October 2020 | Food Engineering

State of Food Manufacturing

2020 State of Food Manufacturing Survey

Annual industry survey reveals challenges food and beverage processors are facing

September 29, 2020

Constant changes, huge swings in demand or shifts in consumer behavior, employee safety, and a general uncertainty about what comes next are all present in the 2020 State of Food Manufacturing Survey.

Ransomware is big business—and you can’t afford to play the game!

A cyberattack not only creates costly downtime but also can destroy IP, cause food safety issues and just be plain expensive—whether or not you pay the ransom

Wayne Labs

September 24, 2020

No Comments

Ransomware could cost your food or beverage company millions.

Novel no more: HPP grows with batch processing, new bulk juice handling

High pressure processing will continue to expand with increasing consumer demand for natural, fresh-tasting foods without preservatives

Sharon Spielman

September 17, 2020

No Comments

Building on a foothold in batch guacamole processing, high pressure processing moves into bulk and grows in markets that require fresh taste with no preservatives and a long shelf life.

Food Safety

Do third-party audits need a revision?

Food and beverage companies often view audits as something to pass instead of necessary improvement tools

Richard F. Stier

September 25, 2020

No Comments

Food and beverage processors should encourage third-party audit firms to be more critical and eliminate checklists.

Manufacturing News

Some decaf coffees face contaminant and label issues

Clean Label Project wants some coffee brands to disclose use of methylene chloride

Wayne Labs

September 18, 2020

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The Clean Label Project pushes for the use of decaffeination processes using carbon dioxide or the Swiss water process.

Regulatory Watch

AMS proposes amending USDA organic regulations

Changes would strengthen oversight of organic agricultural products

Sharon Spielman

September 18, 2020

No Comments

Proposed amendments are intended to protect integrity in the organic supply chain and build consumer and industry trust in the USDA organic label.

Packaging

Bimbo, Kroger among brands using mail-in recycling for flexible packaging

More food companies join TerraCycle to ask consumers to save and ship in their packaging

Rose Shilling

September 16, 2020

No Comments

TerraCycle is gaining ground in the food industry with new customers for its waste reuse and recycling models.

Engineering R&D

Are you backing up ransomware with your data?

New tool spots sleeper ransomware so it doesn’t get backed up with your data, only to attack later

Wayne Labs

September 16, 2020

No Comments

Fighting sleeper ransomware demands new preemptive tools beyond the usual AI and machine learning functionalities.

Dry Processing

Whiskey distiller uses centrifugal sifter to recover liquid sour mash

With Kason sifter, Bendt Distilling turns spent grain byproduct into saleable livestock feed

Sharon Spielman

September 22, 2020

No Comments

Kason equipment gives Bendt Distilling income from its spent grain byproduct.

Field Reports

Seal inspection system ensures quality packing for artisanal pâté

Sensors mounted on sealing bars help Belgian processor prevent defective packaging

September 23, 2020

No Comments

Belgian artisanal pâté maker uses Engilico seal inspection system to ensure a quality packed product.

People & Industry News

People and Industry News: October 2020

September 21, 2020

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People and industry news in food and beverage manufacturing for October 2020

Plant Openings

Plant Openings & Expansions: October 2020

September 21, 2020

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Plant openings and expansions in food and beverage manufacturing for October 2020

New Plant Products

Cobot for baking palletizing

September 29, 2020

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In addition to decorating cakes, pick-and-place, and loading/unloading trays and pans, Baker-Bot also can handle palletizing tasks and integrate into most production lines without the need for safety guarding.

New Plant Products

Single-tank processing system

September 29, 2020

No Comments

READYGo LIQUIFUSION tanks combine blending, dispersion, emulsification, heating and cooling operations.

New Plant Products

Industrial vacuum system

September 29, 2020

No Comments

These industrial vacuum systems allow for disposal or quick reintegration of filtered lubricant and coolant.

New Plant Products

Continuous processor for plant-based protein

September 29, 2020

No Comments

The continuous processors integrate mixing, blending, flavoring, seasoning, heating, encapsulating and texturizing, among other processes.

