EP2906262A2

EP2906262A2 - Method for cleaning, disinfecting and/or sterilising packaging means and/or components in container treatment systems

Info

Publication number: EP2906262A2
Application number: EP13756322.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Diana Wolf
Original assignee: KHS GmbH
Current assignee: KHS GmbH
Priority date: 2012-10-12
Filing date: 2013-08-30
Publication date: 2015-08-19
Also published as: WO2014056560A3; WO2014056560A2; DE102012109758B3; DE202012011289U1; US20150238646A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for cleaning and/or disinfecting and/or sterilising packaging means for products, particularly for products or foodstuffs suitable for consumption, and/or critical regions of system components in container treatment systems, according to which method an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide is used as the treatment medium in at least one treatment step.

Description

Method for cleaning, disinfecting and / or sterilizing packaging materials and / or components of container treatment plants

The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1.

In the filling of food products, such as beverages, but also in the filling of other liquid products, which are prone to spoilage by microorganisms or germs, it is known that the equipment or components used and their components, in particular at critical areas, i. at those areas and / or areas which come into contact with the respective product and / or with a treatment medium during the pre-treatment of the packaging prior to its filling during filling, have to be regularly cleaned, disinfected and / or sterilized. These systems or components are, for example, cleaning machines, rinsers, filling machines, capping machines, devices for sterilizing container closures, devices for sterilizing preforms, from which the packaging materials in the form of plastic containers (PET containers) are produced by blow molding. Furthermore, it is also necessary to clean and / or disinfect and / or sterilize the packaging material, the closures and / or the preforms used before filling the packaging with the respective product.

Products differ in their sensitivity to microbiological and product-damaging contamination or contamination. Essentially, microbiologically sensitive products are characterized as follows:

Preservative not available

Alcohol content: between 0 and 0.5 volume%

C02 content: between 0 and 5 g / L

pH: over 4. However, it is known to the person skilled in the art that the abovementioned parameters influence one another and characterize these parameters only approximately, but not necessarily, a microbiologically sensitive product. For filling of microbiologically sensitive products, it is known, for example, to treat the components of a plant or its critical areas with peracetic acid in order to reduce the burden of these areas by microorganisms or germs so far that negative effects on the bottled product are safely avoided. With peracetic acid as the treatment medium, a treatment of the packaging itself then takes place, preferably in a rinser-designed machine or plant component with the following treatment steps:

Jetting the packaging for 6 to 8 seconds with peracetic acid dissolved in water with a peracetic acid concentration of 600-800 ppm;

Eject the containers for about 0.5 seconds with sterile water;

Repeated spraying of the packaging for about 0.5 seconds with sterile water; Leakage / dripping of the packaging over 3.5 to 4 seconds. For the liquid treatment medium formed by the peracetic acid and water while a temperature of at least 40 ° C is required. These known methods have considerable disadvantages:

Among other things, peracetic acid attacks the stainless steel of the system components and leads to corrosion there;

Long total treatment time within the rinser, for example about 14 seconds;

High energy consumption and thus increased costs due to the required minimum temperature of the treatment medium of 40 ° C;

High plant engineering effort;

Need to extract vapors released from peracetic acid;

The decomposition of peracetic acid produces acetic acid, which can serve as a nutrient for microorganisms, which is highly undesirable. In order to avoid the aforementioned problems, an internal prior art has already attempted to use chlorine dioxide (CIO 2) or an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide instead of peracetic acid in the purification and / or sterilization of packaging material, in the following manner:

Spraying the packaging for 1 - 2 seconds with an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide with a chlorine dioxide concentration in the range between 1, 5ppm and 1, 8ppm;

Spraying the packing for 0.5 - 0.9 seconds with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide with a chlorine dioxide concentration of 0.4 ppm;

Repel the packaging for 0.5 - 0.9 seconds with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide at a concentration of 0.4 ppm;

Leakage and dripping of the packaging for 3.5 - 4 seconds.

The disadvantage was found to be:

Long total treatment time within the rinser used, approximately 8 seconds total;

Chlorine dioxide concentration of more than 1, 5 ppm also leads to corrosion of stainless steel plant components;

Chlorine dioxide concentration of 1, 5 ppm and higher leads to a high odor nuisance.

