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CIP and SIP - What are they?
CIP
or in its full form, Cleaning In Place, is defined as a method of cleaning equipment with
minimal dismantling and with minimal operator involvement.
Validateable
Procedures
Reproducible,
Repeatable and Controllable Results
Reduction
of Cleaning Time
Automatic
cycles ensure every item is cleaned every time
Increased
productivity through reduction of down time
Chemical
Handling Reduction
Simple
Operation
Cost
Savings including chemicals, water and effluent, labour time etc.
Improved
Health and Safety
Batch
Traceability and Records
Stronger
Chemicals and higher temperatures can be used over manual cleaning
CIP
allows more complex processing systems to be employed, as there is no need to
dismantle
Environmental
Issues including saving of energy, chemicals, water used and effluent generated.
CIP
relies on the principal of applying a suitable detergent or solvent at a
suitable flow, pressure, temperature and concentration for the correct length of
time. The science is based on applying the required amount of energy to the
equipment to ensure that it is cleaned. The energy is primarily provided by the
solution temperature (thermal energy), the use of detergent or solvent (chemical
energy) and the application of suitable pipeline velocities or pressures
(kinetic energy).
In-place
cleaning results in the equipment being chemically clean. This is defined as "the removal of all residues of soil and all CIP
agents so that contact with the cleaned surface does not result in physical
contamination". If the equipment being cleaned needs to be
micro-biologically clean then an additional process can be carried out. This
process is called SIP.
SIP
or in its full form, Sterilising In Place is the
generic term for sanitizing, disinfecting or sterilizing equipment normally
after a CIP clean. SIP results in
the removal of any
remaining microbiological contamination.
Sanitation
or Disinfection
is normally applied after the full CIP has been carried out. It is achieved by
the introduction of a sanitiser or disinfectant chemical into the final rinse
waters of
the CIP.
Thermal
sterilisation is achieved by the application of steam or hot water at a suitable
temperature for a suitable time. Thermal Sterilisation has the advantage of
affecting areas such as sample points, which may not be treated by chemical
means.
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