REFRIGERATION AND FREEZING EQUIPMENT 



Ice used for the refrigeration of shrimp must at all times conform 

 to standards established by the U.S. Public Health Service for ice 

 and public drinking water. Plants that make their own ice should 

 manufacture and store it in a sanitary fashion. Refrigeration equip- 

 ment must be adequate for freezing the day's production as it is 

 processed. As a rule of thumb, a bulk package containing 5 or more 

 pounds should be hard-frozen within 24 hours; a smaller package, 

 within 12 hours. 



CLEANING 



The next broad area for attention is cleaning the physical plant. 

 The following discussion of cleaning includes both general and in- 

 place techniques for the physical plant as well as specific sugges- 

 tions for utensil cleaning. 



GENERAL CLEANING 



The premises should be kept clean and free of litter and rubbish. 

 Unused equipment should be stored away from the processing 

 areas. Animals should never be allowed in the plant; only authorized 

 persons should be admitted to the processing areas. During the 

 processing, any food debris accumulating on machinery must be 

 removed promptly. 



IN-PLACE CLEANING 



The methods used to clean food-processing equipment and food- 

 plant premises vary considerably; however, most satisfactory 

 cleaning includes the following steps: 



1. A wholesale flushing with water to remove extraneous ma- 

 terial. 



2. A thorough scrubbing with water and suitable detergent. 



3. A rinsing with hot water (at not less than 170° F.). 



4. A sanitizing rinse with chlorinated water (containing 200 p.p. m. 

 available chlorine). 



All equipment on the processing lines (except that containing dry 

 material, such as breading) should be cleaned at least twice a 

 shift — once during the meal break and once immediately after 

 processing has stopped. At the onset of processing, all equipment 



