Hygiene and safety for vending machines

A real lifesaver for breaks in the office or at university, small oases of relaxation in public and private facilities, from the gym to the shopping center, to the airport. Vending machines are everywhere, and we are all used to using them quickly and automatically.

Few people know that every distributor has hygiene and safety rules that must be scrupulously respected.

Vending machines and hygiene rules

Hygiene and food safety have always been at the heart of the law and public opinion. Attention to these two topics has certainly grown following Covid-19. The pandemic has made us understand that hygiene and sanitization are directly linked to our health.

Reference standard

In general, drinks and food sold through vending machines must comply with the principles of the HACCP system and Community Regulation 852/2004.

In summary, the first establishes that “vending machines must, as far as reasonably possible, be located, designed and built as well as kept clean and regularly maintained in such a way as to avoid the risk of contamination, in particular by animals and pests”. 

The second one states that “surfaces in contact with food are in good condition, easy to clean and, if necessary, to disinfect; for this purpose, smooth, washable, corrosion-resistant and non-toxic materials are required “.

A step toward vending machine hygiene

A vending machine that ensures every moment freshness and cleanliness generates greater consumer confidence. That’s why we have always been committed to guaranteeing the highest hygiene standards. During the pandemic, we have worked to improve our machines in this respect. You can appreciate the results from several points of view:

• what is inside the vending machine is hermetically isolated from the outside and protected by a refrigeration system that combines ventilation with ozone power. This way, we can maintain the freshness of the oranges, juice quality, and hygiene. Microorganisms or bacteria can’t contaminate the juice;
• all Oranfresh machines have an automatic cleaning system that delivers a jet of high-pressurized water on all internal surfaces in contact with the juice, to remove any residual pulp or juice;
• it is possible to install an additional unit with a lotion made with water and active chlorine diluted to 2%, which ensures total sanitization of the machine. The entire sanitization cycle lasts 30 seconds and takes about 500 ml of water;
• each machine includes a water gun connected to the hydraulic system, for manual cleaning. The squeezing unit is completely removable and can be cleaned separately;
• glass and juice pass through an ultraviolet sterilization system.

You can find all these features in Oranfresh vending machines.

Vending machines and safety rules

There are several certifications to certify the safety of vending machines.

The most widespread is the CE certification, a mark of compliance with health, safety, and environmental protection standards for products sold within the European Union or that comply with its standards. Two other relevant certifications are the CB and the IEC, which test the safety and compliance of electrical and electronic equipment against national technical requirements.

Oranfresh distributors have obtained these and other certifications necessary to sell in Europe, the Asian market, and the US.