Anyone who is dealing with professional dishwashing is currently coming across two interesting issues: a legal and an economic-ecological one. The EU enacted a norm for commercial dishwashing several months ago. What does this mean for the everyday life of kitchen professionals? The second issue is all about the perennial task of “saving energy” and the question of whether cleaning products for dishwashing equipment can make a significant contribution to this. By Dieter Mailänder, Redaktionsbüro Dieter Mailänder
The EU’s regulations and recommendations are not popular everywhere. Accusations of too much bureaucracy are raised quickly. On the other hand, uniform rules offer orientation, security, and a comparable framework for competition. This makes it easier for chefs to compare offers for equipment and systems and to sort out those in the future, for example, that do not meet the dishwashing standard. But first, some background information.
The New European Union Standard for Commercial Dishwashing
At the beginning of this year, the European Community enacted a norm for commercial dishwashing. What does this mean for foodservice professionals? Is this binding for them? Let us first take a general look at such standards. Norms for the European Community are guidelines for uniform technical specifications for products, services, and procedures.
At first, they are recommendations but then they become legally binding if the laws or legislative decrees (for example EU guidelines) refer to them. Contract partners, for instance, can also agree that deliveries for certain norms are legally binding. Judges also rely on such norms on a case-by-case basis. To assess disputes or damage claims, for example, they have experts check whether a dishwashing system complies with a norm. If so, this is an advantage for the supplier.
These norms are developed by three so-called standardization bodies. The areas of food, beverages, and related products as well as food general belong to the area of responsibility of the Comité Européen de Normalisation (CEM). It bundles the know-how of more than 60,000 experts, industry associations, consumers, and other social interest groups. Of course, many of these participants pursue their own interests, but there are also overriding ones, such as improved access to markets through standardized i.e. comparable products.
EU Norms for Hygienic Dishwashing
Since February, the new norm DIN EN 17735:2023-02 is in force. With it, it is the first time there is a European Standard for manufacturers (development, production) and operators of commercial dishwashers and systems (household appliances are not included!). The standardization institutes of 34 European countries, including some that do not belong to the European Community, are to arrange for this European standard to be integrated into their national regulatory framework, but this is not mandatory.
What does the Dishwashing Standard regulate?
It gives the user recommendations, among others:
• For hygienic and professional operation
• For cleaning and disinfection of items to be washed
• For care and maintenance
• For spatial arrangement in the kitchen
• For the organization of the rinsing cycle
Specifically, it is about:
• Microbiological requirements for the dishwashing results
• The overall hardness and the overall salt content of fresh water
• The lowest dishwashing temperatures and contact times as well as
• Regular checks
• And more
Not only dishes, cutlery glasses or pots are covered by the standard, but also reusable containers used for storing and transporting unpacked foodstuffs.
Are There Benefits for Foodservice Professionals?
Every chef knows he must adhere reliably to hygiene regulations not only during the processing and preparation of food, but also when dishwashing. The DIN EN 17735 supports gastronomical operations in ensuring hygienic safety during automatic dishwashing (manual dishwashing is an absolute “no-go”). But even regulatory authorities and machine manufacturers profit from this EU norm. With the help of type testing, the latter can, for example, prove that their equipment and systems, when operated correctly, deliver hygienically perfect results. Cleaned wash ware must be free from stains and streaks and must have an even shine. Such a result depends on various influencing factors, above all on:
• Process chemicals (cleaners, additives, rinse aids)
• Contact time
• Temperature
• The mechanics
Other parameters are:
• The Quality and amount of water
• The material of the items to be washed (glass reacts differently than plastic during dishwashing)
• The pre-cleaning (extensively cleared and only moderately dried plates can be cleaned more efficiently than heavily soiled ones) as well as
• Drying
Process Chemicals
Process chemicals are divided into cleaners, rinse aids, and additives (for example, defoamers); they must interact in the best possible way. Cleaners loosen food residue from plates, keeping them in suspension and therefore preventing them from settling again on the plates during the dishwashing process. Rinse aids ensure that the water relaxes at the end of the process. In this way, all the washed products are optimally wetted with fresh rinse water.
At the same time, the quality of the rinse water is important. If the water is very rich in minerals, one must reckon with residues on the dishes and glasses despite an optimal setting of the concentration of the rinse water. That’s why some manufacturers equip even their small devices with modules for demineralization (reverse osmosis) and water softening.
One uses special cleaning products to clean glasses and pots (basic and immersion cleaners) and to descale the water. Saving energy without sacrificing hygiene was previously mainly a challenge for technicians, who had to solve this challenge with their hardware, i.e., their equipment. But now the “software” i.e., the cleaning chemistry is moving into the broader field of vision. Economically minded kitchen professionals know that the temperature is an important determining factor in the dishwashing process. When using classic cleaners with disinfection components, the following temperature are recommended:
• Fresh water – pre-clearance: 25 to 40° C
• Pumping – pre-clearance: 40 to 50° C
• Cleaner – circulation tank: 55 to 65° C
• Pumping – clear rinsing: 60 to 70° C
• Fresh water – clear rinsing: 80 to 85° C
A commercial multi-tank system consumes electricity in the 3-digt range daily, mainly in order to heat up water. If one could wash dishes at lower temperatures, one would relieve his or her energy budget noticeably. Cleaners that are just as effective at this temperature level as conventional ones at higher levels could find an interesting market. As of recently, the medium-sized company Witty offers such a solution to the problem.
Witty-Klik Energy Verde is an alkaline powder cleaner based on enzyme technology. Its cleaning power already starts at 40° C, and it dissolves contamination quickly and effectively even at 50° C in the tank. Based on tests, the manufacturer maintains being able to save up to 30% of the energy consumption. Saving resources and checking and frequently optimizing hygiene in all areas of the professional kitchen remains on the to-do list of every kitchen professional. If the first one was primarily a topic for device manufacturers up until now, the producers of cleaning products have also been dealing with it for some time now and as one sees – with success.