The presentation will explore current strategies for reducing the environmental impact of mandatory cleaning and disinfection operations in the food industry, which currently involve high consumption of drinking water, chemicals, and energy. Fouling of food processing surfaces and the necessary cleaning operations remain significant industrial challenges. These challenges typically result in economic penalties due to the fouling of heated surfaces and the substantial effort and cost required to ensure food quality and hygiene standards. 

However, with dwindling water resources, increasing costs of water treatment and chemical disposal, and new regulations mandating reduced environmental impact, it is imperative to find sustainable solutions. The presentation will highlight research findings on the advantages of hygienic design, innovative cleaning systems such as foam cleaning, and the use of new bio-based chemicals. These elements will be discussed in the context of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analyses to demonstrate their effectiveness in mitigating environmental impacts.