In Canada, the Dairy Farms of Ontario (DFO) are taking a hard look at tank trailers and tank trucks to be sure the proper tank cleaning procedures are being met, said Bill Pepper of DFO. He made the comments at the April 20-22 meeting of the International Milk Haulers Association (IMHA) in Phoenix AZ.
Pepper pointed out that post-cleaning inspections should include all surfaces that come in contact with milk, including testing equipment.
Clean-in-place (CIP) components should be properly maintained to insure they meets standards, and if problems are discovered, they should be repaired immediately. In Ontario, all milk haulers have CIP systems in their tanks. It's not unusual to find foreign materials in the balls, such as stones and pieces of metal and plastic, Pepper said.
"We don't want to see such things as tape placed over a hole in a hose," he added.
Pepper also noted that the exterior cleanliness of the tank is important in order to portray a pristine image for foodgrade products.
Look for more information about the meeting in the September issue of Bulk Transporter that focuses on foodgrade topics.