ray and combination systems, all of which must be built to withstand harsh washdown conditions and prevent residue or debris accumulation. In an industry where a single recall can redefine a brand’s future, hygiene is essential to business resilience. According to the PMMI survey, 73% of end-users rely solely on internal teams to execute their sanitation processes. Using a combination of CIP and COP (clean-out-ofplace) techniques is most common, with just 13% of respondents saying they use only one of these methods. Three quarters also use a combination of wet and dry sanitation processes. Labour shortages The PMMI report repeatedly cites labour shortages and employee turnover as the main operational challenge faced by food processors. Constant changes in personnel, including the frequent addition of new team members, can make it especially challenging to ensure that all staff are consistently meeting Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs). Smarter designs can help food processors to enhance their hygiene and safety measures. This includes complying with four core four design principles: cleanability and accessibility; material selection; the avoidance of crevices; and functionality. For example, self-draining surfaces and angled frames on equipment can eliminate pooling, promote water run-off and faster drying. Sealed hollow areas, continuous welds, smooth finishes and rounded edges help to avoid points where contaminant could accumulate. Another factor that can help to ensure hygienic operation is automation. Respondents in PMMI’s survey reported that automated functions, sanitation-safe HMIs and digital reporting capabilities are the top three features they want to see on future machines. Reducing the risks of food contamination starts with the way production equipment is designed, built and maintained. Phil Brown, European sales director at Fortress Technology, explains how hygienic design principles are applied in food processing environments, and the vital role that automation is playing. Huuskes has incorporated hygienic design and advanced metal detection inspection into its European production facility.
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