Sanitation first: Improving pet food safety through in-plant sanitation

When it comes to the role of sanitation in pet food manufacturing, as the saying goes, “It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.” But sanitation shouldn’t be considered an undesirable chore or an after-thought during the production process. It should be thought of early and often during manufacturing in order to ensure that the products leaving the facility are the safest they can be. Afterall, the health, wellness and safety of our furry friends is at stake.

“Safe food production starts with effective sanitation practices within the facility,” said Yue (Joy) Zheng, technical development manager at New Orleans-based Commercial Food Sanitation (CFS), an Intralox company. “Yet, the importance of cleaning is often underestimated and underappreciated. History has shown that numerous outbreaks over the past decades have been the direct result of production demands taking precedence over sanitation schedules.”

Biological hazards, chemical contaminants and physical adulterants can threaten the safety of pet food and the pets who eat it. However, solid food safety procedures — starting with sanitation — can be the key to combatting those underlying threats.

“Robust safety and sanitation protocols reduce the risk of contamination, recalls and regulatory penalties. They build consumer trust and demonstrate a commitment to quality,” said Evan Reyes, global director of Sales, Sanitation Division for Stamford, Conn.-based Goodway Technologies. “Ultimately, these practices protect both the health of pets and the reputation of the brand, ensuring long-term success in a competitive market.”

 

Regulatory requirements 

Before assessing an existing program or implementing a new food safety and sanitation plan, it’s important for manufacturers to understand the regulatory expectations that the facility is subject to. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the regulatory body overseeing pet food and treat production. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) requires that all animal foods be safe to eat, are produced under sanitary conditions, contain no harmful substances and are truthfully labeled. 

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in 2011. While several regulations fall under the FSMA umbrella, the rule most commonly discussed within the pet food industry is the Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PCAF) rule.

“One of the primary motivations for enacting FSMA was the recognition that food safety oversight had long been reactive rather than taking a preventive approach,” said Pat Tovey, vice president of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at the Pet Food Institute (PFI). “FSMA was intentionally designed to shift that model, requiring manufacturers to proactively identify potential hazards and risks associated with their products and to address those risks through a written food safety plan.”

Tovey further explained, the PCAF rule applies broadly to companies involved in the production of animal food. Under 21 CFR Part 507, companies that manufacture, process, pack or store animal food are subject to FSMA requirements and responsibilities. Because animal food includes the ingredients used to make finished products, the scope of organizations affected by FSMA within the animal food supply chain is extensive.

Through the PCAF rule, Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) requirements are incorporated into federal regulations. These cGMPs ensure that facility design, maintenance and the surrounding grounds support the production of safe food. Included in these cGMPs should be a detailed sanitation program. The rule also requires the company’s food safety team to formally document its hazard analysis and risk assessment. As part of the required written food safety plan, FSMA requires pet food manufacturers maintain accurate and readily accessible records that demonstrate the food safety program is being implemented as written and is effective at controlling identified hazards.

The individual at a company who is responsible for overseeing food safety within the facility is known as the Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI), according to FSMA. This person has “successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls at least equivalent to that received under a standardized FDA-recognized curriculum, or is otherwise qualified through job experience to develop and apply a food safety system,” according to the FSMA rule.

Many companies and third-party consultants offer services designed to help manufacturers navigate compliance. Goodway Technologies offers educational materials and expert consultations to help facilities align sanitation practices with regulatory requirements, Reyes said.

 

Assessing risk

Prior to developing a sanitation program, it’s important to closely examine plant operations, product flow and employee interaction throughout the production process to determine what guidelines are necessary to maintain a preventive food safety approach.

“Food safety protocols and sanitation practices should be designed for the entire site where products and ingredients are received, handled, processed and stored. This includes both the exterior and interior areas of the facility,” Zheng said.

Reyes further explained, “Pet food manufacturers should begin by conducting a comprehensive risk assessment of their facility and processes. This includes considering microbial risk, cross-contamination risk, hygienic design of equipment and environment, process and traffic flow, GMPs, critical control points and challenging areas to clean. From there, develop a written food safety plan that incorporates regulatory requirements and industry best practices. 

“Starting with a strong foundation ensures consistency and compliance across all operations,” he added.

Documenting how ingredients, products and employees move throughout the plant can help assess food safety risks and aid in establishing sanitation protocols.

