This article will cover food processing plant grease trap elimination. It’s true that everybody is into organic food these days. But before the hype of the organics, there were processed foods. These are foods that have undergone several stages of refinement to reach a state that is more palatable and marketable to consumers. These days, processed foods go through more levels of improvement such as fortification wherein additional vitamins and minerals are incorporated into them to help provide the recommended daily allowances of the consumers.
Food processing plants are essential to bring about high quality processed foods. Their facilities have to be very clean and very sterile to make sure that the consumers get only the benefits of the food. Contamination in a food processing plant is highly unacceptable. Everyone who works in the plant should know that they handle what’s eaten by people. This is the main reason why food processing plant grease trap elimination should be performed.
The US is currently having problems with FOG (fats, oils, grease) overflow. This is a very serious matter because there are so many health and environmental issues that result to such a dilemma. FOG overflow happens because of the food processing plant management’s failure to properly maintain their grease trap. Grease trap installation in food processing plants is mandated by the pretreatment or grease ordinance in every state. This ordinance is strictly implemented because FOG overflow means a great deal of loss to the food processing plant and to the markets in the area.
According to the grease ordinance, the plant owner should have an appropriately-sized grease trap that has a permit upon installation. This is important so that inspection from the City Sewer Department can be performed. The ordinance also says that the owner of the plant should maintain the grease trap on a regular basis. The grease trap is a pretreatment method that aims to control pollution that reaches the wastewater treatment facility. It also aims to protect the pipelines so that wastewater backup will not happen.
Grease traps should have the combination of the following technologies:
- Passive technologies:
- Grease trap interceptor
- Underground grease trap
- Active technologies:
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- Solids transfer device
- Grease recovery device
The grease traps should have a flow control device. Water or liquids that exceed 130 degrees Fahrenheit should not be dumped into the grease trap because the temperature will only emulsify the FOG and allow it to mix with the wastewater.
Food processing plant grease trap elimination should not be done with the use of chemicals or enzymes. These only emulsify the FOG making it easier for it to combine with the wastewater. It travels through the sewer lines and eventually, the FOG accumulates and blocks the pipes, resulting to a back up in wastewater. The food processing plant facilities and the surrounding environment get contaminated. Enzymes and chemicals only make the FOG crisis worse.
The most highly recommended aide in food processing plant grease trap elimination is the simple bacteria. Bacteria may be primitive creatures by they do serve as the best solution to any FOG overflow. The processes of bioaugmentation and bioremediation should always be encouraged. Bioaugmentation uses a selected strain of bacteria to digest the FOG while bioremediation uses non-pathogenic bacteria to convert the FOG into less detrimental forms. There are many forms of bacteria available in the market today. In choosing one, preference and budget should be considered. There are powered bacteria, liquid bacteria, bacteria blocks, bacteria pumps, and bacteria grease trap tablets. Grease trap tablets are the latest among all these forms. The tablets are sustained release, enabling its effects to last longer. Each bacteria tablet has nutrients, buffers, aerobic bacteria, and active oxygen that really helps accelerate food processing plant grease trap elimination.
It’s undeniable that even if man tries hard to move forward into development, there will always be an “old school” solution and in this case, it’s the ever-present, resilient, and adaptive bacteria.