Food Engineering articles from June 2002

Food Engineering archives from June 2002

Mix proof valves.
June 1, 2002... Sudmo offers the most widely used leak-free PMO Mix Proof Valves in the food and dairy industries. They provide for secure separation of incompatible fluids in a wide variety of applications. Plants that utilize mix proof technology estimate an...

Single seat & aseptic valves.
June 1, 2002... Available in a variety of types, Sudmo Single Seat Valves feature advanced, hygienic valve technology for a variety of sanitary and aseptic applications. Easy to maintain, Sudmo single seat valves contain a maintenance-free actuator which holds...

Long stroke valves.
June 1, 2002... Sudmo Long Stroke Valves are specially designed for high viscosity media and fluids with high solid content or poor flow characteristics. The new valves are available in a variety of body styles including shut-off, changeover, tank outlet and...

Regulating valve.
June 1, 2002... The Sudmo Regulating Valve has an electromagnetic positioner for applications that require accurate control of temperature, pressure and flow. Its features include a sensing system for continuously measuring the actual value of the valve stroke...

Flow diversion device.
June 1, 2002... For milk HTST pasteurization systems, the rugged Sudmo Flow Diversion Device assures that product reaches legal pasteurization temperature before allowing forward flow. Common applications include HTST flow diversion and use as a divert, or...

COO insights.
June 1, 2002... As the old adage goes, "The only constant in life is change itself." And when you are a supplier to an industry that changes like the food business, you'd better be prepared to adjust. Every year, at our annual Marlen Advisory Council...

Marlen Research Corporation. (News: Advertisement).
June 1, 2002... Marlen Research Corporation of Overland Park, Kansas, proudly announces its merger with Reno Technology of Hutchinson, Kansas. The combined companies, now operating under the Marlen name, will now offer more complete processing systems to the...

The tradition of food plant excellence continues. (Editor's Note).
June 1, 2002... THIS ISSUE OF FOOD ENGINEERING MARKS A milestone in our history. It has been 20 years since we named the first New Food Plant of the Year. Back in March of 1983, Campbell Soup's Maxton, North Carolina, plant got the top prize. At the time, it...

Letters to the editor.
June 1, 2002... The following letters were received in response to last month's Editor's Note entitled "Russell Crowe is too heavy? Alert the media!" Ignoring or making light of the problem of obesity in the US and how it is getting worse, especially...

Calendar.
June 1, 2002... June 2002 15-19 Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting & Food Expo, Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA (312) 782-8424 www.am-fe.ift.org. 23-28 WorldPak 2002, Michigan State University campus, East Lansing, MI, Michigan...

American Italian Pasta Company. (Plant Openings & Expansions).
June 1, 2002... American Italian Pasta Company is building $45 million facility in Tolleson, Arizona, on a site previously owned by Borden Foods. While the existing facility will be used as a warehouse, an aggressive schedule for the construction of the new...

Ice Mountain. (Plant Openings & Expansions).
June 1, 2002... Ice Mountain began bottling spring water April 23 in its Mecosta, Michigan plant. The facility started up with 74 employees and plans to expand to at least 100 people by the end of 2002. A subsidiary of The Perrier Group of America, Ice...

Swiss-American, Inc. (Plant Openings & Expansions).
June 1, 2002... Swiss-American, Inc., packers, importers and distributors of cheese and specialty foods, has begun construction on a new 44,000+ sq. ft. distribution, production and office facility located across from its headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri....

Rohm and Haas Company. (Plant Openings & Expansions).
June 1, 2002... Rohm and Haas Company is building a $20 million facility in Mumbai, India,to produce polyurethane and polyester-based adhesives, adhesive formulations for flexible packaging and applications and acrylic emulsions for pressure-sensitive...

Alloy Polymers Inc. (Plant Openings & Expansions).
June 1, 2002... Alloy Polymers Inc. recently opened a new manufacturing facility at the company's headquarters in Richmond, VA. This 15-million pound-capacity compounding facility produces engineering thermoplastics and high-value added polyethylene and...

CDC reports decline in food-borne illnesses. (Manufacturing News).
June 1, 2002... THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC) SAYS there has been a sustained decline in the incidence of infection caused by several foodborne pathogens including Yersinia, Listeria, Campylobacter, and Salmonella in the past six years....

