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Conveying Fish & Seafood: Stop Contaminants From Entering the Spiral Conveyor System

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Americans consume $102 billion worth of seafood every year. If you work in the food industry and understand a plant’s conveying operations, you know the importance sanitation plays in food processing. Sanitary conveyor systems are essential in the seafood processing industry. Allowing for easier transport and safe handling of a large amount of fish and seafood.

SeafoodWhen it comes to seafood processing plant design, plants demand a conveying system that is fast, efficient, and sanitary. Spiral conveyors can be used in either inclining or declining applications depending on the purpose of the process.

We dive right in to explore the challenges of sanitizing traditional spiral fish conveyor systems, and how innovative sanitary spiral conveyor systems can save the day.

 

How do Contaminants Enter a Traditional Spiral Conveyor Systems

Elevate Spiral 2On a typical setup, a plant engineer, maintenance manager, the sanitation team, and operators ensure that the seafood is quickly transported and carefully processed through a clean production line. However, traditional sanitary spiral conveyor systems are difficult to clean because of their mechanical design and sometimes even the materials used to build the system.

The typical drum spiral conveyor system utilizes a stainless steel cage wrapped with wear resistant plastic material. This area is a common harborage point where microbiological contamination can occur. For other spiral conveyors with side frames made of stainless steel, the insides of these frames are also quite difficult if not impossible to clean in a truly sanitary application like with seafood processing.

While some spiral conveyors today have clean-in-place systems, they often do not clean these harborage areas thoroughly enough because of the tough design of the spiral.

Seafood processing and poor sanitary practices can lead to the proliferation of microbes such as Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas, among others. These pathogens can be introduced during the processing post-harvest and can be harmful to humans. With food safety at risk, this can lead to product contamination and recall. Historically, there have even been food processing plants that completely shut down facilities because of food contamination.

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Advantages of Sanitary Conveyor Systems Using Side-Drive Technology

Compared to the traditional conveyor systems with caged drums and side frames, SideDrive’s sanitary spiral conveyor does not have the features that prevent an easy and thorough cleaning. This means it is incredibly easy to sanitize.

SD - Spraying GearsWithout the side frames, you have easy access to the “guts” of the spiral conveyor. The open-access system also allows you to follow strict sanitary requirements. Since there are also no stainless-steel cages or drums, the cleaning time is reduced and the required labor from your sanitation team.

The sanitary spiral conveyor system was engineered and optimized so there will be fewer crevices and surfaces where bacteria and other harmful microbes can grow. It is also built using durable materials that can withstand high-pressure washdowns.

 

Why a Plant Engineer’s Choice of Spiral Conveyor System for Seafood Matters

A vertical conveyor elevator and sanitary conveyor systems play a key role in processing seafood. The most sanitary fish conveyors can help you increase the capacity of production, reduce the occupied area of the equipment, automate processes, and ultimately, reduce overall costs.



1 Cleanability

When you are in the seafood processing industry, you need equipment that withstands high-pressure washdowns. The sanitary spiral conveyor by SideDrive makes life so much easier for the cleaning team because if you can ensure the highest level of sanitation, you lower your risk for product recall.

 

2 Long-term ROI

With fewer harborage areas, the time required to clean the fish conveyors is much shorter. With less downtime, this means more time for production to meet the demand of consumers. Clean conveyors also mean less product waste or spoilage.

 

3 Job Protection

With a well-designed and engineered sanitary spiral conveyor, plant engineers and their team practically protect their jobs. This equipment is easy to inspect, easy to clean, and there is a low probability of missing potential contamination that would put your job, and your brand at risk.

 

Say Goodbye to Contaminants in Seafood Processing When You Use Sanitary Conveyor Systems

Our team at SideDrive Conveyor is excited to help your business optimize its operation. Using innovative technologies, we configure the most hygienic fish conveyors and seafood conveyors for you.

Contact us today and let’s discuss how we can be of service.

 

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