Food Processing Plant Design Considerations

• Walls are normally built of concrete blocks and/or brick masonry for the general building envelope. If concrete block is used, it should be treated to make it waterproof. The wall finish and additional insulation depend on exposure. A vapor barrier must be incorporated in an insulated wall or damage to the insulation will result.

• Ceramic tile of the correct grade that has been applied properly is a cost-effective, hard-wearing surface for most sanitary work areas. It requires careful installation so that there are no hollow openings behind the tiles. Many other durable surface coverings such as fiberglass sheets are used where economy is required.

WALLS

• Wall surface finishes in food processing rooms must permit washing. In these zones, an adequate design would be to line walls with polished ceramic tiles, bonded with concrete and leaving 1 cm width joints. These joints must be filled with concrete made of cement and epoxy resin to achieve smooth surfaces that are easy to clean. In this manner, the walls are waterproof and relatively resistant to acid products.

Fig: Processing room with walls lined with ceramic tiles

• Epoxy and other wall surfaces, such as fiberglass boards or plastic material sheets on polyurethane sandwich panel, are also good solutions.

Fig: Enclosure constructed of sandwich panels

FLOORS

• Floors are normally constructed over a concrete slab. The poured reinforced base thickness will vary depending upon the load it should carry. Flooring finish varies with the location where it must be used. For example- the floor of a food processing plant where any contact with the food product or cleaning solutions occur, should preferably be ‘ dairy’ or ‘packing houses brick’.

• Floors should be sloped to avoid accumulation of puddles of water in any area.

• The speed with which water will drain across a floor depends upon the roughness of the floor. If the floor is in a multistory building, it is important that an impermeable membrane be used so that water does not drip through the concrete.

• Processing floors should be located above ground level to prevent flooding and to reduce drainage problems.

Floors should have the following characteristics:

– Be impervious to spillages of product, cleaning solutions, hot and cold water, disinfectants, pesticides, and lubricants.

– Be smooth for easy cleaning and disinfection but not slippery– Be repairable in sections– Look good and hygienic

Kinds of floors