`Patients Bill of Rights' legislation questioned. (Manufacturing News).
June 1, 2002... The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) hopes to enlist plant employees to as well as employers in its efforts to defeat proposed "Patients Bill of Rights" legislation sponsored by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA). The industry trade group...

Avure Technologies Incorporated. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... Avure Technologies Incorporated, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Flow International Corporation, recently received the IFT Industrial Achievement Award for developing and commercializing high pressure processing (HPP).The company's HPP...

Cargill Incorporated. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... Minneapolis-based Cargill Incorporated acquired Cerestar which represents a 56 percent shareholding of the Montedison group of Italy, global manufacturer of starches, sweeteners and derivatives. Cargill will now file a public tender offer for...

Dale Seiberling received the 2002 International Association of Food Industry Suppliers (IAFIS) Distinguished Service Award. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... Dale Seiberling received the 2002 International Association of Food Industry Suppliers OARS) Distinguished Service Award. In a career that has spanned more than 50 years, Seiberling's innovations have won him four patents for a separator disc...

Tyson Foods, Inc. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... Tyson Foods, Inc. is purchasing a bacon-processing facility in Omaha, Nebraska. The facility employs approximately 600 people primarily involved in co-packing smoked bacon for private brands for retail and foodservice. Co-packing will continue...

AdvantaPure. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... AdvantaPure, manufacturer of tubing, hose, fittings and assemblies for sanitary fluid flow has appointed Den Malizia as general manager.

The Stellar Group. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... The Stellar Group promoted Dave Touring to director of design for the company's distribution division and Humberto Lopez to director of project development in the process division. Touring is responsible for the design phase of project...

Dean Foods Company. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... Howard M. Dean of Dean Foods Company retired April 12 as director and as chairman of the board of directors. Mr. Dean worked with the firm for 37 years serving as president from 1970 to 1988 and as chairman and CEO from 1988 through 2001.

Snapple Beverage Group Brands. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... Tom Brown has been appointed director of consumer insights for all Snapple Beverage Group Brands.

Tetra Pak. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... The new U.S. foodservice director for Tetra Pak is Christopher M. Fabbri. He will work with customers to adapt and expand product lines. Fabbri joined Tetra Pak after seven years at Kraft Foods.

Arca Xytec. (Industry & People).
June 1, 2002... Dave Sorter is the new vice president of sales and marketing at Area Xytec.

FSIS adopts new Listeria screening method. (Manufacturing News).
June 1, 2002... THE U.S. FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE (FSIS) is adopting the BAX[R] system to screen meat and poultry samples for Listeria monocytogenes. The system reduces the reporting time for a negative Listeria monocytogenes test by one day and...

Fortified food, convenience food sales climb. (Manufacturing News).
June 1, 2002... FOOD AND BEVERAGES THAT ARE DISTINCTLY MARKETED as fortified with nutrients have tripled in sales from 1997 to 2001, according to research firm Packaged Facts. Mergers and acquisitions as well as rapid product development have combined to make...

Faster fill speeds help justify packaging change. (Food Packaging).
June 1, 2002... HIGH-END PRODUCTS DEMAND PREMIUM packaging, and the conventional valve bag with a vertical seam down the middle of its back just wasn't cutting it for Green Mountain Coffee Inc. So in April the Waterbury, Vt.-based roaster began converting more...

Packaging equipment outlays remain flat in 2002. (Food Packaging).
June 1, 2002... PLANT CAPITAL PROJECTS OF ALL TYPES HAVE been on hold for almost a year, and packaging equipment outlays are no exception. Packaging spending is projected to increase 0.5 percent at food plants this year and remain flat for beverage products,...

With ultra-thin deli select, package is part of the product. (Food Packaging).
June 1, 2002... A PACKAGE THAT'S ALSO A PREMIUM is being used by Sara Lee Corp. to introduce a new line of Hillshire Farm brand luncheon meats designed to compete with fast-growing supermarket deli sales. Packaged luncheon meats are the odd-man-out as...

Reclosable bags crack the snack-food segment. (Food Packaging).
June 1, 2002... HERR FOODS IS STOCKING STORE SHELVES WITH 22-OZ. BAGS OF PRETZELS WITH Easy Snap closures, the first application of a reclosable bag for salty snacks. The Nottingham, Pa., snack maker is the second food processor to employ the closure, an...

Get a grip on half-gallon juice bottles. (Food Packaging).
June 1, 2002... THE CIRCLE IS SOMETIMES TOUTED AS THE PERFECT shape, but not when it comes to large beverage bottles. Round shapes are space hogs, and they're difficult for small hands to grip. That's why Ocean Spray is replacing round half-gallon PET bottles...

