Tetra Pak says it OptiSave service can help to better control water and product loss while cleaning in place (CIP) procedures are being carried out in the plant. The software tool works by measuring and amending each component of the process.

As increasing raw material and production costs continue to eat away at the dairy industry's margins, processors are under greater pressure to ensure their plants are both economically and environmentally sustainable.

According to the company, the OptiSave tool measures losses related to a manufacturers output. The tool also analyses fresh water consumption, solution losses, and the times and temperatures of the cleaning processing.

The findings can then be used by a manufacturer to make changes to its operations in a bid to minimise or eliminate the financial and environmental impact of waste resulting from cleaning.

Jörgen Melin, technical sales and service director of Tetra Pak's dairy and beverage unit, said that just a few changes to a company's cleaning operations could bring significant improvements to the costs of a production plant.

"Even very small changes in cleaning parameters, switching times, cleaning

programmes or in operator behaviour can generate significant cost savings," he stated. "In particular, reduction in cleaning times can lead to extended uptime and thereby increased production capacity,"

A part of the service, these changes can be made be either Tetra Pak specialists or a manufacturer's own staff.

The company says the service would be well suited to a plant that has not continuously adjusted to new requirements for cleaning practices, or was looking to install a new hygiene system for its operations.