“The Benefits of Keeping It Clean” 

On the 5 and 6 November 2025, the global EHEDG community came together once again – this time across two days designed to welcome participants from the Americas, Europe and APAC. With hundreds of attendees joining from all over the world, the Online Congress became a vibrant meeting point for ideas, innovation, and collective inspiration. 

This year’s theme, “The Benefits of Keeping It Clean” wasn’t just a slogan. It was a shared mindset – one that our speakers brought to life through real-world cases, operational wisdom and stories of transformation inside their factories and organisations. 

Setting the Stage: A Warm Welcome 

Our journey began with a heartfelt opening by Adwy van den Berg, the Director of EHEDG, who reminded us why hygienic design and food safety matter more today than ever.
His welcome set the tone: open, global, collaborative – a celebration of the shared responsibility behind safe food production. 

From there, our moderator Patrick Wouters, the Development Director at EHEDG, took the digital stage, guiding participants through the sessions with his characteristic clarity and energy. 

Oladipo Adedokun – Sanitation Program Leader Europe, OSI Group 

“Effective Sanitation System Is Required for an Effective Food Safety Programme” 
Oladipo brought the audience into the reality of managing sanitation as a complete, system-driven process. He demonstrated how the hazards facing food manufacturers – microbiological, chemical, physical and allergenic – are ever-present, and how real-world contamination events show the impact on public health, business continuity and consumer trust. His presentation framed sanitation as a risk-management engine built on hygienic design, structured SSOPs, master sanitation schedules, training, verification, validation and global standards. By sharing OSI’s approach to creating a worldwide sanitation system that can be replicated across more than 70 sites, he underlined that sanitation is not just cleaning; it is a planned, consistent and proactive process that forms the very foundation of food safety. 
 

Serkan Tasci – Sr. Director Global Quality System, Bimbo QSR (Grupo Bimbo) 

“Extended Operational Run & Key Factors for the Success” 
Serkan then took us into the operational reality of the world’s largest bakery company, where efficiency and safety must coexist without compromise. He explained how extending production runs requires a structured approach that begins with identifying risks such as biofilm formation, old dough accumulation, allergens, debris, drain hygiene and environmental contamination. He described how Bimbo builds multidisciplinary core teams, completes detailed baseline sampling, conducts multiple extended-run trials and evaluates performance through environmental monitoring, verification records and hygienic design assessments. His narrative showed that extending runs is not simply about producing longer – it is a data-driven process demanding strong sanitation performance, infrastructure support, clean-as-you-go habits, equipment modifications and a culture that prioritises food safety at every step.

Martin Loehrke – Managing Director, LOEHRKE 

“Automation and Digitalization Tools for Ensuring Hygiene: Possibilities and Limitations” 
Martin shifted the congress toward the future, exploring how automation and digitalization are reshaping how hygiene is monitored and managed. He highlighted the pressures of fast-changing food trends, new microbial behaviours and reduced development timelines that demand more adaptive cleaning systems. His talk contrasted traditional, fixed-step cleaning processes with newer, sensor-supported approaches that enable condition-based cleaning and real-time measurement. He highlighted the growing importance of air hygiene, the promise of low-dose HOCl systems supported by modern sensors and the emergence of technologies such as biofilm detection and contamination sensors. While exploring the potential of analytics, ERP-linked hygiene monitoring and digital twins, he also emphasised the limitations, technical challenges and implementation hurdles that still exist. Martin painted a balanced picture of a future where digital tools enhance reliability and resource efficiency without replacing the fundamentals of hygienic design and human expertise.

Jonathan Norrish – Regional Sanitation Lead, Kerry 

“Building a Sanitation Culture & the Key Programs That Support This” 
Jonathan closed the speaker programme with a deep dive into the human dimension of sanitation. He introduced Kerry’s Culture Wheel, showing how expectations, engagement, communication, accountability and recognition come together to build a sanitation culture that lasts. Through examples such as the Global Sanitation Standard rollout, the Golden Guardians recognition programme, site-training initiatives, support networks and a comprehensive sanitation toolkit, he demonstrated how culture is intentionally built – not left to chance. His session also highlighted the importance of risk-based master sanitation schedules, robust verification and validation processes, hygienic design playbooks, construction protocols, drain management and adverse water event preparedness. Jonathan’s message was clear: while tools and systems matter, it is empowered, supported and accountable people who make sanitation successful every day. 
 

Panel Discussion 2 

A forward-looking debate focused on digital tools, automation and smart cleaning. The panelists reflected on what factories might look like in the coming years – and how hygienic design will enable the next generation of safe food systems.