4  SPECIFIC PRINCIPLES TO COVER EXCEPTIONS AND ADDITIONS TO THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND CLEANING OF ALL BAKERY EQUIPMENT, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 3.

4.39  DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR PRETZEL EQUIPMENT

4.39.1 Definitions

4.39.1.1 Dough Handling Systems: The dough handling system comprises all machinery that carries, transports, shapes, or manipulates the dough between the discharge of the mixer and the hopper of the forming machine. This includes all chunkers, conveyors, and carts that are used in an automatic or manual mode to transport the dough between the mixer and the forming machine.

4.39.1.2 Dough Forming Systems: Dough forming systems include extrusion, rolling and twisting machines.

4.39.1.3 Pretzel Cookers: A stainless tank containing a wire conveyor belt transporting pretzels under a caustic waterfall or through a caustic bath, or a stationary rack for small cookers. The cooker includes the tank, the conveyor system, and the circulation system.

4.39.1.4 The Salt System shall include all portions of the salt storage, reclaiming and distribution equipment.

4.39.1.5 Pretzel Ovens and Kilns: Pretzel ovens and kilns include the baking and drying chambers and the roll stands that drive the belts through the chambers. Ovens and kilns may be stacked or inline.

4.39.2 Specific Design Requirements for Dough Handling Systems

4.39.2.1 Conveyors transporting dough shall adhere to the requirements of Section 4.7. In addition, dough conveyors shall be built for wash down duty. Conveyor noses shall have retractable assemblies to allow for the release of the belt tension. Release of tension enables access to clean all conveyor rolls and beds beneath the belt. All gear motors and electronics shall be wash down duty.

4.39.2.2 Dough chunking and sizing apparatus shall be built for wash down duty. The hoppers and chutes on the dough sizing apparatus shall adhere to the requirements of Section 4.21. All sizing and chunking mechanisms shall not have bearings, cylinders or gearboxes over the product zones. The mechanisms shall be cleanable without having to mechanically disassemble the apparatus.

4.39.3 Specific Design Requirements for Dough Forming Equipment.

4.39.3.1 Dough forming equipment including extrusion machines, rolling machines, and twisting machines shall be capable of being cleaned and washed in place. Hoppers on these machines must adhere to the requirements of Section 4.21.

4.39.3.2 Extrusion screws or flights must be readily removable from the machine. The flights should be capable of being soaked and washed. The gearbox that drives the screws must have a separating gap between the flight housing and the gearbox to prevent gear oil from entering the product stream.

4.39.3.3 Any mechanisms needed to form the pretzel must be shielded from the product stream. This includes all bearings, belts, gearboxes, and pulleys.

4.39.4 Specific Design Requirements for Proofing and Finished Product Conveyors

4.39.4.1 Proofing conveyors shall comply with the requirements of Section 4.7.

4.39.4.1.1 Proofing conveyor belting shall be exempt from the non-absorbent provisions of Section 3.1.15.

4.39.5 Specific Design Requirements for Pretzel Cookers

4.39.5.1 The bottom of the cooker tank(s) shall slope to provide complete drainage. The interior surface of all tank bottoms shall be smooth and designed with a drain so located to ensure complete drainage, for cleaning.

4.39.5.2 Submerged heating coils bolted to the tanks shall be of welded construction. Submerged finned coils shall not be used. There shall be a minimum clear distance of 1½ inch (40mm) between outer coil surfaces and adjacent bottom or side tank walls.

4.39.5.3 Discharge tables shall be self draining.

4.39.5.4 The tank shall have a minimum of a 2 inch NPT drain line on tanks with volumes less than 100 gallons (375 liters). Tanks having a volume of 100 gallons (375 liters) or more shall have a minimum of a 3 inch NPT drain line.

4.39.6 Specific Design Requirements for Salt Systems

4.39.6.1 The product zone for the salt system, as defined in Section 2.11 shall include all interior surfaces with which the salt can come in contact including, but not limited to, the salt reservoir, the housing and buckets of a bucket elevator, the air passages of a pneumatic system, the housing and flights of a screw elevator and the salt distributing mechanism. The product zone shall be constructed from non-corrosive materials and protected from possible foreign material contamination.

4.39.6.2 Flow pans and distribution rollers shall be accessible, and cleanable.

4.39.6.3 Distribution rollers shall not have recessed ends.

4.39.6.4 Salt reservoirs shall be fitted with covers.

4.39.6.5 Salt return systems shall be designed so as to be collectable.

4.39.7 Specific Design Requirements for Ovens

4.39.7.1 Pretzel ovens and post heating equipment, such as kilns and dryers, shall comply with the requirements of Section 4.14.

4.39.7.2 Oven construction should have stainless steel internal components and ducting to prevent corrosion caused by the salt and water vapor within the zones.

4.39.7.3 Ovens should have access to the baking chambers via doors.

4.39.7.4 All internal plenums and duct work should have access for cleaning.

4.39.7.5 The oven design should allow for cleaning access via a vacuum system.