Food Engineering articles from April 2003

Food Engineering archives from April 2003

`Food safety' takes on a much deeper meaning. (Editor's Note).
April 1, 2003... AS WE PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES on this latest issue of Food Engineering, the first cruise missiles were being dropped on Iraq, America's security level was at code orange, and the USDA was announcing efforts to step up actions to protect the...

Calendar.
April 1, 2003... APRIL 2003 14-18 Bread and Roll Equipment Maintenance, American Institute of Baking, Manhattan, KS,(785) 537-4750 or (800) 633-5137. 15-16 Advanced HACCP Workshop, American Institute of Baking, Pheasant Run Resort/Convention Center,...

Galloway Company. (Plant Openings & Expansions).(expanded its concentrated fluid food products manufacturing operations)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Neenah, Wisconsin-based Galloway Company has expanded its concentrated fluid food products manufacturing operations. The $5 million expansion will allow Galloway to meet growing demand for dairy bases used in new-age beverages. While $3.5...

Georgia Institute of Technology. (Plant Openings & Expansions).(begins work on new Food Processing Technology Research Facility)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Georgia Institute of Technology has begun work on new Food Processing Technology Research Facility. The $9.4 million facility will provide a world-class center for collaborative food processing technology development, academic research and...

Del Monte Foods. (Plant Openings & Expansions).(plans to invest $25 million to reconfigure its newly acquired Midwest soup operations)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Del Monte Foods plans to invest $25 million to reconfigure its newly acquired Midwest soup operations to reduce cost, improve efficiency and support growth. Targeted to be complete by fall 2003, the investment is designed to enable the Mendota,...

Minnesota Soybean Processors. (Plant Openings & Expansions).(new soybean crushing and processing plant)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The farmer-owned cooperative of Minnesota Soybean Processors of Brewster, MN, has begun construction on a new soybean crushing and processing plant.

Driving optimal operations performance. (Manufacturing News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Managing a modern food manufacturing plant is no easy task. But a new strategy called real-time performance management (RPM) may be just the ticket. RPM uses performance targets to lead organizations to increased potential and competitive...

More food inspectors expected next year. (Regulatory Watch).(USDA's Food Safety Inspection System gets big spending increase)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Bush Administration's proposed 2004 budget contains a big increase in spending for USDA's Food Safety Inspection System. As part of the increasing emphasis on homeland security, FSIS would receive an increase of $42 million, resulting in...

Relief from frivolous lawsuits. (Regulatory Watch).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Food manufacturers may get some tort-reform relief under legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House. Rep. Ric Keller (R-FL) is author of a bill entitled the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act (H.R. 339), which seeks "to...

Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI). (Industry & People).(survey results)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The top three attributes requested by customers looking for new packaging machinery are flexibility, fast speed and quick changeover capability, according to a recent survey of Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) member...

The American Italian Pasta Company. (Industry & People).(acquired the Golden Grain/ Mission pasta brand from PepsiCo )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The American Italian Pasta Company acquired the Golden Grain/ Mission pasta brand from PepsiCo this month, giving it the leading market share in five major markets in the northwest United States--San Francisco, Spokane, Seattle, Portland and...

Foxboro Automation Systems. (Industry & People).(Paul S. Steinitz)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Paul S. Steinitz is director of marketing for Foxboro Automation Systems. He will oversee product launches of the Foxboro [A.sup.2] family of automation system platforms.

Gough Econ Inc. (Industry & People).(David P. Risley appointed president and chief executive officer)
April 1, 2003... Gough Econ Inc. appointed David P. Risley as president and chief executive officer. The company also named Andrew J. Leitch vice president of sales.

Agrilink Foods, Inc. (Industry & People).(name changed to Bird's Eye Foods)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Agrilink Foods, Inc. has changed its name to Bird's Eye Foods, Inc., after its founder Clarence Birdseye. The name change will not effect the structure or ownership of the organization. Based in Rochester, NY, the company processes fruits and...

Suitt Construction Company. (Industry & People).(Donald Hensley)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Donald Hensley is now the director of business development for Suitt Construction Company's Florida office,

Pall Corporation. (Industry & People).(appoints Wolfgang Platz)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Wolfgang Platz, a 21 -year veteran of Pall Corporation, has been appointed corporate vice president of the company's global food and beverage business.

The 56 oz. ice cream carton: will it float? Ice cream is supposed to elicit screams, but some flat notes have crept in lately. (Food Packaging).
April 1, 2003... SCOTTY MAYFIELD KNEW SOME negative feedback might result when he announced in January that Mayfield Select ice cream would switch to a downsized version of its half-gallon carton. "Nobody is in favor of getting less and being charged the same,"...

