Effective air filtration protects against germs and viruses in food production processes

In pandemic times, the food and beverage producer faces special questions regarding product safety and protection against contamination by pathogens. Is there a transmission path from corona viruses to food, what measures have to be taken regarding operator protection, production and maintenance processes?

A large majority of food & beverage companies are considered as critical industries. In pandemic times they are challenged once again to maintain integrity of the food chain to ensure adequate and safe food supply for the consumers. That includes to keep all workers in food production healthy and safe, to reinforce personal hygiene measures and to improve hygiene controls in the production process.

Air quality is a central prerequesite of food safety. Environmental air of a specifid quality - in terms of temperature, humidity, particle concentration and quality of air - is required both to reduce the possibility of contamination and to protect the health and welfare of employees. The control of these four parameters contributes significantly to qualified ambient and recirculated air in food production processes.

Indoors, air filtration helps to minimize the risk of pathogens such as viruses and bacteria and to improve the air quality. Therefore, high-quality, individually adapted air filtration systems are recommended, especially for sensitive, high risk areas of the food & beverage industry.
State of the art for ventilation and air conditioning systems is described in the EHEDG Doc. 47 and in the German VDI 6022 guideline (for general ventilation and air conditioning systems). Further orientation aids are given in the EUROVENT 4/23-2018 recommendations. Here, suggestions for suitable air filter selection depending on outdoor air conditions (ODA categories) and supply air quality (SUP categories) can be found.

Filter stage 1Pocket filters initially separate most of the larger particles (PM10) such as dust and pollen from the supply and recirculated air. Their low pressure drops make them particularly energy efficient. This 1-stage concept is suitable for areas where pre-packaged food products are stored (low hygiene zones).

Filter stage 2Almost all PM2,5 particles are filtered in filter stage 2. Cassette filters excel here with their high dust holding capacity and stable separation efficiency. Typical air handling units (AHU) in food production processes have a 2-stage filtration system (medium hygiene zones). Installed prefilters should be of a high filtration grade of minimum ePM 10 55%.

Filter stage 3The third stage with HEPA filters is responsible for ensuring sterility and clean room air. A HEPA/ULPA filter of filter class H14 removes more than 99.995 % of the remaining particles, germs and viruses from the air. Thus the risk of contracting infections indoors and the risk of product contamination in high risk production zones is minimized effectively.

Regardless of whether it is about meat processing, production processes in dairies or cheese factories or the manufacture of convenience products: the ventilation systems for these production areas must be well maintained and hygienically faultless. Effective protection of the ventilation system against germs and viruses - and currently especially against the corona virus - is essential in order to limit the risk of infection for employees and the spread of viruses. With suitable filtration measures, the correct ventilation operation and a system check for SARS-CoV2, you can ensure the health of your employees and ensure optimal protection of system components and devices.

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