Food Engineering articles from December 2003

Food Engineering archives from December 2003

Take the risk out of research.(Focused on your processing success)(Wenger Manufacturing Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... It's been estimated that up to 46 percent of the average company's product development resources go into "loser products." What's more, only one in seven ideas is good enough to commercialize. So why spend extra time and money taking risks...

Q How can I improve factory output of a mix of frozen products?(Ask the expert)
December 1, 2003... A 20 to 30 percent improvement may be hiding in production inefficiencies. Start by measuring downtime and the relative loading of your equipment components and its variation. Then examine product recycle and waste, as well as the time required...

What makes food manufacturers tick?(Editor's Note)(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... OVER THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE been doing a lot of behind the scenes research into what makes food manufacturers tick. This month's cover story featuring our 24th Annual Salary and Job Satisfaction Survey reveals that most of you are happy in your...

Calendar.(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... JANUARY 2004 6-8 WestPack Exposition & Conference, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA; 310-445-4200; www.westpackshow.com. 19-20 Northwest Food Manufacturing & Packaging Exhibition, Portland, OR; 503-327-2200;...

Plug-and-Pack machinery on the rise.(Manufacturing News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... With testimonials from food industry leaders such as General Mills and equipment manufacturers such as Douglas Machine, equipment featuring OMAC Plug-and-Pack attributes is becoming more common in the food industry. Other machine builders...

MGP Ingredients, Inc.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The reconstruction of the distillery at MGP Ingredients, Inc.'s Atchison, KS, facility is nearly complete. The distillery will primarily produce 30 million gallons of high purity food grade alcohol for beverage and industrial applications....

Kettle Valley Dried Fruit.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(completed construction of a new plant in Omak)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Kettle Valley Dried Fruit completed construction of a new plant in Omak, WA. Employing 15 people, the 30,000-sq. ft. facility will manufacture approximately 42 million natural and organic fruit based nutritional bars.

Sunshine Mills.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(is expanding its pet food plant)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Sunshine Mills is expanding its Halifax, VA, pet food plant. The $2.5 million expansion will create about 40 new jobs.

Graceland Fruit, Inc.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... An additional 30,000 square feet will be added to Graceland Fruit, Inc.'s Frankfort, MI, processing facility. The $13 million project is expected to be complete by September 2004.

The Stellar Group completed construction of a two-story expansion for Bar-S Foods Co., a processor of meat products.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Stellar Group completed construction of a two-story expansion for Bar-S Foods Co., a processor of meat products. The upgraded facility, now 157,500-sq. ft., was designed to further help prevent cross-contamination by creating a separate...

NFPA opposes trans fat label footnote.(Regulatory Watch)(National Food Processors Association)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A leading industry representative has voiced opposition to the government's plan to create a nutrition label footnote on trans fat. In comments filed with FDA, the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) said it does not think a label...

Showdown for soft drinks and milk.(Regulatory Watch)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Rising criticism of the pervasive presence of sugared soft drinks in the Nation's public schools, and concerns about youth nutrition, may provide a political opening for the dairy industry. Dairy state lawmakers have introduced legislation that...

Coca-Cola Enterprises.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Coca-Cola Enterprises named Terrance M. Marks corporate vice president and chief revenue officer-North American Group where he is responsible for package development, innovation and planning. He most recently served as vice president in the...

Pilgrim's Pride Corporation.(Industry & People)(appointed Robert A. Wright)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Robert A. Wright joined Pilgrim's Pride Corporation as executive vice president of the company's turkey division. Wright most recently served as president of Butterball Turkey.

International Association of Food Industry Suppliers.(Industry & People)(named Stephen C. Schlegel, president)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The International Association of Food Industry Suppliers (IAFIS) named Stephen C. Schlegel president. Formerly the vice president and director of corporate development for Hixson Architects/Engineers, Schlegel also recently served as chairman...

Kellogg Company.(Industry & People)(named Alan F. Harris chief of marketing and customer officer)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Kellogg Company named Alan F. Harris to the newly created position of chief marketing and customer officer. Harris will also continue in his role as executive vice president of the company.

Mepaco/Apache.(Industry & People)(appointed Tom Hoffman and Bill Lynn )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Mepaco/Apache named Tom Hoffman vice president of sales & marketing and Bill Lynn director of new business development.

T. Duncan Schleiss, vice president of marketing for Emerson Process Management, received the E.G. Bailey award from the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society (ISA).(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... T. Duncan Schleiss, vice president of marketing for Emerson Process Management, received the E.G. Bailey award from the Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society (ISA). He was honored for his contributions to the process automation...

Land O'Lakes.(Industry & People)(David Hettinga is retired)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... After 20 years of service, David Hettinga, vice president and chief technical officer of Land O'Lakes, retired. He joined the company in 1983 as vice president of dairy foods research and development.

