Water Quality For Use In The Food Industry

One of our most valuable resources is water, and its standard should be dealt with responsibly. By
implementing the HACCP principle in water use, we can figure out the quality. At times water carries
possible physical, chemical, and biological risks which would require water treatment. The
requirement of treatment exists when water for food plant including to guarantee potable water. Use
of non-potable water is done after running some quality test on the basis of HACCP to assure that it
would not pose a threat to production and has no adverse effect on employees.

For various means, water is put to use in food processing. Amongst many other purposes of use of
water in direct contact with the food or food contact surfaces such as an ingredient, steam, etc. or
indirectly as a processing aid. Consequently, in food manufacturing plant management of water
quality use should be for product safety and given the capacity of production means for cooling,
heating, and cleaning. An additional perspective is a protection of the employees in the workplace.
The below write up is going to discuss the principal risks and possibly useful treatments to assure
adequate water condition.

Sources of contamination

One of the fundamental mode to constrict physical risks is filtration and the other to observe the
benefit through turbidity determinations. According to EU drinking water directive and WHO
guidelines, the chemical hazards include organic compounds, many contaminants such as
pesticides and elements like heavy metals.

Water contamination in biological hazards constitutes all the organisms of apprehension including
outcomes of their presence such as the toxin formation by some types of algae. Carried or
transmitted by water micro-organisms probably creating illness involving viruses, helminths, bacteria,
and protozoa. The immunity and perceptivity of those organisms to generally employ treatments.
The mode of transmission requires to be examined to assure water quality. In the majority, the
pathogens are transported to water by human sewage or/and animals as they don't develop in water.

Nonetheless, few are environmental pathogens growing in water for example Legionella, is
transferred by inhalation or aerosols heading to a respiratory tract infection. The Legionella threats
concerns are regarding own particular protection. Outstanding development features of the bacteria,
however, in the conditions of water temperature below 20°C and above 60°C would avert
amplification in the system. The EU guidelines give data regarding efficient treatments and
disinfection of water systems.

Overall, water standard checks should initiate at the source, and additionally reviews incoming/used
municipal water supplies. Carefully note down the past events and accounts of drinking water
supplies as it helps to plan. As previously there would have been consequences related to potable
water supplies to track down the related issue. Exceeding detailed information on the effectiveness
of treatments generally put to use in the food industry can be found in ‘Water quality for the food
industry: management and microbiological issues’ studying particularly at Legionella and
Cryptosporidium, ‘Considering water quality for use in the food industry’, ‘Foodborne Protozoan
Parasites’, and ‘Foodborne viruses: An emerging problem’.

Outline aspects of storage and distribution

Perspectives of layout in the food industry for storage and distribution is an essential concern.
Efficient microbiological commands comprise the complete plan of the water circulation and storage
methods. The similar customary policies should be implemented for food manufacturing devices to
stop biofilms, guaranteeing the whole system to be spotless and sterilized daily as required, and
circumvent dormant regions. Also, all the materials put in use to set up system should be suitable for
the requirements of the system including the materials employed for cleaning and disinfection.

To prevent contamination of any kind the storage tanks should be confined. Other steps in this
direction would be to equip the vents with an air filter and place an insect screen. The layout of tank
permits to discharge when clearing and the layout of the whole system should be in a way not to
surpass the residency time of the water more than 24 hours.

Water treatment

The option of fitting water treatment technique varies by system design, the water source, and the
utilization purpose of the water. As the previous statement states, the permit of cleaning and
disinfection is possible through water storage and distribution system layout. In fact, the cleanup is
not feasible and often a persistent issue. The process begins by treating the water at the initial point
of entry into a food manufacturing facility. Through this, the standard of water purity is in control of
the factory. The water quality is noted from a microbiological viewpoint at distinct times in the plant. It
may consist of end positions of pipes, and suitable treatments are put to use. Often a blend of
procedures will be essential to suffice the needs.

Filtration

The risk of contamination it is a dependency to run advancing water through a filter consisting of
solids. The filtration process has many variations as one is porous filters to remove larger particles
from water. Similarly, there is membrane filtration to remove smaller dissolved particles and
microorganisms. The uncertainty of microbiological increase demands to be in consideration when
filters do not persistently receive water. Hence, the circulation of water should be consistent in terms
the water is not in use.

Chlorination

One of the primary methods for chemical oxidization is chlorination to decontaminate water systems.
It is put to use as a hypochlorite solution or as a liquid bleach and chlorine dioxide. The benefits of
chlorine are nearly economical. Moreover, the automatic system and generator do not need an
amount of capital investment.

Hypochlorite reacts with the nitrogenous element of organic substances. Automatic systems for
constant water chlorination are possible. The main drawbacks of hypochlorite are that it is profoundly
caustic in its concentrated form. Also, the cons might form undesired side products such as
chloramines and chlorophenol. It will be put use in merely by an organic substance.

Generation of chloride dioxide should only at the time of use as it is very volatile gas. It has more
benefits in comparison of hypochlorite as it is less caustic. The efficiency to deal with biofilms is
more in contrast to hypochlorite. Hence, making it a more favorable method.

Electrochemically activated water

Lately, the most preferred treatment for electrochemically activated water. Oxidized fluid and
compressed fluid is created by an electrochemical cell only by using water and salt. The battery may
be separated by a diaphragm. The solution is meta-stable for up to a couple of weeks and like
chlorine dioxide generated onsite. Chiefly hypochlorous acid, fewer quantities of chlorine dioxide and
ozone within the disinfectant. The small amounts of this disinfectant will be added into the water
system. Nevertheless, the manufacturers declare it as a chemical-free process for water treatment.
As it is quite apparent, it is a chemical based method to treat water in spite of the fewer quantity of
chemical put to use.

Ozone

Chlorine Dioxide should be created on the spot for use as it is not stable. Chlorine Dioxide contains
high ORP with a huge capacity for disinfection with a wide range of activity. Its key feature is
solubility in water hence making it the most viable disinfectant for water systems. One of its
drawbacks is to get easily used by organic matter and the energy expenses to generate ozone are
comparatively high. Due to the volatile nature of ozone should never be put to use in evaporative
cooling systems.

Ultraviolet radiation

A short wave of UV light inactivates the microorganisms as its nucleic acid is damaged and its DNA
as well during the treatment. In an enclosure see-through protecting cover the UV light source in a
manner so as the water moves through a flow chamber. However, the suspended particles may
shield the microorganisms hampering the efficiency of the treatment. Below are the factors based on
which treatments efficacy depends are adsorption, concentration, and turbidity of particles and
organic materials. The process is, therefore, is not adequate to provide sterile water. The only
benefit of the treatment is that it is chemical free and has a wide scope of activity.

Techniques used after water treatment

Few of the treatments mentioned above need extra steps such as like neutralization & adsorption of
organic matter or smells employing activated carbon.

Reference By: https://www.symposiumgo.com/blog/water-quality-for-use-in-the-food-industry