But a lot can go wrong between store and plate, particularly in warm domestic kitchens with impatient amateur cooks, so processors are under huge pressure to eliminate all bacteria and contaminants from the poultry they ship. Fortunately, they have global belting market leader Habasit to support them with its extensive and growing range of conveying solutions for every poultry application.

 

Food safety is one of the main issues for poultry processors today, who face not only increasingly demanding hygiene standards, but also the challenges of optimizing efficiency, reducing downtime, and producing higher yields. When it comes to the ultimate goal: providing safe food at a reasonable cost, conveyor belts, in direct contact with unpackaged food during most of the process, are a critical part of the solution.

With years of experience in the meat and poultry industry, Habasit has built up a range of high-quality belts, equipment and accessories for every stage of poultry processing – from reception to deboning, freezing, x-ray and metal detection, and shipment (and everything in between).

Habasit's game-changing food safety solution: Super HyCLEAN

The hygienic design of the Super HyCLEAN belt supports the most stringent sanitation standards. For example, because corners, hinges and rods can be breeding grounds for bacteria, the new belt has more flat surfaces and minimal cavities, with no gaps between the plastic modules where debris can collect.

Super HyCLEAN belts will also include the patented Habasit Saniclip device, a quick belt-opening system used for instant rod installation and removal, without the need for tools.

The result of this combination of Super HyCLEAN and Saniclip: quick, convenient and efficient cleaning that delivers reduced cleaning costs, lower water use, less downtime, higher productivity, and considerably lower risks of bacterial contamination.

Hygiene and the bottom line

On the market for many years, Habasit Cleandrive belts have already proven themselves multiple times in the most complex poultry applications. These aramid reinforced monolithic TPU conveyor belts deliver hygiene and reliability, with a durable, easy-to-clean polyurethane surface that offers exceptional microbial and hydrolysis resistance, leading to long belt lifetimes and lower total costs of ownership. All good for the bottom line.

In fact, quite apart from the legal requirement to meet food safety and hygiene standards, poultry processors know that failing to eliminate bacterial or material contaminants can have a devastating effect on productivity and profitability. The cost of lost production or even recalls is multiplied many times over if the brand is damaged in the eyes of consumers.

Get the hygiene right, however, and not only is shelf life extended, happy customers will keep coming back Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving.