What is BS 5226 - Cleaning and disinfecting of milking machines about?
BS 5226 is a standard that covers the cleaning and disinfecting of milking machines enabling the development of protocols for thorough cleaning and disinfecting of milking machines to ensure safety and operability in milking operations.
BS 5226 gives recommendations for the equipment and procedures concerned in the in-place cleaning and disinfecting of milking machine installations and farm bulk milk tanks.
In BS 5226, general recommendations are given in section 1. Section 2 gives recommendations for the design and materials of certain ancillary components of milking machine installations that specifically influence in-place cleaning and disinfecting.
In BS 5226, section 3 gives guidance on the main factors that will determine the choice of the water heater. Section 4 gives details of recommended methods of in-place cleaning and disinfecting.
Appendix A in BS 5226 gives recommendations for the design, construction, installation and operation of electric water storage heaters, and Appendix B describes a procedure for acceptance tests for acidified boiling water (ABW) cleaning and disinfecting systems.
Who is BS 5226 - Cleaning and disinfecting of milking machines for?
BS 5226 on cleaning and disinfecting of milking machines applies to:
- Manufacturers of milking equipment
- Dealers and importers of milking equipment
- Dairy industry
- Testing labs for milking equipment
- Repair and maintenance services for milking equipment
- Quality assurance services
Why should you use BS 5226 - Cleaning and disinfecting of milking machines?
A milking machine facilitates milking by creating a vacuum that does not hurt the animal. However, proper care needs to be taken before installing them as it can create a risk of spoilage. Before using a newly installed cleaning and disinfecting system it is necessary to ensure that it is working properly.
BS 5226 provides users guidance on effective cleaning and disinfecting, legislation, official sources of advice, exchange of information regarding water heaters, materials and equipment, pipelines of milk system, water heaters and more reducing the risk of spoilage and contamination in milking applications.
BS 5226 provides users guidance on critical factors for cleaning system of milking equipment including:
- Design and installation of the equipment
- Volume of solutions used in the cleaning and disinfecting process
- Temperatures of the solutions used in the cleaning and disinfecting process
- Chemical strength of the cleaning and disinfecting solutions
- Flow rates and the distribution of the cleaning and disinfecting solutions throughout the plant
With obedience and compliance to BS 5226, users can develop an effective framework for cleaning and disinfecting milking machines to remove the dirt, impurities, residues and other harmful material that could create contamination and spoilage.