Allergen Changeover Cleaning in Food Plants

Allergen changeover cleaning in food plants

An allergen changeover clean removes every trace of the last product before the next one starts. Dry-clean loose material, foam or wash with a degreaser such as INNOVA DegreasePro or INNOVA Chlorfoam, scrub hard-to-reach parts, rinse, check visually and with a test where possible, then sanitise. Codex CXC 80-2020 sets out the principles.

By Ashutosh Bhardwaj · Reviewed by the InnovaChem technical team · Updated 6 October 2026

Goal: No carry-over to the next batch
Clean with: DegreasePro · Chlorfoam · Teepol HD
Verify: Visual check plus test
Reference: Codex CXC 80-2020

Why changeovers fail

Most carry-over comes from places that are hard to see: under conveyor belts, inside hoppers, in seals and in the dust on overhead structures. Codex asks food businesses to manage allergens with validated cleaning, scheduling and verification ^[1].

Changeover cleaning sequence
Step	What to do	INNOVA product
1. Dry clean	Remove loose product, crumbs and powder by scraping and vacuuming	Colour-Coded Cleaning Tools
2. Wash or foam	Apply detergent or foam to break down fat, starch and protein	INNOVA DegreasePro, INNOVA Chlorfoam or INNOVA Teepol HD
3. Scrub	Scrub seals, corners and hard-to-reach parts	Colour-Coded Cleaning Tools
4. Rinse	Rinse with low-pressure water	Water
5. Verify	Visual inspection; allergen or protein test where available	None
6. Sanitise	Sanitise food contact surfaces	INNOVA QuatShield or INNOVA PAA 15

Good practice

Schedule allergen-containing products last, then do the full clean.
Use dedicated, colour-coded tools for allergen areas.
Avoid high-pressure water that spreads residue onto clean areas.
Record each changeover clean and its verification result.

Download: Allergen changeover cleaning checklist (PDF) InnovaChem checklist IC-CL-08. Free, no email needed.

Products and machines used

Quick answers

How do you clean for an allergen changeover?

Dry-clean loose material, wash or foam with a suitable degreaser, scrub hidden parts, rinse, verify visually and with a test where available, then sanitise. Record every changeover clean.

Can a sanitiser remove allergens?

No. Sanitisers kill microbes but do not remove allergen protein. Allergen changeover needs a full clean that physically removes residue, then a check such as a visual inspection or an allergen swab, before the sanitiser.

Who sets the rules for allergen management?

The Codex code of practice on food allergen management (CXC 80-2020) sets the general approach, and FSSAI Schedule 4 expects a documented cleaning programme that covers changeovers.

Sources

Sanitiser strengths at a glance

Typical no-rinse limits for food-contact surfaces. Your product TDS and your validated programme govern.
What	Typical range
Peracetic acid (INNOVA PAA 15)	100 to 200 ppm; no-rinse limit 200 ppm [source]
Chlorine (INNOVA Hypo)	50 to 200 ppm available chlorine; no-rinse limit 200 ppm [source]
Quat (INNOVA QuatShield)	150 to 400 ppm; most no-rinse limits 200 ppm [source]
Alkaline CIP (INNOVA CIP 50)	0.5 to 2% at 75 to 82 °C [source]
Acid CIP (INNOVA CIP Descale)	0.5 to 1.5% at 55 to 70 °C, 10 to 20 minutes [source]

How often should each clean happen?

A simple schedule for a documented cleaning programme, as FSSAI Schedule 4 expects. Adjust it to your plant, products and audit findings.

When	What to do
Every shift	Clean food-contact surfaces and equipment after production; sanitise before the next start; clean floors and drains at the end of the shift; log each clean.
Every day	Run CIP on lines, tanks and fillers after use; check sanitiser strength with test strips; empty and wash bins.
Every week	Run the acid wash your programme sets; deep clean walls, overheads and non-contact frames; review the cleaning records.
Every month	Trend ATP or swab results and fix repeat failures; refresh staff training; check that each chemical’s SDS and TDS on file are current.

What do hygiene auditors look for?

A written cleaning SOP for each area and piece of equipment, with the chemical, method and frequency.

Signed cleaning records for every shift, with any failed check and the corrective action.

A current SDS and TDS on file for every cleaning chemical in use.

Logged sanitiser strength checks, such as test-strip readings in ppm.

Colour-coded tools kept in their zones, and chemicals stored away from food.

Verification results, such as ATP or swab trends, and training records for the cleaning team.