Food Engineering articles from August 2003

Food Engineering archives from August 2003

Health hits the fan in the long hot summer. (Editor's Note).(FDA to launch food label requirements)(Editorial)
August 1, 2003... IT'S BEEN BUILDING UP FOR QUITE some time, but it looks like government and industry are finally teaming up to take a more serious look at American health and obesity issues. In July, FDA announced that by January 1, 2006, food labels will...

Calendar.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
August 1, 2003... AUGUST 2003 21-22 Certified Plant Maintenance Manager program, Orlando, FL, Association of Facilities Engineering, (513) 489 2473, www.afe.org. 25-27 Powder Mix and Dry Blending Technology, American Institute of Baking, Manhattan, KS,...

Stahlman Engineering Corp., is constructing an addition to Ben & Jerry's St. Albans, VT facility. (Plant Openings & Expansions).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Stahlman Engineering Corp,, is constructing an addition to Ben & Jerry's St. Albans, VT facility. The 26,000-sq.-ft. expansion consists of a new -20[degrees]F freezer, palletizing area and refrigerated loading dock. It will provide packaging,...

Bob Evans Farms and its subsidiary, Owens Country Sausage, purchased a food production plant from Kozy Shack Enterprises, a New York-based family-owned dessert manufacturer. (Plant Openings & Expansions).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Bob Evans Farms and its subsidiary, Owens Country Sausage, purchased a food production plant from Kozy Shack Enterprises, a New York-based family-owned dessert manufacturer. Located in Sulphur Springs, TX, this 52,777-sq.-ft facility will...

Tyson Foods, Inc. (Plant Openings & Expansions).(laboratory expansion)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... By expanding and upgrading its laboratory, Tyson Foods, Inc. in Springdale, AR, more than tripled the area it devoted to analytical testing and food safety research. The company invested $5.2 million on the project.

Graham Packaging Company, L.P. (Plant Openings & Expansions).(starts yogurt container production)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Graham Packaging Company, L.P. has begun production of polypropylene containers for yogurt at a new 23,000-sq.-ft. plant in the south of France. Graham Packaging invested $7 million in high-speed production of custom-designed "pots" for a...

Stahlman Engineering Corp. and Welliver McGuire, Inc. will design and construct a 465,000-sq.-ft. replacement facility in Cleveland, OH for SYSCO Food Services. (Plant Openings & Expansions).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Stahlman Engineering Corp. and Welliver McGuire, Inc. will design and construct a 465,000-sq.-ft. replacement facility in Cleveland, OH for SYSCO Food Services. Included in the plan are a 175,000-sq.-ft. dry storage warehouse, a 190,000-sq.-ft....

Plant performance monitoring in real time. (Manufacturing News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... As more food and beverage manufacturers use multiple automation vendors, they need a common format to collect data, store it and compare key performance indicators across multiple plants. OSIsoft recently introduced a next generation engine for...

Juice plants squeezed by inspectors. (Manufacturing News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... FDA has been gradually phasing in HACCP inspections of food plants that produce 100 percent fruit juice. According to industry sources, the process has not been a smooth one. Some plants are reporting that a number of inspectors lack basic...

World Batch Forum. (Industry & People).(gives award to founder Michael Saucier)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... World Batch Forum has given its first Thomas G. Fisher Award to its founder and chairman Michael Saucier for his leadership in the field of operation and control of batch manufacturing processes. Saucier founded World Batch Forum in 1994 and...

Raymond A. Ash is the winner of the Forum's Guido Carlo-Stella Award. (Industry & People).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Raymond A. Ash is the winner of the Forum's Guido Carlo-Stella Award. Ash is a pioneer in developing batch automation systems at Proctor & Gamble. Ash, a Cincinnati based consultant for the past nine years, invented and developed adaptive...

Kason Corporation. (Industry & People).(names Henry Alamzad president)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Henry Alamzad has been appointed president of Kason Corporation.

International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses. (Industry & People).(elects officers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW) announced the election of Patrick A. Gouveia of Atlas Cold Storage in Toronto as the 2003-04 chairman. Other elected officers include Vice Chairman John Randall of P&O Cold...

World Food Logistics Organization. (Industry & People).(elects officers)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Officers of the World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO), a nonprofit education and research organization affiliated with IARW, were also elected at the meeting. The WFLO Chairman is Doug Thomas of Bellingham Cold Storage in Bellingham, WA;...

Institute of Food Technologists. (Industry & People).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Barbara Byrd Keenan was appointed executive vice president of the Institute of Food Technologists. She replaces Daniel E. Weber who retired earlier this year.

