The first of 2014, this January issue of Food Engineering covers water usage and treatment and how some plants are using wastewater to achieve higher levels of energy savings and efficiencies. Also, read the update on FMSA.
You may have an ERP system and industrial controls in place, but are you getting the key performance indicators needed to stay ahead of the competition?
Comments are in for proposed Produce Safety Rule and Preventive Controls, but final rules have not been issued, leaving processors time to explore audit and certification alternatives.
Last month, I dedicated this column to the changes taking place at industry trade shows and how our industry is focused on giving back by supporting charities at these venues. This month, I’d like to thank those individuals who are giving back to the food and beverage industry by participating as speakers at Food Engineering’s 2014 Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference scheduled for April 6-9 in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Processors should establish a culture that encourages interaction and information flow not only from top management to the workforce, but from the workforce upward.
Alaskan Brewing Company is the first brewery opened in Juneau since Prohibition, and from its beginning in 1986, sought to make high-quality, craft-brewed beer that was cost efficient and environmentally responsible.
RFI Ingredients, a provider of custom extracts and nutritional supplements, touts its slogan “From Field to Formula.” RFI’s commitment to its slogan is seen in its sourcing of raw materials from its own sustainable farms and a global network of growers and other providers.
Snow Island is a Nova Scotia-based salmon producer distinguished by its commitment to the environment and sustainable farming practices for raising salmon from egg to plate. The company gives its salmon extra room to grow, maintaining a 98.5 percent volume of water to 1.5 percent of fish in its pens and nets. And while many other operations house one million-plus fish per farm, Snow Island farms contain only 500,000.
The humble shrimp has been the mainstay of the Choice Canning Company for more than 50 years. Already a leading supplier of shrimp in North America, the processor expanded into the ready-to-cook meal market in 2006. It now produces 12 IQF skillet meals under the Tastee Choice brand and distributes them to retail grocery stores throughout the Eastern, Midwestern and Southwestern states and Canada.
While the aroma of a cooked steak may be an enticing lure to dinner, residents around a cooked-meat facility are not as likely to appreciate the odors.
Polarized Meat Company of Dunmore, PA produces high-quality meat products designed to reduce preparation time at restaurants. Certain products are pre-formed and pre-cooked, often with grill marks added to enhance the products’ visual appeal and flavor. Both the incoming meat and the final products are quality controlled throughout the process.
Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, says there is still a lot of work for lawyers to do, but it’s possible there could be a version of the Farm Bill the House and Senate could agree to sometime in January.
The photohydroionization disinfection process combines several non-chemical, non-penetrating radiation approaches, which together can effectively kill harmful microorganisms in food, air and water.
Food manufacturers want more time to comment on FDA’s early November preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils, the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in food. FDA’s preliminary determination is based on available scientific evidence, and the agency has requested stakeholder comments by January 7, 2014.
Featuring a certified USDA hygienic design, the Terlet Terlotherm Delta scraped surface heat exchanger provides UHT pasteurization of particulates up to 1-in. in size.
Designed for case and carton sealing, H.B. Fuller Advantra Encore 4000 high-polymer hot melt adhesive bonds with a variety of substrates including coated stocks and high recycled-content board.
Providing high-speed, hygienic sealing of trays of almost any shape or size, Ishida
QX-1100 split dual-lane tray sealers deliver up to 15 cycles/min. with modified atmosphere packaging; each lane can operate independently with different trays and speeds.
A portable instrument, the Koslow Scientific Passi-Flash 3036 passivation test kit works with all grades of stainless steel to verify vessels, tubing and equipment are free of iron particles that can oxidize and contaminate products.
The seepex SST vertical hopper progressive cavity pump conveys whole meats such as deboned chicken breasts, thighs, livers and other poultry meat products.
The Millard SideKick classifier/kicker includes a dual-lane scale conveyor that automatically weighs, classifies and redirects cuts to a kicker; it handles pork loins, ham, rib, belly and other lines.
Designed for high-speed and high-volume mixing applications, Ross high-shear mixers with solids/liquid injection manifold technology feature a rotor/stator device that injects powders directly into a fast-moving liquid stream without an eductor or pump.
Parker Balston dual-bed, pressure-swing adsorption nitrogen generators produce up to 99.999% pure, compressed nitrogen at dewpoints to -58°F from most compressed air supplies.
Providing a smooth, low-shear pumping action, the Alfa Laval SRU positive displacement pump has bi-lobe rotors with close tolerances for the delicate transfer of curd.
Suitable for use with products from thin fluids to acidic juices, shelf-stable dressings and crystallization products, the SPX Flow Technology light-duty, scraped surface heat exchanger operates at up to 20 bar.
Interroll EC310 24V DC RollerDrive and ConveyorControl technology runs individual conveyors only when containers are present and feeds back energy during braking.
