Low temperature washing and chemical sanitizing of foodware

摘要

Soiled foodware is cleaned in a batch-type machine in which the foodware is subjected to a washing cycle and a chemical sanitizing rinsing cycle. A controlled flow of fresh preheated rinse water is supplied to an accumulation tank during the wash cycle while a drying agent is optionally added to the water in the tank. Thereafter, the rinse cycle is initiated by pumping the accumulated fresh water into a rinse line at a predetermined pressure to provide uniform flow in the rinse line. A liquid chemical sanitizing agent is then introduced directly into the uniform flow of water in the rinse line. This sequence of operations provides a desired uniform water pressure, independent of water supply pressure, for effective rinsing action and accurate metering of sanitizing agent into the uniform flow of water in the rinse line. Direct introduction of sanitizing agent into the rinse line minimizes contact time between the sanitizing agent and the fresh rinse water, which may contain a drying agent relatively incompatible with the sanitizing agent. Controlled flow of preheated rinse water into the accumulation tank during substantially the entire wash cycle minimizes the energy requirements of the system by reducing the heat losses in the machine.