Tasty Baking Company.(Industry & People)(appointed Autumn Bayles and James W. Haile Jr.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Autumn Bayles joined Tasty Baking Company as chief information officer. She previously worked as a principal consultant with IBM Business Services. The company also named James W. Haile Jr. director of purchasing.

Charles Ross and Son Company.(Industry & People)(expanded its test and development center)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Located in Hauppauge, NY, Charles Ross and Son Company expanded its test and development center to 7,000 sq.ft. The facility includes mixing, blending, drying and dispersion equipment.

A subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc, ACH Food Companies Inc. purchased the private label retail bottled oil business of Bunge Foods Corp.'s edible oil division.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc, ACH Food Companies Inc. purchased the private label retail bottled oil business of Bunge Foods Corp.'s edible oil division. The purchase includes the manufacturing assets related to the bottled oil...

Innovation, functionality saluted with packaging awards: Hershey Foods and Smithfield Packing Co. were among the honorees in packaging award competitions held in conjunction with the recent PACK EXPO Las Vegas show.(Food Packaging)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Smithfield pioneered the used of Cryovac's Simple Steps heat-and-serve package, which was honored by the Institute of Packaging Professionals with a 2003 AmeriStar award for technology in the food category. The same vacuum-skin packaging is...

It's no oxymoron: quality wines in a box.(Food Packaging)
December 1, 2003... Bag-in-box packaging for wine has been the butt of countless bad jokes, though consumers in Europe and especially Australia have embraced this alternative to the glass bottle for a wide variety of wines. Now companies like Black Box Wines and...

Food and beverage buoys packaging machine sales.(Food Packaging)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Record purchases of new packaging machinery by food and beverage processors in 2002 rescued U.S. equipment suppliers from a second consecutive annual decline in shipments and enabled them to keep pace with 2001's $4.8 billion sales pace. ...

Vertical heat exchanger.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... The Terlotherm vertical scraped surface heat exchanger offers a small footprint, uses one seal and has a hinged top cover for inspection and cleaning without disturbing the seal. Its one-piece scraper blades can be replaced without tools and...

Fluidization for conveyors.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... The C-Series vacuum conveyors from PIAB Vacuum Conveyors offer fluidization, a process that allows compressed air to pass through a porous material creating a cushion or film to reduce the friction between material and base. The air is then...

Sanitary heat exchangers.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Alfa Laval's FrontLine series of plate heat exchangers is suitable for dairy pasteurization, yogurt cooling, treatment of heat-sensitive products and UHT heat treatment. In addition to FrontLine, the company's new line of heat exchangers...

Conveyor roller.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Designed with labyrinth seals, Interroll Corp.'s 1700 series conveyor rollers eject water in areas where washdown is a consideration. The rollers are available in a variety of tube choices including stainless steel and PVC and in a variety of...

Modular conveyors.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Available in low and medium-profile models, Bunting's modular PowerTrac aluminum frame conveyors feature V-guide belt tracks that eliminate belt drift and keep belts centered even when heavily side loaded or unevenly stretched, according to the...

Flexible chain conveyor.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Bosch Rexroth's VarioFlow chain conveyor can be used to link assembly operations with functions such as parts feeding and packaging. It is available in two widths, 65 mm and 90 mm with chains of 62 mm and 87 mm. The unit offers transport speeds...

Backlit conveyors.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Dorner Manufacturing's 2200 and 3200 series conveyors feature an internal lighting system that shines light through the conveyor's translucent belt for applications where extra light is needed. The 2200 series conveyors offer 80 lb. load...

Flexible screw conveyor.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Spiroflow's flexible screw conveyor has locking swivel wheels for stability and is easy to maneuver in tight locations, according to the manufacturer. Able to accommodate rates up to 100,000 cubic feet per hour, the conveyor is available with a...

Food pumping system.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... The food pumping systems from Key Technology can be used in conjunction with hydro-knife systems to blanch, hydro-cool and cut potatoes and peppers. Using a cushion of water to protect and support product, the system conveys both small and...

Dump, tube and plate valves.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Engineered to offer conveying solutions, Clyde Materials Handling's dump, tube and plate valves can be used to divert the material flow from a single source to multiple destinations. Dump valves are useful for applications where selective...

Beverage pumphead.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Watson-Marlow Bredel's 313 pump-head features secure clamps that allow more clearance during loading and prevent tampering. It has no valves, is self-priming and can run dry without incurring damage. Loading involves three steps: sliding open...

Direct load tray packer.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... The direct load tray packer from Douglas transfers glass jars, PET bottles, and cans from the infeed to the metering section without the use of metal pins. Pinless metering provides a rapid transfer and a quieter plant environment, according to...

Robot feeder.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Using a two-robot cell, up to 360 products per minute can be placed with SIG Doboy's Paloma feeder. The unit's typical application is grouping products into layers before packing. The advanced tracking system allows for precise placement and an...