Engineered for dairy products and edible oil, the Serac SBL PET blow molding machine produces bottles up to 5 liters in size at speeds of 2,400 to 12,000 containers/hr.
Using no recycled cleaning materials, the JBT FoodTech Frigoscandia GYRoCOMPACT M10 tight curve spiral freezer has a fully seam-welded enclosure and an optional steam-in-freezer defrost and sanitation system.
Made for light industry applications, including food processing and packaging, the Eriez
Xtreme metal detector features a user-friendly interface, full QWERTY keyboard, auto setup, dedicated reject log, dual frequency range and vibration immunity.
Engineered for use with cartons, the GEA I-VRT tunnel freezer features variable retention times for processing a variety of product sizes and types with different chilling and freezing profiles.
Able to perform a variety of assembly, handling, machine tending and part transfer applications, Yaskawa Motoman Slim dual-arm robots have 15 axes of motion (7 axes per arm, plus a single axis for base rotation).
Working in conjunction with a reheat stretch blow molder, the Agr Process Pilot blow molder management system proactively manages and maintains container material distribution at a specified thickness; it continuously monitors every bottle for material distribution, analyzing minute changes and adjusting 1 or all of the blow molder controls simultaneously to maintain predefined distribution levels.
Designed for high-volume production in case, bag and bottle palletizing operations, the Fanuc M-410iC/185 palletizing robot features a 185kg payload; a slim arm with a hollow wrist design includes integrated cable routing to minimize interference with tooling and other peripheral devices.
Combining Shurtape HP Series hot melt carton sealing tapes with PrimeLoc tape applicators, the ShurSEAL solution is used for high-speed automated case sealing; it can be retrofitted to all major brands of case erecting and case sealing equipment.
The Siemens Simogear gear motor for conveyor applications in the packaging industry comes in helical, parallel shaft and helical bevel models; it meets the requirements of conveyor systems, including those found in warehousing, logistics and distribution, and food and beverage.
Standard on all XT series stretch wrappers, the Lantech XT 5.0 Cut & Clamp automation module allows drivers to stay on their fork trucks for the entire wrap cycle.
Fully programmable from a smart phone, the Lenze Smart motor offers motion control, with freely adjustable speeds, programmable I/O and integrated functions for conveying needs.
The Sealed Air IDC/Cryovac SpeedFlex high-speed bag-in-box system includes equipment, bag-in-box packaging materials and customizable dispensing fitments including proprietary IDC technology.
The HaverService Pad industrial-grade handheld tablet offers equipment diagnostics and troubleshooting for businesses that use automated equipment to fill dry bulk materials.
Designed to pack blow molded plastic HDPE, PET, PVC, PP and other bottles into service cartons with or without liner bags, the Schneider Robox BPR case packer packs a variety of bottles and configurations; it packs 1 row at a time, orienting the bottle necks facing up or down or alternating necks up or down by row or every other bottle.
The NJM servo-driven Model 326 AUTOCOLT IV inline pressure-sensitive labeler labels square, rectangular and round bottles at speeds up to 300 containers/min.; it applies a variety of label configurations including wraparound, multi-panel and optional outserts.
Created for dry product filling in the food and beverage industries, the Spee-Dee servo-drive Revolution Series auger includes a direct drive design, PLC-based controls, full-color touch screen operator interface, 16-gal. hopper and NEMA 4 electrical enclosure.
Triple/S Slipstick horizontal motion accumulation conveyors consist of a seamless, sanitary conveyor trough and differential horizontal motion drive unit.
Utilizing PackML to enable linkage between machinery across an entire packaging operation, Pro Mach RAPID line-integration technology provides plant managers with the ability to monitor machines in a connected, standardized format.
The Rexroth CKL compact linear motion module integrates an ironless linear direct drive motor with a Ball Rail system for positioning and zero backlash.
Built for filling applications in the packaging industry, the Mitsubishi PackML solution combines a PLC, HMI, motion and robot programming products under 1 platform.
The Roxtec EzEntry cable entry seal for cabinets and enclosures seals around multiple pre-terminated cables of different sizes in a single frame opening.
Suitable for handling heavier individual products and larger product groupings in multi-pick applications, the ABB 8kg IRB 360 FlexPicker with a Schmalz vacuum gripper utilizes software that integrates conveyor tracking, vision guidance and vision inspection capabilities in a single programming platform.
Created for both partitioned and partitionless case packing, the Standard-Knapp 939S Pic-N- Place case packer uses adjustable, heavy-duty grippers to pick up and place an entire pack of product completely into the bottom of every case.
The FrymaKoruma MaxxD Lab vacuum processing unit produces small test batches for food manufacturers; it processes liquid and semi-solid forms with the help of homogenizing technology to obtain stable emulsions and suspensions.
elobau input expansion units provide the connection of up to 10 sensors into a single sensor input of the safety controller, offering the capacity of up to 40 sensors while maintaining PLd.
