Meat and fish processing

Ecomarca operates in the sector of meat and fish processing and it is responsible for the waste water treatment (management of processing cycles, waste water treatment) and premises, work surfaces and equipment washing and sanitization, by controlling and reducing bioburden.

WASTE WATER TREATMENT

Waste water obtained from the slaughtering of meat and fish products is characterized by the presence of significant residues of meat, skin, fat, fishbone fragments, with a content of organic and dissolved nitrogenous matter which is considerably high.

Even if these processes do not normally involve the presence of toxic substance, waste water may contain biocides resulting from sanitising installations, work surfaces, floors and equipment.

In many cases, waste water obtained from dairy processes is variable due to the working cycles, with peaks of both organic and hydraulic load.

Main characteristics of the treatment plant

Treatment plants for slaughterhouses and firms for fish processing must take into consideration the following characteristics:

• Variability of the organic load (COD, Chemical Oxygen Demand) during the washing stages, also according to seasons and the type of meat/fish processed;
• Presence of even rough fragments of skin, fat, and fishbone and bone residues inside the waste water;
• Presence of biocides and harsh reagents resulting from washing processes.

For the proper sizing of the treatment system, all the variables related to activities carried out inside a winery must be considered; the plant must necessarily be flexible in order to adapt to changing waste water conditions.

For this reason, Ecomarca performs a preliminary analysis at the customer premises in order to take note of processing peculiarities and to identify any improvable situations: the first treatment may already occur inside the winery!

Our solution

Ecomarca uses the most advanced technologies available for making purifiers, which combine biological processes with the most advanced systems of separation of clarified water. These purifiers are managed by special software allowing the automatic and interactive operation of the waste water treatment plant.

In any case, the proper treatment system foresees the application of biological processes with activated sludge. The sizing of such treatment systems must necessarily consider the preliminary removal of solid and fat content inside the waste water, in addition to integrate processes of complete removal of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus.

The main types of treatment plants for slaughterhouses and firms for fish processing are the sequential (SBR, Sequencing Batch Reactor) and the membrane ones (MBR, Membrane Bio Reactor).

SBR plants are suitable for the treatment of waste water characterised by a strong variability over time, both in terms of pollutant and hydraulic load, as it happens inside slaughterhouses and firms for fish processing. SBR plants allow treatment during all the 24 hours, by accumulating a part of the waste water during the day and carrying on the treatment cycle at night. The main characteristic of SBR systems is to carry out all the stages of the purifying process within a single compartment in a sequential manner.

In MBR plants the purifying process using activated sludge and the microfiltration through membranes are coupled. Ecomarca chose and suggests to its customers flat ceramic membranes since, with respect to other types made with other materials, typically polymeric, they guarantee a very high durability over time, continuous purifying effectiveness and very low maintenance costs.

MBR purifiers have the advantage of being particularly compact and they consequently require smaller volumes, the flow rate processed being equal; inside these plants all the water is micro filtered through membranes and purity of purified water is such as to allow the reuse.

The variability of pollutant and hydraulic load, which is typical for slaughterhouses and firms for fish processing, requires a biomass capable of attacking effectively the ingoing waste water, minute after minute. To ensure this, instead of the traditional aeration with air, a supply system of e-OXY pure gaseous oxygen directly into the oxidation tank is often used. This ensures a high degree of flexibility of the oxygenation system necessary for the biological process in order to overcome the high organic peaks and it allows the modulation of the treatment and to prevent bad odours due to any lack of oxygen.

DISINFECTION OF PREMISES, WORK SURFACES, EQUIPMENT

Premises, installations, surfaces and equipment inside companies processing meat and fish are subject to issues related to bioburden proliferation due to the presence of even rough residues; a large part of waste and blood often touch the surfaces of containers and the floors.

Disinfection activities consist of physical and chemical treatments aiming at obtaining surfaces free of dirt, chemical residues and with a quantity of residual bacteria within the limits of the law; in this respect, it is very important that room sanitising operations are carried out in an effective way in order to ensure the elimination of pathogens that may contaminate the finished product.

Our solution

The use of products made of stabilized hydrogen peroxide such as Ox-Virin (vedi scheda tecnica) ensures a cleansing, descaling and disinfectant effect as their main components are peracetic acid, acetic acid and stabilized hydrogen peroxide.

The liberation of oxygen causes the release of bubbles with an effervescent effect producing the mechanical cleaning of surfaces. The disinfection of microorganisms is carried out mainly through the denaturation of proteins inside the cell membrane and for the oxidation of double hydrosulphide bonds inside the bacterial enzymes.

Main advantages of using Ox-Virin

• Complete removal of organic matter and micro-organisms;
• Reduction of energy consumption as Ox-Virin is also active at low temperatures;
• No treatment residues and, consequently, NO alteration of the organoleptic characteristics of bottled products.
• Possible elimination of a wash.

The method of use and the dosage are described in the appropriate operating protocol that Ecomarca prepares specifically for the needs of each customer depending on the type of process, room or surface or equipment.