Safeline Inc. (Industry & People).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Safeline Inc. named George Louli director of marketing.

Sara Lee Corporation. (Industry & People).(names Tracie Sheehan food safety vice president)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Sara Lee Corporation named Tracie Sheehan vice president, food safety. Responsible for global food safety programs, Sheehan also has direct operating responsibility for food safety management in the meats line of business. She comes to Sara Lee...

Ocean Spray. (Industry & People).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Randy C. Papadellis, previously president and chief operating officer for Ocean Spray, has now been appointed as the cooperative's chief executive officer.

Key Technology, Inc. (Industry & People).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Kirk W. Morton has been elected chief executive officer of Key Technology, Inc. Morton joined Key Technology in 1999 as senior vice president of sales and marketing. Previously he was vice president of sales and marketing for Stein, Inc., a...

OSHA making unannounced visits. (Regulatory Watch).
August 1, 2003... Food manufacturing plants with a high rate of employee absenteeism could get an unannounced visit from OSHA. The federal agency recently started a year-long round of surprise inspections of high-hazard work sites, as determined by 2001 OSHA...

More consistency for nutrient content claims. (Regulatory Watch).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The National Food Processors Association (NFPA) has endorsed a proposed FDA rule to accommodate multi-serving meal-type meat and poultry products under nutrient content claim regulations. In a letter to the Food Safety and Inspection Service...

Mexican shellfish meet US standards. (Regulatory Watch).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... The US and Mexico have signed an agreement that formally recognizes that Mexican shellfish regulations meet US standards which are designed to ensure that molluscan shellfish imported into the US are safe for human consumption.

Wrap products, kill microbes: packaging systems are being designed to meet the food safety imperative. (Food Packaging).
August 1, 2003... SHOUTING "RECALL!" IN A READY-TO-EAT MEAT PLANT IS AKIN TO yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theater: fear and panic is sure to follow. No segment of the food industry is more concerned about the potentially lethal effects of good product gone bad...

In-package temperature sensors gain converts. (Food Packaging).
August 1, 2003... With the outdoor barbecue season in full swing, cases of foodborne illnesses are at their annual peak as amateur chefs incorrectly gauge the internal temperature of Aunt Sally's medium-rare burger. Disposable temperature sensors are one way...

VisionSeal targets poultry packers. (Food Packaging).
August 1, 2003... Buoyed by wide acceptance in the UK, Multivac Inc. is mounting a North American push for VisionSeal, a system that delivers hermetically sealed packages of cooked meats and raw chicken. English poultry processors face a September deadline...

How safe are our products? To stay ahead of the game and protect products, reputation and business, food processors need to keep working to improve their food safety systems. (Food Safety).
August 1, 2003... MANY ARTICLES THAT COVER FOOD SAFETY IN both technical literature and the popular press include statements such as, "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that foodborne pathogens cause approximately 76 million...

Hose reel. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).(Hannay Reels' SSN700 series stainless steel hose reel )
August 1, 2003... Hannay Reels' SSN700 series stainless steel hose reel is designed for heavy-duty applications and is compact enough to be mounted in tight spaces. Resistant to rusting or chipping, it is suitable for food, beverage, and dairy applications such...

Anti-fog goggles. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... American Allsafe Company introduced Revolution, the latest in its line of goggles designed to protect against chemical splashes. The company's CrossVent technology uses an indirect ventilation system made of intricate channels and paths to keep...

Intermediate bulk container. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Packaging Concepts introduced the Delta flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs) with sewn-in baffles. Available in single layer, square and rectangular shapes, they feature reinforcing baffles that are sewn across the corners and directly...

Flexible bulk containers. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Mulox's Spacemaster flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC) maximize storage and handling of dry bulk products. These bags can be stacked three high and maintain stable cubic shape when filled. According to Mulox, this product offers 25...

Air dryers. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Kaeser Compressors' Dual Control Refrigerated Dryers are available in ranges from 800 cfm to 3000 cfm. This newly designed dryer line matches energy usage to demand load, resulting in energy savings, says the manufacturer. Dryers with the...

Safety boot. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Norcross Safety Products has unveiled its 15-inch Servus Neoprene III Duraguard boot. Designed for applications such as meat and poultry processing, or breweries, this boot is constructed with a steel toe that is compliant with ANSI Z41 PT 99...

Fume and dust collector. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Farr Air Pollution Control's portable Zephyr II Fume and Dust Collector combines three-stage filtration. Suitable for industrial fume source capture and for plants requiring periodic dust collection, this unit is easy to move and position in...