Channels open up to single-serve PET bottles. (Food Packaging).
June 1, 2002... As CANADA'S LEADING SINGLE-SERVE FRUIT JUICE COMPANY, Toronto-based Alfresh Beverages could have rested on its laurels. Instead, the company decided to preempt the competition and switch to PET bottles with oxygen scavengers to satisfy...

Preventive maintenance is good business. (Food Safety).
June 1, 2002... BUILDING FOOD SAFETY INTO YOUR operations will provide paybacks to your company. Some food safety professional seem to forget that we are in the food business. Besides producing foods that are safe and wholesome, we need to work together to...

Distribution lists to be shared during recalls. (Regulatory Watch).
June 1, 2002... USDA's FOOD SAFETY and Inspection Service (FSIS) has published its final rule allowing FSIS to share a firm's distribution list with state and federal agencies whenever its meat products are recalled. The rule will take effect July 31, 2002....

No ban on livestock ownership for meat packers. (Regulatory Watch).
June 1, 2002... THE FINAL VERSION OF THE 2002 FARM BILL THAT EMERGED FROM A CONTENTIOUS House-Senate Conference Committee did not contain language banning meat packers from owning cattle and hogs as industry leaders feared. The Senate-sponsored ban was...

OSHA repetitive motion injury guidelines change course. (Regulatory Watch).
June 1, 2002... OSHA has introduced a new plan designed to reduce workplace injuries caused by repetitive motion with new regulations calling for a combination of employer guidelines, workplace education and ergonomic inspection teams. The federal agency has...

New breed of dairy processor is a `virtual' success': supply-driven supply chain solution helps vertically integrated processor meet customer demand. (Field Reports).
June 1, 2002... HORIZON ORGANIC PRODUCES AND MARKETS a leading brand of certified organic milk and a full line of refrigerated, certified organic dairy products. The company also produces certified organic eggs and juices. Horizon Organic brands enjoy a 70...

Batch system a match for mix maker: software allows operators to move quickly from one batch to the next, enhancing productivity and product consistency. (Field Reports).
June 1, 2002... WASHINGTON QUALITY FOODS' line of muffin, waffle, cake and other dry mixes is one of the leading retail brands in the eastern U.S. The company also supplies custom cake, breading and flavoring mixes and marinades to food processors in the...

New Plant of the Year: Future Beef operations: revolutionary from inception to ingestion: with several distinct value-added businesses operating under one roof and a state of the art carcass dehairing process that takes food safety to a new level, Future Beef redefines supply chain integration. (Cover Story).
June 1, 2002... If any segment of the food industry is in need of a new business model, it's beef. Despite efforts to break out of the commodity mold, beef processors continue to operate on paper-thin margins. Beef also is a business that is under the gun...

Protective Industrial Flooring, Inc. (New Plant of the Year: supplier profile: Advertising Supplement).
June 1, 2002... Protective Industrial Flooring has been a leader in the sales and installation of industrial flooring for over 20 years. We are committed to offering the highest quality products, which include, odorless epoxy systems, decorative flooring...

Carruthers. (New Plant of the Year: supplier profile: Advertising Supplement).
June 1, 2002... Carruthers is an industry leader in Size reduction and Filling equipment for the food processing industry. Our machines can be found in many of the top food processors around the world. We continue to carry our innovative design philosophy and...

Site selection requires a delicate balance; in a process that could take anywhere from three months to three years to complete depending on your need for speed or your preparedness for the project, organization is everything.
June 1, 2002... There are two sides to every question, the saying goes. In the site selection process, deciding to build a new plant, revamp an existing facility or embark on an expansion may make you wonder if there aren't eight sides to every question. With...

Clean-in-place continues to evolve; as demand for hygienic design increases, CIP systems are redefining the meaning of clean. (Technology Update).
June 1, 2002... Unlike old soldiers, food processing equipment neither dies nor fades away. The same is true of clean-in-place (CIP) systems and components, many of which continue to serve plant sanitation needs a half-century after being placed into service....

Innovative CIP by Sani-Matic: Ultra Flow as a return, portable or central system. (Product of the month: Advertisement).
June 1, 2002... Sani-Matic's new Ultra Flow CIP System is an innovative hybrid CIP. The Ultra Flow operates efficiently with the minimum amount of water and chemical needed to flood the supply piping. The Ultra Flow CIP can be provided as a conventional...