Pouch adds convenience to value-added poultry. (Food Packaging).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Convenience foods in inconvenient packages are a bad mix. And the boil-in bag that Smithfield Food's Premium Entree line came in when it debuted was, in a word, inconvenient. Last fall, the Smithfield, Va., company completed an overhaul of...

A switch tree huggers and CFOs can love. (Food Packaging).(Stonyfield Farm's environmentally-friendly yogurt packaging)
April 1, 2003... Ballyhooing the environmental advantages of a packaging change is a rarity in the U.S. market,so Stonyfield Farm's switch to a fell-film structure for lids of its organic and natural yogurt cups is a point of distinction for the Londonderry,...

Could self-inspection programs lead to safer foods? In industry self-monitoring programs, often partners are much more demanding of one another. Neither party wants to let the other down. (Food Safety).
April 1, 2003... REAR ADMIRAL BRENDA HOLMAN, FDA director for the Pacific region, was the featured speaker at a recent meeting of the Northern California section of the Institute of Food Technologists. Holman said that one of the ongoing goals of the agency is...

Food machinery lubricants. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Lubriplate offers new H-1 Class lubricants that provide advanced protection from listeria, bacteria and mold. The anti-microbial agents in these greases provide an extra level of protection to plant operations. Lubriplate H-1 Class greases...

Synthetic lubricant. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Henkel Loctite Corporation introduced Loctite ViperLube Synthetic Lubricants. This new line of lubricants is composed of synthetic PAO (polyalphaolefin) base stocks formulated to provide a high level of protection in long-life industrial and...

Grease dispenser. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Trico Manufacturing Corporation unveiled a new line of Streamliner grease dispensers as a cost-effective alternative to manual lubrication. They are designed for applications that require a precise amount of grease delivered to critical machine...

Lubrication tools. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Companion Products Inc.'s Oil Safe Lubrication Tools prevent equipment-damaging lube contamination and costly oil spills. Whether transporting oil 20 feet or 20 miles, the Oil Safe sealing system keeps lubricants free of contamination and safe...

Hydraulic oils. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... ExxonMobil lubricants are designed to increase equipment performance and enhance productivity for companies that use precision hydraulic systems. Mobil DTE 20 Series Hydraulic oils work in demanding environments. ExxonMobil;Tel. (800)...

Aerosol lubricants. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants offers food grade lubricants such as Chevron FM Grease EP Aerosol, Chevron Lubricating Oil FM Aerosol, Chevron FM penetrating Oil Aerosol and Chevron FM Silicone Spray. ChevronTexaco lubricants are suitable for...

Lubrication management. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... The Molykote Lubrication Management Program from Dow Corning features a line of 42 food-grade synthetic fluids and ultra high purity mineral oils. The program features an integrated oil analysis service, lubrication management software, local...

Temperature tolerant lubricants. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Food processors can achieve HACCP food safety goals with Anderol Food Grade Synthetic and White Oil based Lubricants. Anderol and PQ Food Grade Lubricants are suitable for severe and heavy duty applications that call for temperature tolerance,...

Chemical lubricant. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Kroil by Kano Laboratories is a chemical lubricant designed to break the bonds of rust and dissolve grease and carbon. It can flow into tight spaces as small as one-millionth of an inch, loosening and lubricating rusted nuts, bolts, frozen...

Food grade lubricant. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... DuPont Performance Lubricants' Krytox oils and greases provide lubricity at extreme temperatures in a broad array of applications. According to DuPont, while most lubricants begin to break down or carbonize at temperatures higher than...

Low profile screener. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... A new VIBROSCREEN Flo-Thru low profile, high capacity screener from Kason features an Air-Lift device that allows high-speed disassembly, wash down, inspection and screen changes by loosening one clamp ring assembly then raising the upper...

Shrink tunnel. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Lantech's "Soft Convection" Shrink tunnel offers uniform distribution of heat--the key to producing consistent shrink packages. The unit offers easy-to-use controls featuring real-time adjustment of air velocity, air temperature and conveyor...

No-drip container. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Shady Maple Farm has developed a new oxygen-barrier, no-drip pour plastic container for its bulk maple syrup customers. The container allows for freshness and purity for one year. Conventional high-density polyethylene containers allow oxygen...

Bulk bag discharger. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Spiroflow Systems introduced a new loss-in-weight Type 3 Bulk Bag Discharger designed for single- or multi-unit application. This design places sensitive loss-in-weight load cells between the top bag holding frame and the lower chute assembly....