Anti-microbial air handlers. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Carrier Corp. now uses AK Steel's AgION, a silver ion-based compound that suppresses the growth of bacteria, molds, mildew, fungi and other microbes, as a standard in the production of its 39M Aero Air Handling Units and as a factory option for...

Amplifier board options. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Galil Motion Control has expanded the options on its DMC-21 x 3 Ethernet controllers with two new servo amplifier boards: the AMP-20420 2-axis and AMP-20440 4-axis. Both attach directly to the 96-pin DIN connector of Galil's DMC-2143 controller...

Desiccant dryer. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Atlas Copco offers heatless, desiccant compressed air dryers. The new CD Dryer Series featuring the twin tower CD65-280 dryers has capacities that range from 138 to 594 cfm and can operate up to 232 psig with pressure dewpoints of -40[degrees]F...

Antimicrobial brush. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... The Fuller Brush Company added AgION, an additive/antimicrobial compound for brush filament material to its line of custom brushes. This additive uses silver as its active ingredient and helps reduce the likelihood of cross contamination and...

Ask the expert.
August 1, 2003... Q How can we improve our processes, with the goal of lowering our operating costs? A Significant savings may be achieved by using Continuous Improvement (CI) techniques. CI changes the mindset of an organization through the disciplined...

Filter press. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... The Filtration Division of NETZSCH unveiled new Filter presses called the WP Series. Available in plate and frame, recessed chamber or membrane configurations, this series is designed for various dewatering applications. Product features...

Bulk box unloaders. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Meyer Machine introduced a line of bulk box unloaders that provide efficient material transfer with minimum product damage. The unit features an extra-wide carriage assembly that can accommodate boxes of varying sizes. The standard discharge...

HDPE bottle. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... RPC Verpackungen Kutenholz introduced a new bottle for a breakfast drink from Dutch dairy products manufacturer Campina. The 300-ml bottle is extrusion blow-molded in HDPE and features a curved grip for easy handling. Available in six colors,...

Spray system. (Focus on Plant Accessories & Air Handling Products).
August 1, 2003... Autojet Technologies introduced AccuCoat, a low mist spray system designed for spraying low volumes of viscous liquids in applications such as chocolate, butter and margarine, release agents and oils and syrup. By operating at low pressures and...

Shock and awe for microbes: with safety advocates demanding regime change for microbial life forms in food plants, processors are evaluating new systems that may or may not be effective.(Natural antimicrobials take center stage)(Cover Story)
August 1, 2003... Microbes under duress behave like Iraqi militiamen: concentrated bombing can dispel them, but the survivors tend to go underground and return with new resilience. That's analogous to the red flag being raised as food and beverage processors...

Better products through better control: process control can only advance as far as technology will let it. Happily, those tools continue to improve.
August 1, 2003... Improved control of the production process is a never-ending quest in food manufacturing. It is a factor in virtually every processing initiative, whether it involves MES software, advanced sensors or the latest in controls technology. ...

Safety and efficiency reign supreme: extracting more profit from inventory, waste recovery and increased throughput may well hinge on your powder and bulk handling equipment. (Tech Update).
August 1, 2003... HOT TOPICS COME AND GO IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY, but two that never go out of style are safety and profit. Year in and year out, safety remains high on the priority list of most food manufacturers, particularly when it comes to purchasing process...

Flour mill sees the light: enclosed luminaires with curved surfaces stop flour from adhering, shed more light on inspection process. (Field Reports).(lighting systems in General Mills processing plant)
August 1, 2003... SANITATION IS A PRIMARY CONCERN AT ALL General Mills processing facilities. In its 80-year-old flour milling plant in Kansas City, adequate lighting had become an issue in keeping up with the company's high sanitation standards. General Mills...

Metal detector provides 'Fortress' against contaminants: system links data from multiple lines to provide real-time quality and safety records. (Field Reports).
August 1, 2003... NOTHING IS MORE CRITICAL THAN QUALITY TO A DRY powder manufacturer, and no contaminant poses a more formidable challenge to quality than metal. Metal in the form of staples, flakes, and machine shavings can indeed be the bane of the dry...

Squeeze play: advances in filtration technology are making new products possible in food and beverage. (Engineering R&D).(Interview)
August 1, 2003... MICROFILTRATION HAS SERVED THE FOOD INDUSTRY IN a variety of areas for years, but refinements in membrane technology and a better understanding of the impact membranes have on the molecules that pass through are opening up a new world of...