Strong example of Simpeldesin­fecteren: 'You know it works'

If you have been promising your customers for 20 years that you make the tastiest sandwiches, you have great confidence in the safety and hygiene of the production process. Yet there is always room for improvement by learning about new technologies. Qizini discovered the power of Simpeldesinfecteren. 

'Together you play the game of technique, planning and consultation'

Qizini makes delicious sandwiches. This 'friendly food company' specialises in sandwiches, wraps and paninis; products it produces in its factories in Losser and Alphen aan den Rijn. In Losser, these are delights for retail, while the factory in Alphen aan den Rijn focuses mainly on the airline industry. Here, for instance, the lunch boxes for the business class of the best-known Dutch airline roll off the conveyor belt. 

The importance of hygiene

Good hygiene is a must in a food company like Qizini. The quality of food products must not be compromised under any circumstances. "If hygiene is not under control, misery and reputational damage can occur. You want to prevent that at all times," stresses Walther de Haan, who, as operational manager, manages the Alphen aan den Rijn plant. Cleaning was in good order at the plant, but when Walther heard about a new approach to disinfection during a visit to the Losser plant, he was interested to listen in. Although cleaning was also good in Losser, there were some hard-to-reach spots, such as in the high-care packaging machine, that the existing 'wet' disinfection method did not hit 100%. Walther continues, "One Sunday, the company Simpeldesinfecteren conducted a test with their Nocotech system. First, bacterial levels increased as the biofilm built up over the years was broken down. Then the decrease started to almost zero. With the conclusion: better disinfection than before. This is what I wanted for the Alphen plant too." 

A dry vapour

"The strength of our system is indeed complete disinfection and thereby preventing new bacterial growth," says Hugo ter Hoeve of Simpeldesinfecteren. Another advantage Hugo mentions is efficiency. "The number of cleaning hours decreases by up to 40 per cent. For optimal operation, it is important to first assess the room in terms of capacity (m³), extraction and location where the machine will stand or hang. If this is correct, press the button or automatically start the disinfection process where a hydrogen peroxide-based liquid turns into a dry vapour. This vapour consists of 'superoxides' which eliminate all micro-organisms; even in places where people cannot reach, such as in and under your machines or in the evaporators. No residue is left behind, no rinsing is needed, no humans are involved. The Nocotech method is 99.9% biological and does not harm people, animals or the environment."

Too good to be true

Hugo ter Hoeve and Robert Kostrubiec fell for the Nocotech disinfection principle together. This method was widely used in hospitals and both were curious to see how it worked for the food industry. It seemed 'too good to be true', but it wasn't! A collaboration in the form of 'Simpeldesinfecteren' was born. Robert: "We started at large companies with business cases. Soon we were allowed to work at several customers." The success lies in automated disinfection and, as Hugo adds, "Our personal motivation to be able to help customers with problems. You know it really works."  

From left to right: Walther de Haan, Hugo ter Hoeve and Robert Kostrubiec

The (co)operation

Simpeldesinfecteren has three types of machines, suitable for rooms up to 20,000 m³. Robert: "Every customer and every setting is different. We assess the space and structural condition and then determine which machine fits best. For example, after a positive ROI, in Alphen we chose a Nocospray and a Nocomax that allows them to disinfect daily instead of weekly." Hugo adds: "At the start, we instructed the employees. The system works simply, so explaining it once is enough." 

Walther looks over the whole thing with a smile: "I enjoy being involved in innovation, as we do at Qizini to make more and more delicious sandwiches. In this case, it was about improving hygiene." He can confidently demonstrate that the factory is completely clean, thus meeting the IFS certification requiered and awarded to Qizini. He is happy with the collaboration with Simpeldesinfecteren. "Together you play the game of technology, planning and consultation," he says. In the end, a strong sample of disinfection is delivered. "And that is exactly what we want to achieve," Hugo and Robert conclude.

www.simpeldesinfecteren.nl
www.qizini.com

Photos: ©Roel Dijkstra