Identify requirements before purchasing or modifying ERP; knowing your requirements will bring greater financial returns. (Managing Software).
June 1, 2002... MOST SOFTWARE VENDORS AND analysts consider the food industry to be part of the process industry that also includes chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and others that are not involved in manufacturing durable goods. According to John Moore, vice...

Ask the expert.
June 1, 2002... Q How can I optimize liquid nitrogen consumption of my cryogenic tunnel freezing system? A Optimizing freezer operation typically involves three variables--retention time, belt-loading, and production rate. Retention time must be adequate...

Mass flow controller. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Sierra Instruments offers a new Mass-Trak II with stainless steel flow body and a cleanable sensor for controlling corrosive and toxic gasses. The instrument's on-board display and local setpoint potentiometer allows for adjustment of the...

Ultrasonic flow meter. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... The Time Delta M is Fuji Electric's newest addition to its line of high performance transit-time ultrasonic flow meters. Standard features include: menu-driven programming via built-in keypad as well as 4-20mA pulse frequency totalizer and...

Drop-in replacement. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Hastings Instruments' TFC-202 flow product can be used as a drop-in replacement for other instruments. The standard HFC-202 flow controller has been repackaged so that the base mounting holes, length and width dimensions match that of the Tylan...

Case erector. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Lantech's new C1500 Case Erector is designed to minimize machine jams in defective or irregular situations; the mechanical process of opening the case and folding the flaps; or even the process of transporting the case out of the machine....

Heat flow meters. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... CSC Scientific Company, Inc. introduced two Heat Flow Meters, the HFM 215 and HFM 201, to determine heat flow in such areas as industrial furnaces and manufacturing plants. The HFM-215 Multiple Point Heat Flow Meter can process data from up to...

Solids/liquids separation system. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Franklin Miller, Inc.'s SPIRALIFT Model SR can be used for receiving, screening and separating solids from liquids. It incorporates a fine screening shaftless screw system, spray wash, optional press zone and integrated controls. The SPIRALIFT...

Continuous steam sterilizing system. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Ventilex USA's new Continuous Steam Sterilizing System can be used for the high-temperature/short time (HTST) decontamination of spices, herbs and seeds as well as a wide range of organic products such as rice, bran and other grains. ...

Feed elevators. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... CAP-L Company Inc. offers Cap-L Elevators for food packaging applications. Standard features include a polished stainless steel inclined elevator bed and chute with polycarbonate covers, compact 9-cu. ft. stainless steel bin, FDA-approved...

Weight indicator. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Kistler-Morse releases its new DeviceNet interface for the SVS 2000, KM's weight indicator for load cells for in-process weighing and batch applications. An open industrial network for sensors and devices, DeviceNet provides two-way digital...

Software suite. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Decision Management International Inc. introduced Regulus 3.0 software suite designed for FDA-regulated manufacturers. Regulus 3.0 includes applications for electronic recipe authoring, recipe and materials management, electronic document...

Bus system encoder. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Baumer Electric introduced the ProCoder, a multi-turn absolute optical rotary encoder that employs a modular bus cover technology to achieve integration into a variety of bus systems such as SSI, CANopen, DeviceNet and Profibus. Designed with a...

Flow transmitter. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Magnetrol International has a new TA2 Thermal Dispersion Mass Flow Transmitter for air and gas flow applications. Using compact integral explosion proof electronics, the instrument measures mass flow, temperature and totalized flow. Its...

Mass flow meter/controller. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Emerson Process Management introduced the Brooks Instrument QUANTIM Model 500g Coriolis mass flow meter/controller with a smaller more sensitive sensor capable of measuring and controlling mass flow 5 gr/hr to 3000 gr/hr. Users can directly...

Exhaust fans. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Munters Corporation HumiCool Division offers an exhaust fan for applications requiring high airflow capacity. Suitable for agricultural exhaust applications in poultry, swine and cattle houses, the fan's test chamber has been built according to...

Roller cam follower. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... RBC Bearings has a new RBC Roller Cam Follower brochure titled, "The Superior Alternative." This 8-page brochure explains the advantages of the RBC Roller cylindrical roller cam follower over the needle roller cam follower. RBC Bearings;...