New Plant Products

Weight indicator from BLH Nobel

September 28, 2020

No Comments

The WIN5 on the company’s tank mount series provides a high-contrast 6-digit LED display to show gross and net weight values of the measured mass.

New Plant Products

Universal automation kiosk

September 28, 2020

No Comments

UAK1000 plug-and-play SCADA kiosk combines PLC and PC power with preconfigured software that allows manufacturers to integrate SCADA automation right out of the box with no schematics and minimal engineering.

New Plant Products

Oil-injected compressor

September 28, 2020

No Comments

The G90-250 (125 to 335 horsepower) has been remodeled with a more compact design and a new element specifically for the range, offering an increase in flow rates of up to 5% over the previous generation.

New Plant Products

A&D's ProteX series X-ray equipment

September 25, 2020

No Comments

ProteX series X-ray systems are designed for product consistency with an output of 100 W to 150 W for contamination detection of metal, glass, bone and stone.

New Plant Products

Inline snack inspection

September 25, 2020

No Comments

The Vertex inline inspection system is designed to integrate with VFFS packaging and weighing turnkey lines, with a case through dimension that can be as little as 125 mm (191 mm including flanges) and a circular aperture.

New Plant Products

Digital apple sorter

September 25, 2020

No Comments

Sorting system for fresh-cut apple products integrates the company’s Iso-Flo shakers, rotary sizing and grading systems, belt conveyors and a VERYX digital sorter.

Dry Processing Technology

Hollymatic's Model 180A mixer/grinder

September 25, 2020

No Comments

Model 180A has a 225-lb. hopper with a counter-balanced safety interlocked lid.

Dry Processing Technology

Bag filtration system

September 25, 2020

No Comments

Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques to optimize airflow within the filter, the company was able to reduce the length of the filter bags from up to 7 meters to just 4.5 meters.

Dry Processing Technology

Explosion-Proof Centrifugal Sifters

September 25, 2020

No Comments

ATEX-certified centrifugal sifters are suitable for installation in ATEX zone 20 internal and zone 21 external and are certified to provide a high level of protection in areas where an explosive atmosphere with a cloud of combustible dust is likely to occur or remain present continuously or for long periods during normal operation.

Dry Processing Technology

Bulk bag handling solution

September 24, 2020

No Comments

The company developed a custom unloading frame with no traditional upper section but where two bags could empty simultaneously in side-by-side configuration.

Dry Processing Technology

Orifice Gate

September 24, 2020

No Comments

The Quantum Orifice Gate is designed to handle dry bulk solids in gravity flow, dilute phase or vacuum conveying systems with pressures up to 15 psig (1 barg) depending on size.

Dry Processing Technology

Telescopic spreader beam

September 24, 2020

No Comments

Model HATSB is designed for places where headroom is not limited and is available from 2- to 40-ton capacities with outside spreads that adjust from a minimum of 4 to 6 ft. to a maximum of 12 to 20 ft. as standard.

Dry Processing Technology

Low-Profile Bulk Bag Filler from Powder Process-Solutions

September 23, 2020

No Comments

The low-profile bulk bag filler for dairy and other food powders has all stainless steel construction, simple operator controls and is easy to clean.

Dry Processing Technology

Industrial Dust Collector

September 23, 2020

No Comments

Flo system is suitable for dry food ingredients including coarse grains, fine spices and additives, as well as sticky dusts such as sugar and whey.

Dry Processing Technology

Sanitary Container Dumper

September 23, 2020

No Comments

The lift and dump unit is designed to safely discharge material into an existing process at 16 ft. above floor level.

Unruly, complex production schedule spreadsheets can prevent food and beverage processors from getting the most out of their production systems. The next generation of production scheduling can lower operating costs, reduce waste and minimize inventory, all while better serving your customers.

COVID-19 is currently disrupting our world, but the food and beverage industry is experiencing massive change due to other factors as well, including shifting consumer demands, technology advancements, revolutionary food products, global market forces, and more.