Coffee Vending Machines Hygiene

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Jim Strange has 37 Published Articles

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Coffee Vending Machines Hygiene

Posted On : Jan-26-2010 | seen (963) times | Article Word Count : 593 |

Most fresh brew and bean to cup machines still work on principles dating back 40 years. They are so complex that regular and thorough cleaning is inevitably difficult and time consuming. Consequently, they are virtually certain to present conditions ripe for contamination and growth of micro-organisms.

However, the presence of water is the greatest problem. Bacteria cannot multiply without water - a basic microbiological truth. If water is present, even as a vapour, in an environment which contains food (loose vending ingredients), warmth from the machine, and time, you have ideal breeding conditions for micro-organisms to thrive. One bacterium can become 2 in 20 minutes, or 2,000,000 in just seven hours (overnight in any work environment).
In most traditional machines, hidden away from view, is a myriad of silicone pipes which carry the water from the boiler to the mixing bowls, and then from the mixing bowls to your cup. In a typical traditional machine there can be as much as 5 metres of silicone tubing. There are the obvious health
risks of bio films and coliforms forming, unseen, on the inside of the pipes, which are completely inaccessible and are typically never cleaned during the entire five year life of the machine.
There is also a further problem where water is exposed to the silicone tubing, the water reacts with the surface of the silicone. The by-product of this reaction is a chemical that is produced inside the pipe that is very similar to TCP. This chemical although harmless is very unpleasant and can range from a light odour to a strong taste in the drink.

Generally ingredients are supplied in loose packet form and emptied into open-ended containers within the machine, when they can become airborne and settle anywhere. The contained ingredients are susceptible to moisture uptake and these two situations make it almost impossible to keep the machine in a hygienic condition.

When ingredients are dispensed into mixing bowls, tubes and mechanisms, they leave food residues which in the warm environment, lead to growth of micro- organisms.

This type of equipment, cutting edge in the 1950s, is not acceptable in the 21st century. Faced with food scares, MRSA, stringent new health regulations (HACCP 2006), the more knowledgeable consumer demands reliability and complete hygiene safety standards from a drinks vending machine.

In 2005, after five years of development, In Cup Plus launched the Xen-550 Coffee Vending Machines . Heralded as the world's most hygienic fully automatic, variable strength drinks vending system, the Xen-550 has totally redefined previously accepted standards of hygiene, reliability and ease of use in a drinks vending system by moving the boiler directly behind where the drink is dispensed, the distance from the boiler outlet to the cup is dramatically reduced to less than 10 centimetres. By using the highest quality grade polished stainless steel tubing,
there is no possibility of water contamination. In Cup Plus ingredients are dispensed from our unique, factory sealed disposable cartridges. The ingredient remains fresh and safe, protected inside the cartridge, ready to be dispensed. At the point of dispensing, a valve member is lifted (using magnetism) for just a couple of seconds to accurately dispense the fresh ingredient directly into a fresh cup. The valve then closes keeping the product sealed in the cartridge until the next time ingredients are dispensed. When empty the cartridge can be recycled. Ever mindful of the environment the In cup plus cartridge is made of HDPA which is the most easily recyclable of all the plastic compounds.

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<h1>Coffee Vending Machines Hygiene</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_Jim Strange.aspx'>Jim Strange</a> Most fresh brew and bean to cup machines still work on principles dating back 40 years. They are so complex that regular and thorough cleaning is inevitably difficult and time consuming. Consequently, they are virtually certain to present conditions ripe for contamination and growth of micro-organisms.

However, the presence of water is the greatest problem. Bacteria cannot multiply without water - a basic microbiological truth. If water is present, even as a vapour, in an environment which contains food (loose vending ingredients), warmth from the machine, and time, you have ideal breeding conditions for micro-organisms to thrive. One bacterium can become 2 in 20 minutes, or 2,000,000 in just seven hours (overnight in any work environment). 
In most traditional machines, hidden away from view, is a myriad of silicone pipes which carry the water from the boiler to the mixing bowls, and then from the mixing bowls to your cup. In a typical traditional machine there can be as much as 5 metres of silicone tubing. There are the obvious health 
risks of bio films and coliforms forming, unseen, on the inside of the pipes, which are completely inaccessible and are typically never cleaned during the entire five year life of the machine.
There is also a further problem where water is exposed to the silicone tubing, the water reacts with the surface of the silicone. The by-product of this reaction is a chemical that is produced inside the pipe that is very similar to TCP. This chemical although harmless is very unpleasant and can range from a light odour to a strong taste in the drink.

Generally ingredients are supplied in loose packet form and emptied into open-ended containers within the machine, when they can become airborne and settle anywhere. The contained ingredients are susceptible to moisture uptake and these two situations make it almost impossible to keep the machine in a hygienic condition.

When ingredients are dispensed into mixing bowls, tubes and mechanisms, they leave food residues which in the warm environment, lead to growth of micro- organisms.

This type of equipment, cutting edge in the 1950s, is not acceptable in the 21st century. Faced with food scares, MRSA, stringent new health regulations (HACCP 2006), the more knowledgeable consumer demands reliability and complete hygiene safety standards from a drinks vending machine.

In 2005, after five years of development, In Cup Plus launched the Xen-550 Coffee Vending Machines . Heralded as the world's most hygienic fully automatic, variable strength drinks vending system, the Xen-550 has totally redefined previously accepted standards of hygiene, reliability and ease of use in a drinks vending system by moving the boiler directly behind where the drink is dispensed, the distance from the boiler outlet to the cup is dramatically reduced to less than 10 centimetres. By using the highest quality grade polished stainless steel tubing,
there is no possibility of water contamination. In Cup Plus ingredients are dispensed from our unique, factory sealed disposable cartridges. The ingredient remains fresh and safe, protected inside the cartridge, ready to be dispensed. At the point of dispensing, a valve member is lifted (using magnetism) for just a couple of seconds to accurately dispense the fresh ingredient directly into a fresh cup. The valve then closes keeping the product sealed in the cartridge until the next time ingredients are dispensed. When empty the cartridge can be recycled. Ever mindful of the environment the In cup plus cartridge is made of HDPA which is the most easily recyclable of all the plastic compounds.
About the Author: <A rel="nofollow" href="http://www.drinks-vending.co.uk" >Coffee Vending Machines </a> Article Source: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Coffee-Vending-Machines-Hygiene_2940.aspx'> http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Coffee Vending Machines Hygiene_2940.aspx</a>

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Coffee Vending Machines

Keywords : coffee vending machines, drinks vending machines,

Category : Product Reviews : Product Reviews

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