Plan shadow walls and shadow boards correctly: Color concepts for greater food safety!
Anyone who values maximum hygiene in the food industry cannot avoid clear structures. Properly planned shadow walls and shadow boards with a well-thought-out color scheme make a decisive contribution to food safety – we show what really matters.
When it comes to hygiene and food safety, there is a persistent misconception: “Every room gets its own color.” As experts for shadow walls , shadow boards and HACCP cleaning equipment, we at opti lean say quite clearly: This is the wrong approach.
Why is a color concept per room critical in production?
Many color concepts that work according to the principle of "one color per room" are based on the idea of major cleaning equipment manufacturers from Denmark. It sounds logical at first glance – but in practice, it often isn't.
Practical example:
Why blue doesn't necessarily mean safety in a production room....
Let’s imagine a typical production hall:
Here, fresh produce moves along the conveyor belt. The color of the room was chosen to be blue—blue because it stands out in the food industry and is not a natural food coloring.
The advantage: Foreign bodies such as hair or plastic particles can be detected more quickly. But if the same hand broom is used on the floor and on the product, the distinction between floor hygiene and product contact becomes blurred. A hygiene risk!
Our approach: Designing color concepts simply and safely
Following the proven opti lean method – “Make it as simple as possible” – we recommend:
Color concept recommendation for cleaning equipment with HACCP approval from haug bürsten KG - Made in Germany!
Black → for the floor area
Blue → for product-related areas
White → for direct product contact
This simple structure is particularly useful in the beverage industry .
Attention when choosing colors:
Be aware of color weaknesses!
Red and green should never be used together!
In rare cases, yellow and blue can also be confused due to color vision deficiencies, according to a recent report in the AOK health insurance newspaper. We take these aspects into account in every shadow wall and shadow board project.
At opti lean we will show you how a good color concept supports food safety!
Our claim at opti lean is clear:
We develop color concepts that are also accepted by the user, rely on cleaning equipment that is HACCP-compliant and create customized shadow wall concepts that are easy to understand and ensure greater safety.
Additional tip: Label allergens sensibly
If you also want to separate allergens, we recommend the additional color green .
Conclusion: Fewer colors, more safety!
With a clear, simple color concept, you can better protect your products and make everyday production easier.
Trust in the experience and passion of opti lean – for visibly more order and noticeably more efficiency!
✅ In summary: opti lean is your expert when it comes to shadow walls and the creation of a color concept for the food industry!