In tanker production for food transportation, a design approach focused on hygiene and cleaning is becoming increasingly important. Food tankers developed by manufacturers in Türkiye aim to achieve compliance with international hygiene standards through CIP (cleaning-in-place) infrastructure and the use of materials suitable for contact with food.
Sectoral and Technical Structure
In food tankers, in order to prevent spoilage of transported products and to maintain microbiological safety, the tanker structure, connection components and sealing elements are manufactured from materials suitable for food contact and that can be effectively cleaned. In such tankers, the use of stainless steel generally stands out. Processing surfaces to be smooth, easy to clean and resistant to contamination contributes to maintaining hygienic conditions for the transported product.
The CIP system, namely the cleaning-in-place method, provides a mechanism that automatically cleans the internal surfaces of the tanker through a closed-loop cleaning cycle without requiring disassembly. This system consists of a cleaning fluid tank, a circulation pump, spray nozzles or spray balls, and automation controls. Thanks to CIP, the internal surfaces of the tanker can be cleaned and disinfected using water or cleaning chemicals before and after transportation. This approach eliminates human-related errors that may occur in manual cleaning processes, while ensuring that cleaning is homogeneous and repeatable.
Standards and Certification Framework
With regard to the hygienic design and cleaning of food tankers, there are various studies published by internationally recognized guidelines and standards organizations. For example, guidelines issued by EHEDG define criteria related to the hygienic design of tanks, valves and equipment, as well as the installation and validation of CIP systems. These guidelines cover technical requirements such as cleanability, accessibility, surface smoothness and sealing within the scope of tank and facility cleaning.
In addition to structural requirements in food tankers, hygienic design criteria such as surface quality, ease of cleaning, valve and connection details, and cleaning accessibility can also be integrated into the production process. In this way, a holistic approach can be adopted by evaluating automatic cleaning systems such as CIP together with hygienic design principles.
National and International Cleaning / Compliance Process
For food tankers to be used in international transportation or multi-country logistics chains, the ability to document cleaning processes is of great importance. In this context, the EFTCO Cleaning Document (ECD) published by EFTCO provides standardized documentation that records the cleaning steps applied after tanker cleaning. The ECD has a multilingual format that documents tanker cleaning and is accepted throughout Europe.
Through this structure, the cleaning and hygiene history of food tankers becomes traceable. As a result, the risk of cross-contamination that may occur during the consecutive transport of different products is reduced, while the transport chain is secured through internationally recognized cleaning documentation.
Research and Development and Engineering Dimension
Spray balls or rotary washing heads, cleaning chemicals, water circulation systems, control panels and automation infrastructure used in CIP systems are designed to ensure effective and homogeneous cleaning of tanker internal surfaces. In addition to the cleaning system, it is of great importance that the internal surfaces of the tanker comply with hygienic design criteria. Within this scope, surface smoothness, sealing, ease of access, and the suitability of valve and pipe connections for hygienic structures are among the critical factors. EHEDG guidelines serve as a guiding reference for defining and implementing these design criteria.
The use of residue-free, cleanable and food-compatible materials and systems after cleaning in food tankers is of vital importance in terms of both microbiological safety and product quality. A hygienic design approach supported by CIP increases safety in serial production and operational processes.
The application of CIP technology and the adoption of hygienic design principles in tanker production for food transportation offer significant advantages in terms of food safety, microbiological control, product quality and compliance with international transportation requirements. Thanks to material selection in line with European regulations, cleanability, documentation of cleaning processes and hygienic engineering solutions, food tankers can be used safely in both domestic and international transportation.
