It happens more often than the industry would like to admit: products have to be recalled because they potentially contain unwanted contamination caused by an inadequately cleaned production line. Clean-in-place (CIP) cycles are often run for fixed durations, with the assumption that after the scheduled cycle time is complete, the production line should be clean. This is not always the case; ‘should be clean’ is not the same as ‘validated clean’.
Time-based CIP assumes everything is constant: media concentration, temperature, flow rate, and contamination level. In reality, none of these variables remains fixed. A 10-minute rinse might be perfect when the system is lightly soiled, and chemicals are at full strength. The next day, with a heavier residue or diluted cleaning solution, that same 10 minutes might leave product residue that becomes the next batch's contamination problem.
Time-based CIP creates a dangerous choice: over-clean to be safe (wasting water, chemicals, energy, and production time) or under-clean and risk product safety. Neither is acceptable when you can actually measure what's happening.
Read the full article in DPA's April 2026 issue