Conveyor with metal detector.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Eriez's VMC electromagnetic conveyor includes a VC Metalarm Detector in a three-foot section of the conveyor's trough. When metal is detected, the conveyor can be stopped or a reject gate activated. The detector uses pulse induction electronics...

Wave control measurement.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... KSR Kuebler's Wave Control 234 uses ultrasonic band pressure waves to measure levels of solids and liquids within tanks. It resists distortion and energy absorption from foam, dust, wind and various types of condensation. Available in two,...

Stainless steel chain hoists.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Built from 304 and 316 series stainless steel, David Round's chain hoists offer standard capacities up to two metric tons and are engineered for applications in washdown, environmentally controlled and corrosive processing environments....

Conveyor chains.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Designed for warehouse use, SKF Motion Technologies' IWIS high-performance power and free conveyor chains feature light-running transport rollers for a high reduction of drive power, offset roller arrangements for enhanced support, and a small...

Continuous level system.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... The ultra-wave from Kistler-Morse monitors vessels of different shapes and heights with up to 16 transducers of various frequencies. When combined with the ultra-cell, the system can measure the level of many different materials like powders,...

Attachable cleats and V-guides.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Flexco's Tatch A-Cleat family of attachable conveyor belt products includes cleats, lugs, pegs and V-guides. The items allow users to increase the efficiency of inclined belts; create steeper elevation angles to shorten conveyors and increase...

Digital gauge.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Ashcroft's industrial digital gauge combines indication, transmission and switching capability into one package. With its 4-20mA output and a switching option of one or two single pole double-throw (SPDT) switches, the gauge features a 0.25...

Shatterproof fluorescent lamps.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... The Shat-R-Shield T5 and T5 high output (HO) lamps use a clear Shat-R-Kote plastic coating that will not yellow, crack or flake and does not shorten the life of the lamp. The coating reduces the lamps' lumen output by less than one percent. The...

Fresh product hydrochillers.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Waterfall Hydrochillers from Garroutte are designed for use when processing fresh cut products prior to packaging or cold storage. The machines allow products to be cooled quickly to temperatures that slow the ripening process and extend shelf...

Portable discharge system.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Charles Ross & Son's portable follower plate discharge systems can be used to push non-flowable, viscous materials from a mix can upon completion of the mix cycle. The discharge system and the mix cans are mounted on caster wheels for use with...

Pressure or vacuum food hose.(Technology sourcebook: focus on heat exchange & conveying equipment)
December 1, 2003... Designed for pressure or vacuum situations, AdvantaPure's EPDM food hose contains an odorless and tasteless rubber core that resists bacteria build-up and complies with FDA standards. With its six-layer construction, the hose is engineered to...

24th annual salary & job satisfaction survey: while job insecurity and modest pay hikes characterized most of America's labor market in the last year, food industry professionals report respectable salary boosts and rising levels of job security.(Cover Story)
December 1, 2003... America was a tough town to work in over the last 12 months, with the third quarter's job-growth rally making only a minor dent in the 2.7 million lost jobs since 2001. But skilled workers in the food industry remain in demand, according to...

Tighter specs for mother nature: outputting consistent products is much easier when the basic components are consistent, and the food industry is making headway in reducing raw-material variability.
December 1, 2003... Whether a plant produces chicken nuggets or tater tots, the materials coming in the front end have a direct impact on the finished goods going out the back. Operators and engineers can recalibrate and fine-tune equipment throughout the...

HACCP integration and automation: organized improvement is the objective behind HACCP. How painlessly that is accomplished depends on the degree of automation.(Tech Update; hazard analysis critical control points)
December 1, 2003... REASONABLE DEBATE OVER THE VALUE OF HACCP (hazard analysis critical control points) planning by food and beverage processors ended in the last century. Whether by government edict or customer insistence, most food manufacturers are being...

Sanitizing system solves dish dilemma: Cypress Grove Chevre eliminates drudgery in the wash cycle.(Field Reports)
December 1, 2003... IF AWARDS MEAN ANYTHING, CYPRESS GROVE CHEVRE MAY be the premier processor of goat cheeses in America. Ensconced in the foggy Redwood forests of Humboldt County in northern California, this specialty cheese maker could fill vats with its...

Web watch.
December 1, 2003... Admix, Inc. 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 to handle all your...

Kiss principle applied: when designing an end-of-line palletizing unit, an upstate New York machine shop melded old-tech mechanics with state-of-the-art technology.(Engineering: R&D)(Richard Schneider spoke about company projects)(Interview)
December 1, 2003... THE AGE OF SERVO DRIVES AND ROBOTTCS IS UPON FOOD plants' packaging departments. High-tech solutions to automation challenges abound, and the service technician is more apt to have a degree in computer engineering than mechanical engineering....