# US 2014/0150823 A1 · Method of cleaning food and beverage manufacturing and handling equipment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150823 A1 - Document ID: US20140150823A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/173,236 - Filed: 2014-02-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2008-07-17 - Assignees: DeLaval Holding AB - Applicants: Delaval Holding AB - Inventors: Fahim U. Ahmed; Bruno Van Den Bossche - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150823A1 ## CPC - B08B 3/08: the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect - C11D 3/30: Amines; Substituted amines {; Quaternized amines} - C11D 7/3209: {Amines or imines with one to four nitrogen atoms; Quaternized amines} - C11D 2111/20: Industrial or commercial equipment, e.g. reactors, tubes or engines - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL ## Abstract The present invention is generally directed toward methods of cleaning and descaling surfaces contaminated with food soils, especially clean-in-place systems. More particularly, the methods according to the present invention also provide for sanitizing of surfaces contaminated with food soils. Thus, there is provided a single cleaning cycle that may clean, sanitize, and descale food-soiled surfaces, and in certain embodiments, without the need for a pre-rinse step, using a non-chlorine detergent composition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of cleaning soiled food or beverage manufacturing and handling equipment comprising: a cleaning step in which the surfaces of said equipment are contacted with a cleaning solution comprising a non-chlorine detergent composition; and a post-rinsing step in which said equipment surfaces are rinsed with a rinse solution thereby removing residues of said detergent composition remaining on said equipment, wherein the surfaces of said equipment have not been pre-rinsed prior to said cleaning step. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said cleaning solution is circulated through said equipment in a plurality of passes to effect a reduction of the soils on said equipment surfaces, wherein a first portion of the cleaning solution is purged from said equipment following the first pass therethrough. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said first portion of the cleaning solution that is purged from said equipment comprises less than 25% by volume of the total volume of cleaning solution circulated during said first pass. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said first portion of the cleaning solution comprises the first runnings of said cleaning solution through said equipment. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said cleaning step comprises introducing a first cleaning fluid into said equipment and contacting the surfaces thereof, and subsequently introducing said cleaning solution into said equipment and contacting the surfaces thereof, said first cleaning fluid and said cleaning solution circulating through said equipment simultaneously ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said first cleaning fluid comprises fresh water. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said first cleaning fluid comprises less than 25% by volume of the total cleaning fluid used in said cleaning step. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein said first cleaning fluid is not purged from said equipment during said cleaning step. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said non-chlorine detergent composition comprises an organic acid, an inorganic acid, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said non-chlorine detergent composition comprises a low-foaming non-ionic surfactant. ### Claim 11 A method of cleaning soiled food or beverage manufacturing and handling equipment comprising: a cleaning step in which the surfaces of said equipment are contacted with a volume of a cleaning solution comprising a non-chlorine detergent composition, wherein said volume of cleaning solution is circulated through said equipment for a period of time to effect a reduction of the soils on said equipment surfaces; a post-rinsing step in which said equipment surfaces are rinsed with a rinse solution thereby removing residues of said detergent composition remaining on said equipment; and a pre-rinse step in which a volume of pre-rinse fluid is circulated through said equipment prior to said cleaning step wherein the volume of pre-rinse fluid used is less than 50% of the volume of cleaning solution used in said cleaning step. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the volume of pre-rinse fluid used in said pre-rinse step is less than 25% of the volume of the cleaning solution used in said cleaning step. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the volume of pre-rinse fluid used in said pre-rinse step is less than 10% of the volume of the cleaning solution used in said cleaning step. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said pre-rinse step reduces the amount of milk soils present in said equipment to less than 12% by volume based upon the volume of the cleaning solution used in said cleaning step. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said cleaning solution is substantially free of peroxides. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said rinse solution comprises fresh water. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said cleaning step comprises a single cleaning cycle wherein said cleaning solution is run through said equipment, drained from said equipment, and then discarded. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said cleaning solution, once drained from said equipment, is not reintroduced into said equipment during a subsequent cleaning cycle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, said cleaning solution having a temperature of between about 25° C. to about 85° C. during said cleaning step. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, said equipment surfaces being contacted with said cleaning solution for a time period of from about 2 to about 20 minutes. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said method results in at least a 90% reduction in the soils present on said equipment surfaces, or at least a 4-log reduction in the level of bacteria present on said equipment surfaces. ### Claim 22 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said rinse solution is recovered after said post-rinsing step and reused in the cleaning solution of a subsequent cleaning step. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein a quantity of said detergent composition is introduced into said recovered rinse solution in order to produce a cleaning solution having a detergent concentration of between about 0.2% to about 0.8%. ### Claim 24 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, said cleaning solution having a pH of between about 0.1 to about 5.5. ### Claim 25 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, said equipment being a Clean-In-Place system. ### Claim 26 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, said equipment comprising milk- and beverage-handling equipment. ### Claim 27 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said non-chlorine detergent composition comprises an organic acid, an inorganic acid, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 28 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein said non-chlorine detergent composition comprises a low-foaming non-ionic surfactant.