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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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As of yesterday, March 20, spring has officially arrived! This means warmer weather, longer daylight hours, blooming flowers and spring cleaning! Chances are you are least excited about the latter, so we’ve got some helpful cleaning tips for candy manufacturers taken from an article published in the January 2004 issue of The Manufacturing Confectioner and written by Susan Hough of Masterson Company.
Use Soap and Water
The most effective way to clean equipment is with soap and water. It is a real search and destroy mission that should not be taken lightly. Just scraping or using water alone will not be effective.
Oil Flushes for Oil-Based Products
If you are working with an all-oil-based product (and no sugars to help dissolve the product away), you may have to start with several oil flushes first before introducing water or chemicals. Without the oil flushes, the chemicals can extract out the oil, leaving behind solid masses cemented to the pipes or agitators of your vessel. If you absolutely cannot get water near your systems and have a completely dry process, you may want to try dry CO2 pellet cleaning.
Checklists Are a Must
Checklists for the system, identifying all the equipment requiring dismantling, cleaning and inspection, are a must. There are several ways of verifying the effectiveness of the cleanup. A good verification doesn’t trust just one verification method, but is successful through the collective use of several.
Use Your Senses
Especially when it comes to cleaning equipment exposed to allergens, it is important to visually inspect and use your sense of smell. As mentioned earlier, you need to open up and visually inspect every area possible. The sense of smell can be useful in the case of allergens such as peanuts. Even in very minute amounts, the smell of the peanut can be a telltale sign of a hidden cleaning issue. A further verification uses some of the more quantative tests available today. You could utilize ATP testers (especially if a particular allergenic protein has no test kit yet available). It should be noted that this method will not tell you how much PPM residue you have, and is not as effective on proteins that have been heat treated.
Protein Test Kits
Test kits for peanuts approved by the AOAC Research Institute as performance tested include Biokits Peanut Assay; Ridascreen Fast Peanut; and Veratox for Peanut. These kits can be used to test the actual product, do swabs of your equipment or test the rinse water off a system after cleaning. It should be noted that although many of them are relatively easy, they can take 45 to 60 minutes to complete.
After cleaning is completed, the system should be additionally inspected and signed off by a management person to verify the cleanup. The more eyes (and noses) involved, the less chance something will be missed.
Cleaning large equipment can be a daunting task. With proper cleaning methods and verification, you can rest assured you're following Good Manufacturing Processes (GMPs) and your equipment is ready for the spring season! Happy Cleaning!
Stay connected with RCI through Facebook for more tips and inspiration dedicated to the retail candy maker. Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.
Tags:
Allergens
Cleaning
GMP's
Owning a Business
Spring
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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Are you a little hazy on what’s causing the buildup of a film on the surface of your chocolate moulds? You’re not alone. Learn what causes this common problem and get preventative tips on how to avoid it in this excerpt from RCI’s Mechanics of Chocolate Moulding course.
We all know the temperature of chocolate and, even, your workspace is important, but did you know the temperature of your moulds could also be affecting the quality of your chocolate?
Cold moulds can cause chocolate to stick to the surface of a mould because the chocolate has not had time to grow the proper crystals and shrink free of the surface. Moulds should be 75-80° F before coming into contact with chocolate. And, bonus, the solution to this problem is easy, because moulds within this temperature range will self clean. Repeated deposits will remove the buildup from the surface of the moulds.
Although cooking spray can work wonders for baking pans, never coat chocolate moulds with vegetable oil to prevent sticking. This may appear to help prevent buildup; but it will create early bloom on the surface of a moulded piece because of the incompatibility of the vegetable oil and the cocoa butter in chocolate. Compound coatings made with lauric fats, such as palm kernel oil, are even more susceptible to bloom than chocolate, if incompatible fats are mixed with them.
Now that you know your chocolate moulds like to be kept at a cozy 75-80° F, how do you check the temperature of a mould? An infrared thermometer "gun" will do the trick and can be found at any of your local home improvement stores. Click here to view best-selling infrared thermometers on Amazon. Prices range from $16 to $130.
Happy Moulding!
