GRACO pumps are essential in food plants. They move products safely, keep things sanitary, and help meet HACCP standards. Whether handling thick ingredients or delicate sauces, these pumps lower contamination risks and keep production running smoothly. For New Zealand processors, maintaining both hygiene and reliability is crucial for quality and successful audits.
This article explains how GRACO pumps fit into each stage of a HACCP-ready food line, from bulk infeed to dosing and discharge. We’ll show how the right pumps can boost uptime, make cleaning easier, and improve documentation. Read on to see how these solutions can help your plant stay safe, efficient, and ready for audits.
A pump train is more than just equipment. It moves ingredients from bulk packs to mixers, kettles, and fillers while avoiding hazards. Every stage should support your site’s hazard analysis and the controls in your HACCP plan.
We help teams choose the right sanitary AODD or EODD pump, connection style, and cleaning method for each type of product. Our goal is to make sure your pump train stays clean during production and can be cleaned quickly between runs.
A typical food line includes four core stages:
We will walk through each stage and call out selection notes that support plant uptime, hygiene, and documentation.
High-viscosity ingredients can slow the line if the first move is manual. A SaniForce drum unloader draws thick products directly from the original container and pushes them into the process with minimal waste.
Why plants use it
Selection notes
For many plants, the first transfer after bulk infeed needs flexibility. An air-operated double diaphragm setup helps you move a wide range of foods with a simple utility connection and a compact footprint.
What helps in production
When this path fits
If you need to reduce noise or air use, an electric pump might be a better choice for the same job. We’ll discuss this option next.
An electric double diaphragm pump offers the same check-valve simplicity with a drive that cuts energy draw and reduces plant noise. This matters where compressed air costs or hearing protection targets are in focus.
Why teams switch
Integration notes
Additive dosing should be predictable and easy to verify. An EODD pump with speed control can deliver steady dosing into a mix zone or balance tank.
Good practice for dosing steps
Tight records help repeatability. Note the elastomer grade, pump model, and last service date in the batch paperwork. That level of detail helps QA during audits and during any HACCP validation update.
The final transfer step sets the filling quality and cleaning time between runs. Hygienic connections and clear access help operators keep this area tidy during busy shifts.
What to look for
Correctly fitted parts protect the product and lengthen service life. Consider media chemistry, solids, and temperature cycles.
Cleaning-in-place pumps the cleaning solution through the same path as the product. It is standard practice for pipes, tanks, and fillers in food and beverage plants. Sterilisation-in-place may be required where the hazard analysis calls for it.
Design points that help with cleaning
CIP steps should be listed in the sanitation SOP with cycle times, temperatures, and chemical concentrations. Keep those with the pump’s asset record for easy access during audits.
Audit-ready records make life easier for both QA and production. At a minimum, keep:
Link these to the HACCP plan so reviewers can trace each control from the hazard analysis to the equipment that supports it.
Power is a big cost for any line. If possible, switching from air-driven to electric diaphragm pumps can lower compressor use and reduce peak energy loads. Many plants start with the pumps that run the most, then move to others as they see savings. The QUANTM range is a strong example, offering up to 80 per cent less energy use than air models.
How to verify on your site
Two easy wins show up in most line upgrades:
Both points support health and safety goals without complicating sanitation or changeovers.
Filling accuracy depends on stable flow. If pulsation reaches the nozzle, weight variance rises, and operators slow the line to compensate.
Ways to steady the flow
This testing gives production and QA a shared baseline and reduces debate when product or pack sizes change.
More SKUs mean more wash-ups. Sanitary pumps with quick knock-down design and tri-clamp connections make strip-down and inspection faster.
What helps teams turn the line around
Predictable maintenance reduces stop-starts mid-run. We set up spare kits and tracking that match duty and media.
Link these notes to the maintenance system and the HACCP file so audits show a clean line from plan to practice.
Good records help during reviews and after any event that requires a root cause analysis.
What to record
Store these with the sanitation logs so the HACCP pack shows operating data alongside cleaning and inspection notes.
Each site has its own needs, but building a clean, reliable pump train follows the same steps. Begin with bulk infeed to cut down on manual work and waste. Choose transfer equipment that matches your products, back-pressure, and utilities. Add controlled dosing for precise recipes. Make sure discharge to fillers is easy to clean and inspect. Finally, tie everything together with cleaning routines, service records, and validation notes that fit your HACCP plan.
We work with teams across New Zealand to specify, supply, install, and service these pumps. We keep key GRACO models in stock for food and beverage use, and our service team is ready to help with maintenance and rebuilds to keep your lines running.
Validation is an ongoing activity. If you change a pump or cleaning step, update your plan and repeat the checks to make sure controls still work. Store spec sheets, change forms, and test results together in your QA folder for easy audits. If you make claims about equipment, like evacuation rates or energy use, keep the proof in the same place for quick access.
If you’re planning a line change, we can help you choose equipment, plan cleaning steps, and set up records that match your HACCP file. We also train operators and maintenance staff, so changeovers and cleaning become routine.
In summary, a clean and reliable pump train is both a design decision and a daily practice. GRACO pumps give New Zealand plants a solid foundation for both.
Address: 16/10 Olive Road, Penrose, Auckland 1061
Phone: 0800 215 104
Email: sales@pumpworks.co.nz