FAQs

Contamination of pet foods can occur through various means and dangerous pathogens. Meritech's automated hygiene system is designed to eliminate 99.9% of pathogens during hand washing, which significantly reduces the likelihood of spreading harmful pathogens to pet food. Pet food can also be contaminated in other ways, such as improper handling and storage practices. It is essential for pet food manufacturers to adhere to strict hygiene protocols and regularly test their products for contaminants. By being aware and proactive, we can help safeguard the health and well-being of our furry friends.

A good manual handwash is effective at reducing hand bacteria counts, no doubt. However, the manual handwash method cannot be guaranteed to be consistent from person to person and day-to-day, otherwise this would be a good alternative. Manual handwashing is inherently variable. Important aspects of the handwash, such as amount of soap, amount of water, coverage of the hand (fingernails, fingertips, between the fingers, wrist, etc.), and duration of the wash vary from wash to wash. By automating the process, these aspects are closely controlled and each person gets a high-quality handwash independent of the human variability factor. If you have had no problems in the past, then statistically you are overdue for a problem. CleanTech will standardize each hand wash and guarantee clean hands. Meritech has performed an independent study which demonstrates that our technology-based approach to hand hygiene, with a 12 second cycle, is equivalent to a full 1 minute wash (30 seconds of lathering, 30 seconds of rinsing).

Because of the high risk of cross contamination! In a study by BioScience Laboratories that tested randomly selected vinyl food grade gloves, 80 percent were found to have pre-existing punctures or tears. In addition, the use of gloves creates the perfect environment for the breeding colonies of pathogens on the hands. When handwashing was performed prior to gloving, no significant microbial growth was observed. In another study, hands that were initially inoculated with E. coli before donning gloves were determined to have significant counts on the outside surface of the gloves after use – this is known as cross contamination and it is why there are many industries that actually discourage glove use. For those companies that do use gloves, the CDC recommends washing before gloving due to the rapid growth of bacteria on gloved hands, and due to the risk of punctures and tears during use. When hands are washed effectively prior to wearing gloves, the risk of cross contamination is reduced but the key is that the manual wash needs to be effective. Only a Meritech CleanTech system can guarantee an effective wash prior to gloving.

To ensure the utmost safety and hygiene in pet food production, it is crucial for pet food manufacturers to prevent the transfer of pathogens from raw pet food areas to areas dedicated to ready-to-eat (RTE) pet food. An effective way for pet food suppliers to do this is to implement a strict footwear policy and proper hand hygiene practices. Regular and thorough handwashing is essential to prevent the spread of harmful pathogens. By emphasizing the importance of hand and footwear hygiene and providing easy-to-use and fast equipment for handwashing and footwear, the risk of pathogens transferring from raw pet food to RTE pet food areas can be greatly mitigated. 

Alcohol gel is not the answer to the problem of poor hand hygiene and should be used ONLY when manual washing or a Meritech system is not readily available (this is the position of the FDA)! Instant hand sanitizers are not an acceptable method for handwashing in any food applications (production or food service). The reason is that hand sanitizers are rarely used correctly, and if they are, the contact time should be 20 to 30 seconds total, to be effective against many pathogens. Sanitizers are NOT healthy for the skin and actually damage the skin to the point it is easier for many pathogens to colonize in the cracks of dried and dead skin. Most importantly, alcohol gel sanitizers are not effective against many pathogens and the use of alcohol gel can actually promote the spread of disease by creating a false sense of security and discouraging effective handwashing. Norovirus on cruise lines are a great example – the CDC has clearly stated that alcohol gel does not kill or remove norovirus and cruise lines are being required to encourage more regular or CleanTech automated handwashing. When instant hand sanitizers are used in ANY application, people are misled to believe that they are cleaning their hands; therefore they lessen their trips to a sink with soap and water. This false sense of security actually increases cross contamination and infection rates.

When it comes to handling dog food and other pet foods, food safety should always be a top priority. Pet manufacturers should implement a strict footwear policy and proper hand hygiene practices. Regular and thorough handwashing is essential to prevent the spread of harmful pathogens. By emphasizing the importance of hand and footwear hygiene and providing easy-to-use and fast equipment for handwashing and footwear, dog food and all pet foods can be handled much more safely.

Please refer to each model’s spec sheet for details. All systems require the same plumbing as a standard sink; hot & cold water supply and a drain, and 110V power outlet. Note that our systems do not heat the water. The hot water is supplied by the facility and then the system will automatically blend the hot and cold to about 105ºF. If there is a hot water supply problem, a booster heater is recommended and Meritech engineers can help you with specifications for a booster heater.

One of the most concerning issues in the pet food industry is the presence of harmful bacteria such as salmonella and listeria. These pathogens not only pose a significant risk to our dogs, cats, and all pets, but can also be transmitted to humans through contaminated pet food. With Meritech's automated pet food manufacturing handwashing and footwear hygiene equipment, you can remove 99.9% of all harmful pathogens, including salmonella and listeria, from your hands and footwear in just 12 seconds. 

CleanTech shines in three areas:

• Standardization: The consistent wash technique, and accurate solutions delivery of the CleanTech system has been clinically proved to be more effective than a manual hand wash.
• Efficacy: The CleanTech system removes transient microorganisms on the hands by 99.98%.
• Compliance: Employees are encouraged to wash hands by the sheer nature of the CleanTech system, including the ease of operation and comfort and the skin friendly conditioning that is included in the wash. In addition, CleanTech monitors compliance by counting washes.