The publication KUNZMANN, CH., Applicable Alternative, The Use of Chlorine Dioxide in Filler Hygiene. In: GETRÄNKEINDUSTRIE 6/2008, pp. 8 - 13 discloses the basic use of chlorine dioxide for surface disinfection of equipment of food production and in the packaging disinfection. The document states that concentrations of 5 ppm are used during package disinfection. Further, the document teaches to continuously blank the filler out-table with 0.7 mg / L of chlorine dioxide. The document DE 10 2007 033 197 A1 discloses a disinfection method for disinfecting packaging in the food industry. The disinfection takes place in two consecutive steps, namely in a first step with a higher proportion of chlorine dioxide and a subsequent second step with a small amount of chlorine dioxide. 608

The object of the invention is to provide a method which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages and with which in particular a shortening of the treatment time or duration is achieved. To solve this problem, a method according to claim 1 is formed. It has surprisingly been found that with a chlorine dioxide concentration below 0.8 ppm in the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide used as a treatment medium

The object of the invention is to provide a method which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages and with which in particular a shortening of the treatment time or duration is achieved. To solve this problem, a method according to claim 1 is formed.

It has surprisingly been found that with a chlorine dioxide concentration below 0.8 ppm in the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide used as the treatment medium, a cleaning, disinfection and / or sterilization effect can be achieved with the required quality, not only the packaging material in particular when the filled in the cleaned and sterilized packaging product has a C02 content above 4 g / L, but also the plant components. Despite low chlorine dioxide concentration, the method according to the invention achieves a sufficient microbicidal effect on undesirable microorganisms and germs of all kinds, in particular also on microorganisms and germs which could cause microbiological spoilage in beverages with a CO 2 content below 5 g / l. The disadvantages of corrosion of stainless steel of the system components and an odor nuisance are reduced by the inventive method to a considerable extent.

The invention is further based on the finding that the exposure time of the treatment medium formed by the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide, ie the duration of treatment in the respective treatment steps can be significantly reduced, without the desired effect being impaired or get lost. For example, a contact time or treatment time of 1 to 2 seconds in the treatment of the packaging and a contact time or treatment time of 5 to 10 minutes in the treatment of critical areas of the system components is quite sufficient.

For the purposes of the invention, "critical areas" of the plant components are, in particular, those areas and / or areas of the machines or components of a plant which come into contact with the respective product during product filling and / or with a treatment medium for pretreating the packaging prior to their filling ,

For the purposes of the invention, "packaging means" are packagings or containers which are customarily used in the foodstuffs sector and especially also in the beverage sector, in particular containers, such as bottles, cans or soft packagings, for example those made from cardboard and / or or plastic film and / or metal foil, etc.

The expression "essentially" or "approximately" in the sense of the invention means deviations from the exact value by +/- 10%, preferably by +/- 5% and / or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant for the function.

Further developments, advantages and applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and from the figures. In this case, all described and / or illustrated features alone or in any combination are fundamentally the subject of the invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their dependency. Also, the content of the claims is made an integral part of the description. The invention will be explained in more detail below in connection with the figures of exemplary embodiments. Show it: Fig. 1 in a simplified flow diagram treatment steps of a method according to the invention for cleaning and / or disinfecting and / or sterilizing packaging in the form of containers or bottles; 2 shows in a simplified flow diagram treatment steps of a method according to the invention for cleaning and / or disinfecting and / or sterilizing packaging in the form of containers or KEGs;

3 shows in a simplified flow diagram treatment steps of a method according to the invention for cleaning and / or disinfecting and / or sterilizing critical areas of system components, container treatment treatment plant, in particular of

Cleaning machines, rinsers, filling machines, capping machines, device for sterilizing container closures, devices for sterilizing preforms.

FIG. 1 shows essential treatment steps of a process for internal cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization of containers 2, which are subsequently filled with a product, in particular with a product which has a high sensitivity to microbiological and product-damaging contamination or contamination Contaminated.

According to FIG. 1, the cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization of the containers 1 take place in such a way that in a first treatment step BS1 an internal spraying of each container 1 with chlorine dioxide (CIO 2) dissolved in water, ie. with an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide, namely at a chlorine dioxide concentration in this first treatment medium between 0.4 ppm and 0.8 ppm. The treatment time is preferably only 1 to 2 seconds in the treatment step BS1.

In a second, temporally following treatment step BS2, the containers 1 are then sprayed again with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide, specifically with a chlorine dioxide concentration in the range between 0.2 and 0.4 ppm. The treatment time is again, for example, 1 to 2 seconds, but preferably only 0.5 second.