Tags:
Chocolate
Chocolate Production
Cleaning
Moulds
Problem Candy
troubleshooting
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Posted By RCI,
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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Did you know chocolate moulds that aren’t cleaned properly can cause chocolates to lose their desired smooth and glossy shine? Follow these five easy steps from Tomric Systems, Inc. to ensure your plastic moulds are cleaned properly and produce perfectly glossy chocolate masterpieces every time.
- Wipe moulds with a soft cloth in clear, warm water.
- DO NOT use an abrasive cleanser. If moulds become coated with cocoa butter, wash with a mild, grease-cutting detergent. Use detergent sparingly and avoid scratching the inside surface of the moulds.
- Rinse in clear, cool water.
- Dry and store in a cool location.
- Use moulds at room temperature.
Although maintenance is minimal for plastic moulds, it is important to perform these simple steps at the end of each holiday season to get the most out of your chocolate moulds.
Tags:
Chocolate
Cleaning
Moulds
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Updated: Wednesday, April 29, 2020
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If you spend a lot of time behind a keyboard, it should be no surprise that germs can make a home out of all those nooks and crannies. In fact, keyboards, along with phones, water fountain handles and microwave door handles rank at the top of the most germ-contaminated spots in the office. Need a more compelling reason to host an office cleaning party this week? According to a study conducted by Dr. Charles Gerba with University of Arizona, “the average desk harbors 400 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat.” Do you have a disinfectant wipe in hand, yet?
Whether you hire a cleaning service to keep your workplace clean or not, there’s a good chance some areas of your office could use a little extra cleaning. Consider scheduling a brief “office cleaning party” (15-minutes to an hour, depending on your need), for all office staff to address key areas within their personal workstation (e.g., keyboards, phones, computer monitors, etc.) and delegate individuals or teams to tackle public spaces like the break room (e.g., coffee maker and microwave), restrooms and lobby (if necessary). Few people enjoy cleaning, but there are ways to make it more fun by playing energizing music and making sure you have all the supplies needed to get the job done. By giving the team a reason to move around and change up the day-to-day monotony, you might be surprised to find, not only, a cleaner office, but a more motivated and focused team.
Click here for seven “handy hacks” from Staples.com to make your office cleaning party a breeze!
Tags:
Cleaning
Hacks
Owning a Business
Productivity
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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In honor of Chocolate Mint Day next week (February 19), this week’s tip reminds you to have all mint-flavored treats stored separately from other confections.
While mint is refreshingly cool and goes great with chocolate, it is also an overwhelming flavor that can seep into the flavor of your other candies and chocolates. Therefore, it is recommended to store your mint flavoring as well as products containing mint separate from other goods. Some candy makers make a lot of mint chocolates and find that a completely separate “mint room” is necessary but if that is not the case for you, storing them in sealed containers will at least seal in the flavor.
Do you have other ways for storing your mint flavored products? Please share them in the comments below!
We hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day!
Tags:
Candy Making
Cleaning
Organizing
Packaging
Quality Control
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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You’re very diligent to clean fingerprints and smudges on the front of your candy cases but have you given thought to how often you clean the inside of your cases and other fixtures? This week’s tip is to remind you that cleaning behind fixtures is just as important as cleaning the front of cases and fixtures.
As you know, presentation matters when it comes to displaying your beautiful chocolates and candies in the store. You may not think the inside of your cases would get dirty but dust could collect there in addition to smudges from moving product in and out of the case. A pristine case will help increase the perceived value of your products so take the time to ensure it is clean both inside and out.
How often should you clean the inside of your cases? That depends on how often the doors to the cases are opened, when product is moved, etc. Whatever you decide, be sure it is added to the cleaning schedule so employees don’t overlook this important task.
P.S. This tip was from the GMP series featured in the Jan/Feb/Mar 2012 issue of Kettle Talk. RCI members may access the entire series by signing in to the RCI website and viewing Kettle Talk issues from 2012.
Tags:
Cleaning
GMP's
Merchandising
Quality Control
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Welcome to 2014! We hope you had a great time bringing in the New Year!
This week’s tip is to get your office organized. You’ve just been through a mad holiday season and orders and receipts were flying left and right. Now that December is behind us and before Valentine’s Day is upon us, it’s time to get your office organized again. We’ve found some great office organizing tips on Pinterest!