The A-B-C Model 108 bulk depalletizer is designed for packagers that feed empty containers to 1 or multiple packaging lines as they run a range of container types and styles; plastic, glass, metal and composite containers run interchangeably without special options or change parts.
Videojet ultra-high-speed inks are used with Videojet UHS continuous ink jet printers.
V516-D black retort-resistance ink withstands high-temperature steam/water bath processes commonly used in cooking prepared food containers after filling and sealing.
Available in 8 standard versions, MISUMI MSA Series belt drive actuators carry loads up to 500 lb., with travel speeds ranging from 1,200 to 10,000mm/sec.
The ALPS SC linear indexing conveyor leak tester features a separate HMI enclosure with swing arm, main enclosure including optional Ethernet, 4 1/2-in. conveyor chain, common frame to handle the full range of conveyor heights from 28 to 60 in. and fallen bottle ejector integrated within the control system.
The Circle Packaging Flexibag Si-500 bagging machine creates 4-side-sealed sachets with a variety of contour sealing possibilities and easy-opening devices.
Used for product transfer, Saint-Gobain Tygon S3 phthalate-free tubing is designed for food and beverage processing; a bio-based material is incorporated as a plasticizer.
The TIPPER TIE TTCut125HS emulsifier processes broken biscuits, wafers and chocolate into rework products and reduces hazelnuts, almonds, spices, frozen fruits and vegetables to fine granules or powder.
The Campbell Pioneer horizontal flow wrapper has a sanitary modular design with cantilevered components and an Allen-Bradley ControlLogix 5000 Series PLC that controls machine functions.
Designed for dairy, juice and other liquids, the Evergreen EQ-70 gable-top packaging machine features a self-contained CIP/SIP system, environmental control features, carton decontamination and hermetic filling system.
Intended for food and beverage applications, the MasoSine sinusoidal pump offers pulse-free, hygienic flow control to 440 gpm, as well as heat transfer and filtration.
The Rollstock RC-300 rotary chamber machine features a 304L stainless steel modular frame that accepts a range of chamber configurations, sealing profiles (single, double or custom seal impressions) and sealing widths up to 24 in.
The Parsons-Eagle Phaser XP vertical form/fill/seal machine produces pillow, gusseted or flat bottom packages from 2 to 13 in. in width and 3- to 15-in. long at speeds in excess of 60 packages/min.
Mounted above a conveyor, the Fox IV TwinPrint unit prints shipping label information and packing slip information on a single 6- x 8-in. label that is automatically applied.
The Mepaco Model 11-09 self-feeding grinder, 170 ThermaBlend batch cooker, 420v vacuum stuffer and ergonomic sanitary lifts are designed for food processing applications.
An independent product handling unit, the Kliklok-Woodman CLS120 Cascade loading system features fully adjustable, 3-stage vertical rotor vanes for the collation, stacking and transfer of bags, sachets, ready meals and pizzas.
The Hi-Speed XS2 checkweigher/D15 conveyor combination delivers accurate weights over a wide weighing range, transitions product onto and off of the weighing system and offers flexible integration into production lines.
The noax C19 IPC industrial PC has a 19-in diagonal, high-resolution, analog-resistive touch screen that allows data entry, even when an operator is wearing gloves.
The Key Taurys digital laser sorter has a sort engine that enables the fusion of multiple sensor characteristics into a single sort decision; the fusion of data creates a contrast for accurate differentiation of good products from defects and foreign material.
The Rinco FPA 4500-T ultrasonic pouch sealing system is engineered for the flexible packaging of dry and liquid foods; it provides top seal bonding of pouches up to 155mm-wide.
The Delkor C1 1400 robotic packer integrates forming, loading and closing with a detection device that locates and discharges out-of-place packaging before it can jam the system.
Providing a first-in, first-out product flow, the MULTI-FILL batch feed system can be fed with a post dumper, conveyor or chute from a second floor or high platform.
With pressures up to 217 psig, Kaeser SFC 37kW and 45kW variable frequency drive rotary screw compressors feature an eco-friendly filter element, integral moisture separator with drain and an electronic thermal management system.
USDA certified for meat (livestock), poultry and dairy processing applications, Tolomatic stainless steel ERD25 and ERD30 IP69K electric cylinders have a hygienic design that features a round body, smooth edges, stainless steel construction, welded joints and a hygienic bracket.
Using 1 or more jointed arms for pattern forming, the Intelligrated Alvey 950 hybrid robotic inline palletizer handles small finished case sizes, multiple product formats and complex patterns.
Designed for doors, docks and machines, the BTR Controls Illumadoor LED signaling system is comprised of LED strip lights and a combination power supply junction box.