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Food Science & Technology vocabulary · Food Processing

Clean-in-place

Meaning in food science & technology, with examples

nounCommon term

In food science & technology, clean-in-place means: An automatic system that cleans the inside of pipes, tanks, heat exchangers and fillers by circulating water and cleaning chemicals, without taking the equipment apart.

In Turkish: yerinde temizlik, CIP

How it is used

Almost always called CIP. A typical cycle is pre-rinse, hot caustic wash, intermediate rinse, acid wash and final rinse, sometimes followed by sanitizing. Engineers control four factors: time, temperature, chemical concentration and flow. Results are verified with conductivity checks and swabs. Cleaning equipment taken apart is called COP (clean-out-of-place).

Example sentences

  1. The clean-in-place cycle on the yogurt line takes about 90 minutes.

  2. Low caustic concentration during clean-in-place left a protein film inside the pipes.

Common collocations

  • CIP cycle
  • CIP system
  • caustic wash
  • acid wash
  • final rinse
  • sanitationThe cleaning and sanitizing of equipment, surfaces and the whole plant so that dirt, food residues and microorganisms are removed or reduced to safe levels.
  • heat exchangerA piece of equipment that transfers heat between two fluids without mixing them, for example to heat milk with hot water or to cool it with ice water.
  • production lineA connected series of machines and work stations through which a product moves step by step from raw material to packed finished goods.
  • hygieneThe conditions and practices, such as cleaning, handwashing and protective clothing, that prevent food from being contaminated by people, equipment or the environment.

More terms: Food Processing

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