In a further, temporally following treatment step BS3, a complete emptying or dripping of the respective container 1 takes place.

In the method described above, it has been assumed that the containers 1 are already available in the clean or cleaned state at the beginning of the process, for example immediately before cleaning and / or disinfecting and / or sterilizing e.g. as a plastic container, e.g. PET containers or PET bottles were made by blow molding. On the other hand, if the containers are reusable containers, then prior to the process described above, i. Before the treatment step BS 1, the cleaning of the container with the usual cleaning method or in a conventional container cleaning machine.

The inventive method for cleaning and / or disinfecting the container 1, i. the above-described method steps BS1 - BS3 and ggs. Further treatment steps are preferably carried out on a container rinsing machine known to the person skilled in the art as a "rinser".

In the internal cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization of the container 1 in the process steps BS1 and BS2 or in at least one further treatment step following the treatment step BS2, an external cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization is carried out, for example the container 1, at least at such areas of the container outer surface, the risk of bacterial contamination of the product when filling the container 1 and when closing the respective filled container 1. FIG. 2 shows in a flow chart the treatment steps of a method according to the invention for internal cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization of containers 2 in the form of KEGs which are essentially made of a large-volume, eg made of metal or plastic (PET) Container body 3 with a valve having a KEG fitting 4 on the KEG top, as well as for the cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization of the respective KEG fitting 4 and its components.

The treatment of the container 2 takes place in each case on a treatment head 5 of a KEG treatment machine. On the treatment head 5, the turned container 2 are placed with their KEG fitting 4. In the method illustrated in FIG. 2, in a first treatment step BS1a above the treatment head 5, the KEG fitting 4 is opened and the container 2 is emptied of product residues. In at least one further time-sequential method step BS2a, a rinsing of the container interior with a rinsing or cleaning liquid, for example with alkali and / or acid, takes place via the treatment head 5 and the opened KEG fitting 4. In a further, temporally following treatment step BS3a, a flushing of the container interior with water takes place via the treatment head 5 and the opened KEG fitting 4.

In further, temporally following treatment steps BS4a and BS5a then the actual treatment of the container interior and also all, coming into contact with the product surfaces or areas of the KEG fitting 4, in particular all surfaces and areas of the local valve with the cleaning and / or disinfecting medium of water and chlorine dioxide, specifically in the treatment step BS4a with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide and having a chlorine dioxide concentration in the range between 0.4 ppm and 0.8 ppm, the treatment time being for example 1 to 2 seconds. In the subsequent treatment reference BS5a, the treatment is carried out with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide and with a chlorine dioxide concentration in the range between 0.2 and 0.4 ppm, wherein the treatment time is about 1 - 2 seconds, preferably only 0.5 seconds.

In a further, temporally following treatment step BS6a, a complete emptying of the container interior from the treatment medium then takes place when the container 2 is arranged at the treatment head and the KEG fitting is open.

At least during one of the treatment steps B4a or B5a, an action on the KEG fitting 4 takes place above the treatment head 5 such that a Sealing ring, which is usually arranged between the KEG fitting 4 and the inner surface of the container body 3 and the local junction between KEG fitting 4 and container body 3 seals, is lifted from the inner surface. The treatment medium (aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide) is introduced in a short pulse in the container 2, so that it then flows between the sealing ring and the inner surface of the container body 3 back into the treatment head 5 and thereby also by the lifting of the sealing ring on this and on the inner surface of the container body 3 exposed surfaces are treated with the treatment medium.

Both in the method described in connection with Figure 1, as well as in the method described in connection with Figure 2, it may be appropriate to the interior of the respective container 1 or 2 after the treatment for the complete removal of chlorine dioxide residues with a sterile medium, for example with sterile water to rinse and / or to dry with a sterile gaseous and / or vaporous medium to dry.

In systems for filling sensitive products into containers, it is necessary to clean and / or disinfect and / or sterilize the corresponding system components at their critical areas at specific time intervals. FIG. 3 shows in a flowchart the essential treatment steps of a method according to the invention for cleaning and / or disinfecting and / or sterilizing the system components 6 of a system for filling products into containers, for example into the containers 1 and 2, and for closing the containers , The system components 6 are shown symbolically as a rinser and filling machine.

According to the method step BS1 b, the normal production of the process plant is first terminated. After this end of production, the treatment of all critical areas of the process plant or its plant components 6 is then treated with caustic and / or acid in a first treatment step BS2b. Thereafter, in at least one further treatment step BS3b, a treatment or rinsing of the critical areas with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide with a chlorine dioxide concentration in Range between 0.2 ppm and 0.4 ppm, wherein the treatment time is preferably 5 to 10 minutes. Following this, in a treatment step BS4b, the components of the system components 6 can be rinsed with sterile water.

In the aforementioned treatment steps, the respective treatment medium is slid in a closed flow path through the system components 6 to be rinsed and / or cleaned and / or disinfected and / or sterilized (CIP cleaning and / or sterilization).

The method of Figure 3 offers significant advantages in terms of energy and cost savings, since the previously usual, 20 to 30 minutes lasting treatment of the system components with hot water and / or steam can be dispensed as a disinfectant.

For all of the methods described, it is surprisingly true that despite the relatively low chlorine dioxide concentration, which is 0.8 ppm at most, which is significantly below a chlorine dioxide concentration of 1.5 ppm, a high quality of cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization is achieved, i. a definitely sufficient microbicidal effect on undesirable microorganisms of all kinds, especially on those microorganisms which could cause a microbiological spoilage of the bottled product in liquid food or beverages with a C02 content below 5 g / L. At the same time, the risk of corrosion of stainless steel components of a process plant and odor nuisance are significantly reduced.

A particular advantage of the method according to the invention is also that the temperature of the treatment medium has no significant effect on the quality of the cleaning and in particular the sterilization, ie a tempering or heating of the treatment medium can be dispensed with, in spite of the low chlorine dioxide Concentration in the treatment medium. Another advantage is that basically no sterile water, ie a water sterilized in a complicated manner, is required for the treatment medium. This results in significant savings in terms of energy consumption and costs.

The invention has been described above by means of exemplary embodiments. It is understood that numerous changes and modifications are possible without thereby departing from the inventive concept underlying the invention.

Claims

claims

1. A method for cleaning and / or disinfecting and / or sterilizing packaging means (1, 2) for products, in particular for the consumption of suitable products or food, and / or critical areas of plant components (6) of container treatment plants, wherein in at least one Treatment step is used as a treatment medium, an aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide, characterized in that the chlorine dioxide concentration of the treatment medium in the range between 0.4 ppm - 0.8 ppm.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in at least two treatment steps, a treatment medium in the form of the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide is used, in a first treatment step with a chlorine dioxide concentration in the range between 0.4 and 0.8 ppm and in a temporally following second treatment step with a chlorine dioxide concentration in the range between 0.2 and 0.4 ppm.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in the cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization of packaging (1, 2), the treatment time with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide 1 - 2 seconds, preferably at least two treatment steps with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide in the first treatment step 1 - 2 seconds and in the second treatment step 1 - 2 seconds, preferably 0.5 seconds.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during the cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization of system components (6) the treatment time of the at least one treatment step with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide is 5 - 10 minutes.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the treatment of clean and / or cleaned containers (1) in a first process step (BS1) of the first treatment step with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide, then the second treatment step with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide as well as in a further treatment step (BS3) removing the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide by draining and / or rinsing the container (1) with a sterile liquid and / or gaseous medium.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during cleaning and / or disinfecting and / or sterilizing of packaging (2) in the form of KEGs and their KEG fittings (4) these at least in a first treatment step (BS1 a) emptied to remove product residues and subjected to internal cleaning in at least one temporally following treatment step (BS2a, BS3a), for example by treatment or rinsing with caustic and / or acid and / or by rinsing with water, especially fresh water, and then in at least one Treatment step (BS4a, BS5a), the cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization of the container (2) with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide, said cleaning and / or disinfection and / or sterilization preferably with the first and the temporally following second treatment step he follows.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that in the treatment of the KEGs (2) and their KEG fittings (4) with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide between the KEG fittings (4) and the inner surface of the KEGs (2) arranged dissolved and applied in the initial state against the inner surface sealing ring from the inner surface and in this case the then exposed surface of the sealing ring and the inner surface are treated with the aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide.

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the cleaning and / or disinfection and / or Sterilization of the system components (6), in particular a process plant for filling microbiologically sensitive products in packaging, the critical areas of the system components (6) first in a treatment step (BS2b) treated with acid or alkali or rinsed in at least one further treatment step with the aqueous Solution of chlorine dioxide treated or rinsed.

A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the chlorine dioxide concentration 0.2-0.4 ppm and / or the treatment time 5-10 minutes.