Photo: Colourbox.com

Hygienic design testing helps ensure a high level of food safety

Food, fish and agriculture Food production Food technology

For five years, the DTU Centre for Hygienic Design has helped to ensure that the food industry’s equipment can be cleaned in a way that supports Denmark's very high level of food safety.

Properly designed and executed hygienic design and correctly installed food production equipment ensures that the equipment can be cleaned properly. To help food producers avoid unpleasant surprises because of equipment that cannot be adequately cleaned using conventional cleaning procedures, the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark opened the Centre for Hygiene Design in November 2013.

The center can help producers test and assess whether equipment used in both open and closed processing meets the requirements for hygienic design. Food industry staff can also gain a greater insight into hygienic design through the centre's courses and continuing education activities.

Only Danish EHEDG test center

As the only official European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group, EHEDG, test centre in Denmark, the centre can perform certification of primarily closed equipment according to the EHEDG guidelines. The centre also performs customized tests that can e.g. highlight specific challenges related to the hygienic design of open equipment.

An EHEDG certification provides equipment manufacturers with internationally recognized evidence that their equipment can be properly cleaned. In principle, all types of equipment can be assessed according to the EHEDG guidelines.

The center is also accredited by the Danish accreditation fund, DANAK, to provide certification of hygiene for closed production equipment.

Five busy years

The centre has had five busy years, during which time it has among other things:

  • issued 25 EHEDG certificates
  • provided knowledge to 375 people who have attended seven seminars
  • provided continuing education in the area of hygienic design to 88 people
  • held eight courses tailored for  businesses specific needs
  • signed 146 project agreements with businesses worldwide.
New test manager

In December 2018, Alan Friis took over as test manager at the DTU Centre for Hygienic Design.

Alan Friis has more than 25 years of experience in hygienic design and a deep knowledge of EHEDG's design principles and guidelines. He has taught the industry about hygienic design and the associated formal requirements for more than two decades and he is authorized to teach according to the EHEDG's guidelines.

Read more

Find more information about the services the centre offers on the Centre for Hygienic Design’s website.

ABOUT EHEDG

EHEDG, European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group, is a European consortium of equipment manufacturers, food producers, research institutes and governmental organizations who work together to promote good hygiene in the processing and packaging of foods.