Lumpbreaker. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Wyssmont Company's Rotogage Lumpbreaker can break up friable, crumbeable lumps and agglomerate while minimizing heat and fines generation. Its rotor and housing design allows it to operate without a sizing screen in most cases. The standard...

Food pump series. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... PCM Delasco, Inc.'s "H" series pumps are designed for applications requiring strict hygienic conditions. According to the company, the product includes two innovations: a solution that can allow the mechanical seal to be replaced without...

Double-seal valve. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Tuchenhagen North America, LLC introduced the Stericom Double-Seal Valve that allows safe separation of dissimilar products in a completely sterile process environment. An integrated actuator allows either valve seat to be raised independently...

Print and apply labeling. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Re-Pack Inc.'s print and apply labeling systems can be integrated with major print engines such as Sato, Zebra and Datamax and their 203, 300 or 600 dpi print heads and hot stamp or ink jet coding systems. The labeling head can be configured...

Size-reduction. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... NETZSCH Incorporated offers custom-designed grinding and dispersion engines for demanding and complex food applications. NETZSCH fine grinding machines are manufactured for applications that call for sterility, heat sensitivity and...

Sanitary pipeline mixers. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... The Greerco Sanitary Pipeline Mixer from Chemineer, Inc. provides flexible and cost-efficient line processing for sanitary, high shear applications. Suitable for the food and beverage processing industries, the product is used for...

Portable vibration test. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... SKF Reliability Systems introduced the MicroVibe portable vibration test and measurement instrument. The MicroVibe is the first vibration test and measurement instrument made to be used with a PDA. Features of the unit include user selectable...

Orbital weld head. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Model 8-4000 weld head from Arc Machines, Inc. is an orbital weld head for fusion TIG (GATW) welding for fittings, tubing and thin wall pipe. It features a cooling design that allows for high duty cycle welding. This weld head is suitable for...

Fluid controller. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Key Instruments unveiled the Series 8500 Optaflow Controller for liquid and gas fluid control in R&D analysis, pilot plant, small batch and quality assurance applications. Engineered to provide up to +/- 3 percent of full scale standard (+/- 1...

Accumulation conveyor. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... TKF, Inc. has a new PosiGrip Accumulation Conveyor featuring non contact zero-pressure accumulation. Suitable for food and beverages, the PosiGrip Accumulation Conveyor stages from the discharge end. Features of the product include a heavy duty...

Flowmeters. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... A new line of clamp-on insertion turbine flowmeters from Hoffer Flow Controls, Inc. is designed as an alternative to the plastic paddle wheel type flowmeters. The flowmeters come with additional bearing choices including tungsten carbide and...

Brick packaging. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Rovema redesigned the SBS Brick-Pack machine for efficient and cost-effective production of flat-bottomed bags with various top-closing designs and reclosable features. The machine encapsulates different features of an automatic vertical...

Filling and closing system. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Autoprod, Inc. introduces its Fast-Pack filling and closing systems for pre-formed containers for a wide range of products including beverage, dairy and other products. The FP line features optional servo-driven filling and sealing systems for...

Thermal printing. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Norwood Marking Systems' new Jaguar II 52 Series intermittent and continuous-motion thermal transfer printers can print variable information such as real time/date codes, prices, and expiration dates directly onto packaging materials. The...

Ask the expert.
April 1, 2003... Q How can I minimize costly, unscheduled equipment downtime? A Preventive maintenance programs can reduce the likelihood of downtime and enable you to respond more quickly to problems. Consider these simple steps when establishing and...

Packaging system. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... SIG Systegra from SIG Pack Systems offers controls that integrate motion and logic into one system. Features of the SIG Systegra include a modular design with synchronized interfaces, a common control platform and standardized mechanical and...

Tunnel freezer. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Air Products' new Freshline Z Tunnel Freezer combines cryogenic refrigeration, indirect heat transfer and impingement technology. The unit does not require an exhaust fan like conventional cryogenic freezing tunnels. It has an indirect freezing...

Ant-microbial glove. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Shepard Medical Products' molded anti-microbial glove helps reduce the frequency of food-borne illness due to contamination during processing. Bacteria and other germs can build up on the surface of a regular glove, increasing the chances of...

Control systems. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Automated Production Systems Corporation offers fully integrated control systems that incorporate any specified PLC or component. The company supplies systems with self-diagnostics, touch screens and recipe selection for each SKU/package...

Coding and labeling. (Focus on Lubricants).
April 1, 2003... Diagraph introduced three developments in marking, coding and labeling equipment: the IJ/3000 large character ink jet system, the ALP/4500 automated labeling system and the Linx 6800 small character ink jet system. The IJ/3000 features a...