Organize the Papers on Your Desk with Labeled Folders
Use Clipboards to Organize Items You Need to Access Easily
Create Moodboards for Upcoming Merchandising/Packaging
Get Those Unruly Cords in Order
One last thing - get a labelmaker. We talked about this fantastic tool in Tip #7 and still think it will change your organizing life.
P.S. If you are heading to the Philly Candy Show this weekend, stop by the RCI booth and meet the staff! Be sure to mention you read the Tip of the Week blog!
Tags:
Cleaning
Leadership
Organizing
Owning a Business
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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We have a quick Good Manufacturing Practices tip for you this week. When you receive pallets of chocolate or the 10-pound bars of chocolate from your chocolate supplier, you need to break them into smaller pieces to melt down and create your store’s confections. How do you go about doing that?
Many candy makers will break the chocolate into smaller pieces by smashing it with a hammer. However, if you are using a wood handled hammer, you risk the wood chipping off in the process and small shreds of wood landing in your chocolate. Additionally, if you are using a rubber handled hammer, it likely has small crevices in it that can easily hold chocolate and create bacteria as time goes on.
Therefore, this week’s tip is to use a stainless steel or titanium crowbar to break your chocolate into pieces for melting. It is still a good idea to clean the crowbar on a regular basis, but with no other element such as wood and rubber on the bar, it will be much easier to ensure it is completely clean and sterilized and ready for safe use with food.
P.S. This tip was shared during our recent Chocolate Boot Camp. View photos of this RCI education course on our Facebook page!
Tags:
Candy Making
Cleaning
GMP's
Quality Control
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Now that you’re finished with those Valentine’s Day moulds, it’s time to clean and put them away until the next holiday season. Be sure to follow these steps courtesy of RCI associate supplier member Tomric Systems, Inc. to take the best care of your moulds:
Because moulds are made of plastic, upkeep is minimal. At the end of the season, moulds need to be washed, well rinsed, dried and stored in a cool, dry location. If maintained, the moulds will have a shiny finish and release a nicely glossed piece of chocolate.
- Wipe with soft cloth in clear, warm water.
- DO NOT use an abrasive cleanser. If moulds become coated with cocoa butter, wash with a mild grease-cutting detergent. Use detergent sparingly and avoid scratching the inside surface of the moulds.
- Rinse in clear, cool water.
- Dry and store in a cool location.
- Use moulds at room temperature.
RCI Members: Our recent Kettle Talk publication contained an article with these step-by-step instructions. Access this and other member-only Kettle Talk articles by signing in to the RCI website as a member.
Tags:
Candy Making
Cleaning
GMP's
Quality Control
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Posted By RCI,
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Updated: Thursday, April 30, 2020
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Most candy makers would probably agree it’s easier to keep a super-clean facility when the bows and boxes aren’t flying during the holiday season. But how is your staff doing with keeping the cleaning schedule when there seems to be no extra time in the day?
One way to stay on top of this is to test the cleanliness of your facility on a regular basis. We don’t mean a visual test where you look to see if the area appears clean but an actual scientific test for allergens, sanitation, etc.
You can buy sample test kits and do an on-site test of a variety of areas in your production zone. During one of our recent Kettle Talk panel forums, a member recommended buying sample test kits from Neogen. Using their food allergen tests you can do on-site tests to detect the target allergen ( see list of allergens here) in ingredients, liquids, clean-in-place rinses, finished foods, and on environmental surfaces. They also have sanitation tests to detect the amount of food residue and other organic matter, such as bacteria, yeast and mold, that may remain after cleaning.
Please note this is just one company that was recommended from one member to another at our event and others are likely available to you by searching online. If you also want to send swabs off to a lab to be thoroughly tested, Silliker Labs, who presented at the 2012 RCI Spring Regional event, also provides food testing and sanitation information for confectioners and food facilities.
Do you have other tips for maintaining a clean food facility in the midst of your busiest production schedules? Please share with our blog community in the comments below!
RCI Members: Access additional materials on Good Manufacturing Practices on the member side of the RCI website. Our new website being revealed in January will have a page dedicated to just this topic.
Tags:
Candy Making
Cleaning
GMP's
Holidays
Owning a Business
Quality Control
Seasonal
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