CLEANING-IN-PLACE METHOD AND DEVICE

The invention relates to a method for cleaning-in-place of a liquid food processing plant (la) comprising at least one storage tank (4a) for storing liquid food, at least a product inlet pipe for feeding the liquid food into the storage tank (4a) and at least a product outlet pipe for delivering the liquid food to a consumer (4b) from the storage tank (4a), further comprising an inlet service pipe (2) and an outlet service pipe (3a) which connect the storage tank (2) with a cleaning-in- place installation (12) adapted to deliver a plurality of cleaning fluids. The method comprises the steps of connecting the inlet service pipe (2) to a plurality of CIP outlet pipes (8a-8d) of the cleaning-in-place installation (12) and the outlet service pipe (3a) to a plurality of CIP inlet pipes (7a-7c) of the cleaning-in-place installation (12), and cleaning the inlet service pipe (2), the storage tank (4a) and the outlet service pipe (3a) by circulating at least one cleaning fluid from the cleaning-in-place installation (12) through the inlet service pipe (2), the storage tank (4a), the outlet service pipe (3a) and back into the cleaning-in-place installation (12). Only the inlet service pipe (2) is used for guiding one or more cleaning fluids into the storage tank (4a).