New plant of the year: American Italian Pasta Company reshaping the future of pasta production.
April 1, 2003... Durum wheat is a crop associated with the northern Plains. When milled, the endosperm yields semolina, the basis of pasta. Durum wheat also grows in the desert, and much of the semolina from this year's crop in the Valley of the Sun will be...

Altopack. (Plant of the year: supplier profiles: Advertising Supplement).
April 1, 2003... Altopack's packaging machine mod, AOD-PL is the latest innovation in high speed horizontal form, fill and sealing of long goods such as spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, bucatini in pillow bags made directly from a roll of PP film. It has been...

Fortress. (Plant of the year: supplier profiles: Advertising Supplement).
April 1, 2003... FORTRESS METAL DETECTORS Fortress Technology Inc. is spotlighting its rugged Phantom Metal Detection Systems which feature unmatched ease of installation and highly accurate inspection on food processing and packaging lines. Attendees...

Gough Econ, Inc. (Plant of the year: supplier profiles: Advertising Supplement).
April 1, 2003... Gough designs and manufactures in their Charlotte, NC facility Conveying Systems that provide the gentlest handling of delicate value-added products. Combine that with Gough's track record of heavy-duty reliability year after year and you'll...

Imperial Industries. (Plant of the year: supplier profiles: Advertising Supplement).
April 1, 2003... Imperial Industries has over three decades of experience helping companies around the world effectively meet their bulk storage needs. Imperial welded tanks are available in a broad range of materials, designs and sizes with features to meet...

Reimelt. (Plant of the year: supplier profiles: Advertising Supplement).
April 1, 2003... Reimelt was founded in Germany in 1883, with current world headquarters near Frankfurt; the U.S. operations were established in 1983 near Tampa, Florida. Its history encompasses worldwide involvement in the design and supply of dry and liquid...

Younglove. (Plant of the year: supplier profiles: Advertising Supplement).
April 1, 2003... In 1896, John Fremont Younglove, a carpenter with an inherent knowledge of engineering principles, successfully applied this knowledge to the construction of cribbed wooden grain facilities and founded Younglove Construction Company. A...

The utility management Mantra: food plants may not be fertile ground for cogeneration, but there's no shortage of other utility cost-trimming opportunities.
April 1, 2003... ANY ENGINEER WORTH HIS SALT WOULD LOVE TO make the economic case for combined heat and power (CHP) generation at his plant. After all, CHP (also known as cogeneration) almost triples energy efficiency, and engineering is all about improved...

ERP now ready for prime time: the latest applications allow food manufacturers to leverage their business processes across enterprises. (Tech Update).
April 1, 2003... AS RECENTLY AS FIVE YEARS AGO, ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING (ERP) software was still out on the leading edge for many food manufacturers. It was possible to find manufacturing and financial/back office software, but it was difficult to find a...

Productivity is in the bag: case erector and bag inserter combination accelerates fruit and vegetable packing process. (Field Reports).
April 1, 2003... THE J.R. SIMPLOT COMPANY'S Food Group has always focused on quality and innovative products. The company's Roast Works[TM] line of flame-roasted and seasoned vegetables and fruits and other blends of vegetables and pasta products allow...

Software takes the sting out of horseradish production: system automatically ages ingredient and end-item lots ensuring stock won't be wasted. (Field Reports).
April 1, 2003... EACH YEAR, CLOSE TO 24 MILLION pounds of horseradish roots are processed in the U.S., yielding 6 million gallons of prepared horseradish. Silver Spring Gardens, one of the country's leading horseradish makers, also produces mustards, sauces,...

Are you ready for real-time information? The challenge lies in discerning the points of information that will make a difference from the trivial points. (Managing Software).
April 1, 2003... SOME OF US REMEMBER THE OLD DAYS OF INFORMATION technology. Keypunch operators entered and then validated data entry and, at the accounting period close, IT ran a program that spun out the period-ending reports. Everyone in the company had...

Web watch.
April 1, 2003... Admix. Inc. www.admix.com We invite you to visit www.admix.com where you will find solutions to the mixing challenges that face your specific process along with information on our wide range of in-line and in-tank sanitary equipment...

The payoff from perseverance: decades of experimentation and equipment changes went into the development of a process to extrude reformed, quick-cooking rice. (Engineering R&D).(Wenger Manufacturing Inc)(Interview)
April 1, 2003... APPEARANCE, UNLIKE IMAGE, ISN'T everything when it comes to processed foods. Simply emulating the look of a raw product falls short: the processed alternative also must taste like the original and deliver value that the raw product lacks. ...