“Consider developing a map of how ingredient flows through the facility — raw versus cooked,” said Earl Arnold, manager, Food Defense/FSMA for Manhattan, Kan.-based AIB International. “Additionally, consider developing a map of how waste is moved through the facility as well as personnel movement. These three items can assist in identifying crossover points that may need to be focused on to prevent cross contamination or assist in determining frequency of cleaning due to potential risk.”

 

Practices and procedures

When it comes to sanitation, GMPs and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs) dictate the appropriate processes that need to be followed throughout the plant in order to ensure safe food production.

“SSOPs play a critical role in standardizing cleaning activities across production facilities. They not only help identify the tools and resources required but also provide insights into efficiency improvements,” Zheng said. “SSOPs further support planning by defining the total downtime needed for cleaning and by facilitating the scheduling of maintenance activities or pre-operational checks.”

According to Goodway Technologies, SSOPs should clearly outline: 

• Cleaning and sanitizing steps for all equipment and surfaces.
• Frequency of cleaning for each area.
• Approved cleaning agents and tools.
• Verification procedures to confirm effectiveness.
• Employee responsibilities and safety precautions. 

In addition, according to Zheng, SSOPs should identify sanitation goals to establish plant-wide expectations, outline systematic cleaning principles to clean and sanitize equipment, and define corporate and plant policies that align with regulatory requirements.

Sanitation can range from routine cleaning to deep cleaning, including Periodic Equipment Cleaning (PEC). Routine cleaning is typically focused on contact surfaces and doesn’t usually require equipment disassembly. Depending on the production process, this could be a daily task or could occur between batches. However, most equipment will require some disassembly in order to clean potential niches or harborage points where microbial contamination can occur. 

“The key point is to take a proactive approach and clean potential harborage points before your product is contaminated,” Zheng said. “Having the PEC tasks included in the master sanitation schedule will also allow the team to capture the knowledge and continue to manage the tasks over time. This will allow the process to become standardized and remain sustainable in an ever-changing plant environment.”

 

Tools and training

When it comes to sanitation, the tools and cleaning systems processors use can vary from one manufacturing facility to the next. Processors need to consider all aspects of the environment being cleaned before deciding upon a specific sanitation system — the types of ingredients used, the products being made and the equipment throughout the operation. Cleaning products and sanitation systems work in tandem to ensure food-safe production environments.

“A facility may select either wet cleaning or dry cleaning methods depending on the specific process, product type and associated risk,” Zheng said. “For refrigerated pet food products, cleaning procedures should closely mirror those used in the micro-sensitive food product plants, where stringent sanitation practices are essential to control microbial hazards and ensure product safety.”

Cleaning chemicals must be efficacious in removing organic and inorganic residues from equipment, as well as eliminating potential pathogens. They also need to be compatible with equipment to prevent corrosion.

Dry steam cleaning systems are highly effective in dry pet food environments where moisture control is critical and can be used around extruders, conveyor belts, packaging lines, environmental surfaces and more, according to Goodway Technologies.

“Goodway Technologies’ dry steam solutions allow thorough cleaning without introducing excess water, reducing microbial risks and downtime,” Reyes said. “Dry steam can also penetrate every nook and cranny of equipment, effectively cleaning surfaces and equipment without leaving any residue behind.”

Of course, even the best sanitation plan can be rendered useless without appropriate employee training.

“A strong training program does more than provide instructions — it explains the reasons behind rules and behaviors, sets clear expectations, and holds employees accountable,” Zheng said. “High turnover among sanitation employees often stems not only from the environment and underappreciated nature of the job, but also from insufficient training and lack of cross-functional support.”

Training needs to occur early and often. Initially before an employee takes on a sanitation task, thorough training on chemicals, equipment and procedures should take place. Additional training should be conducted if a new process is introduced — including new chemicals, cleaning tools, added equipment or new staff, Arnold said. Refresher training should be conducted on a regular basis even if no changes occurred.

Sanitation Essentials Training and Advancing Sanitation Impact Training, offered by CFS, are designed to educate processing professionals on the critical details about sanitation and food safety.

“Employee training is essential for compliance and product safety — it should cover sanitation procedures, personal hygiene and hazard awareness,” Reyes said. “Ongoing education reinforces a culture of food safety.”

This article was published in the January/February 2026 issue of Pet Food Processing. Read it and other articles from this issue in their January/February digital edition.