Glossary

Aseptic Process

From the Greek, meaning "uncontaminated". An aseptic process which produces a shelf stable product free from microbial contamination to allow distribution without any further usage of chemical preservatives.

Buyer

It is the organization that has specified, purchased, received and operates the line.

Cleaning

Removal of macroscopically identifiable contamination such as food residues, deposits, dust, etc. Proper cleaning eliminates the nutritive medium for microorganisms and is a prerequisite for proper disinfection or sterilization.

Commercial Sterility

Commercial sterility of equipment and containers used for aseptic processing and packaging of food means the condition achieved by application of heat, chemical sterilant(s), or other appropriate treatment that renders the equipment and containers free of viable microorganisms capable of reproducing in the food under normal nonrefrigerated conditions of storage and distribution. (source: FDA)

Contamination

Product, media, or surfaces are contaminated if contaminants (including microbes) can be identified on or in them. The term contamination describes the addition of contaminants.

Design Speed

Is the line speed, according to the test operation conditions (product, container size, temperature, etc.) that is specified in the sales contract between the Buyer and the Supplier.
Qn

Disinfection

Inactivation of all pathogenic and product-damaging microbes to a level that complies with the respective hygiene requirements.

Effective Running Time

Sum of the time periods when the equipment is trouble free functioning. Time periods where the equipment is slowed down, will be proportionally counted
tRun

Effective Speed

The quantity of good products (Prod) produced during the Test Time divided by the Gross Time.
Qeff = Prod/tGross

Equipment own down times

Sum of the time periods when the equipment is not producing due to a failure of itself.
town

External down times

Is the sum of the time periods when the leading machine of the line is stopped or set at reduced speed due to failures of equipment, manpower, organization that are not part of the scope or beyond the responsibility of the Supplier.
text

Germ

Germs are microorganisms and their spores that can multiply under the current, unchanged conditions (i.e. "germinate").

Germ-free

A product is germ-free, if it does not contain any microorganisms that are viable in the respective product (also, beverage-sterile, commercially sterile).

Gross Time

Is the sum of the Running Time and the Own down times.
tGross

Leading Machine

Is the slower machine from a line in a given environment (container and packaging size, product flow, etc…)

Line Efficiency

The ratio of the effective speed divided by the design speed. It is the percentage or real production compared to the sold line production potential. It is therefore the measurement of the achievement of the contract between the Buyer and the Supplier.
λ = Qeff/Qn

Line own down times

Sum of the time periods when the leading machine is not producing due to a failure of itself or of one of the equipment belonging to the line and part of the Supplier scope.
town

Line Reliabilty

The ratio of the effective speed to the set speed. It is the percentage of real production compared to the real line production potential. It is the measurement of the impact of the own failures of the sold equipment on the production.
η = Qeff/Qest

Maximum Speed

It is the highest speed of the equipment in its production environment as committed in the sales contract.
Qmax

Microbiological Contaminants

Contaminants are defined as microbes present at a particular location or within a medium where they are undesired at a particular time.

Microbiological Spoilage

Sum of negative, visually and sensorially identifiable changes in food, caused by multiplication of microorganisms and their metabolic activity.

Microorganisms

here: independently viable organisms that can be classified in the following three groups: bacteria, moulds, yeasts.

Pasteurization

The act or process of heating a beverage moderately to a specific temperature for a specific period of time in order to kill microorganisms that could cause disease, spoilage, or undesired fermentation.

Planed Downtimes

This is the sum of downtime that are planned during the test period for:

• Maintenance
• Cleaning
• Change-over
• Breaks
• Line Priming and emptying

Production time / test period

Is the time during which the machine is supposed to produce according to the production plan and the agreed test period. Priming and emptying periods of the machine must no be part of the test period.
ttot

Recovery Rate

The recovery rate has regard to methodical errors and indicates the mean value of microorganisms of the applied initial load which can be recovered in those packages which didn‘t get any sterilization treatment.

Safety

Operating safety means trouble-free and reliable operation of a machine or line.

Security

Security means the measures that need to be taken (by industry and customer) to guarantee maximum security of the operating/maintenance staff.

Set Speed

Is the real amount of products produced during a time unit of trouble free function of the leading machine.
Qest

Sterile

Products, media, or surfaces are sterile if no viable microorganisms can be identified.

Sterilization

Destruction or removal of microorganisms, including bacterial spores, present in food products or on surfaces.

Supplier

We mean by Supplier, the organization that has designed, supplied and installed the line.