Sanitary valves. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Tyco Valves and Controls has a new line of valves designed for sanitary applications in the dairy, brewing, beverage and food industries. The line incorporates Hovap Mix-Proof Valves featuring a balanced piston design, Keystone Sanitary...

Vacuum conveyors. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... PIAB Material Handling introduced its new C33 family of conveying systems to handle dairy and food grain products. USDA-approved, these conveyors also conform to the 3-A Sanitary Standards for pneumatic conveyors for dry milk and dry milk...

Batch controller. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Hoffler Flow Controls introduced the Nova-Flow Batch Controller, one in a series of new "plug-n-flow" computers. The Nova-Flow Batch Controller is suited for flow applications where precise measurement and control of batch quantities is...

Flow meter. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Micro Motion, a division of Emerson Process Management, has a new meter that is both 3A-authorized and EHEDG-certified. The Micro Motion R-Series flow meter for hygienic applications is designed to reduce process variability and cost over the...

Open tank mixers. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Chemineer, Inc. has new DT top-entering, open tank mixers in modular designs. DT open tank mixers are fitted with industry-standard NEMA motors and are available in TEFC, explosion-proof or wash-down enclosures. Additional product features...

Flow and depth control. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... GLI International, Inc.'s new Model U53 uses sensor technology to provide highly accurate open channel flow and depth measurements. It uses a simple menu-driven structure to help guide the user through operation sequences providing reliable and...

Dual-level sensors. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Hyde Park Electronics, Inc. offers the new SUPERPROX Model SM902A-8 Series of long-range, ultrasonic, dual-level sensors. The short 203 mm (8.0-inch) deadband eliminates the need to mount the sensor at great distances from the object being...

Materials testing system. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Rheometric Scientific introduced the ASTRA rheometer, an advanced system for materials testing. ASTRA incorporates several new design and control features including, a new, patented normal force sensor, enhanced software featuring a visual...

Roll-fed labeller. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... B&H Labelling Systems introduced the enhanced BH8000 roll-fed labeller to boost productivity, increase safety and improve labelling accuracy at speeds of over 800 cpm. A new computerized registration system automatically maintains optimum...

Bulk measuring. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Key Technology, Inc. offers a new CentriFlow Mass Flow Meter that can continuously measure bulk product to within 0.25 percent and report the process data to the plant's control system. According to Key Technology, the accuracy is not affected...

Channel screen. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Parkson Corporation's Monoscreen Escalating Channel Screen has a capture rate 30 to 50 percent greater than a traditional stepping screen design. Key benefits include: fewer moving parts, no submerged bearings or sprockets, higher downstream...

Remote actuation and control system. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Burkert Fluid Control Systems' AirLine Type 8644 Modular Process Control System combines pneumatic valve actuation, a choice of WAGO or Phoenix Contact I/O modules and fieldbus communication in a single "rail-mount" assembly. Its prewired and...

Automation platform. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... The Foxboro Company, a unit of Invensys Process Systems, offers a free brochure describing Foxboro's I/A Series System as a complete scalable automation platform that is continuously updated easily. The full-color brochure emphasizes how the...

Conveyor system. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Designed for USDA/FDA application, SNAP LOCK Modular Conveyor Systems allow plants to reconfigure their conveyor lines quickly and easily. Features of the systems include: food-grade UHMW components that can snap into place without the aid of...

Electromagnetic flow meter. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Endress+Hauser's Promag 50/53H electromagnetic flow meter is designed to meet the sanitary requirements of the food and beverage industry. It features a crevice-free connection, stainless steel sensor construction and straight through flow tube...

Specialty separations equipment. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... A new specialty separations equipment product line from Osmonics, Inc. is geared to bring the economic advantages of fluid recycling to small-scale industrial plants. Products in the specialty separations equipment line are designed to minimize...

Load cell sets. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... KM's (Kistler-Morse) introduced its next generation load cell, the LD360s, for in-process and bulk storage sanitary tanks and vessels. The LD360s offers cleanability and accuracy as well as ease of installation. It can be installed in 15...

Three-sided seal pouch package. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... The Winpakage three-sided seal pouch package from Winpak is designed for condiments. It uses 10 percent less film than the standard four-sided seal pouch. According to Winpak, the smaller size offers both energy savings and source and waste...

Weigh/bagging system. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... The GS-3100 weigh/bagging system from Gainco is designed for a wide range of product applications including 4/10 leg-quarter bagging. New features include each user's specific wicketed bag requirements including adjusting weight set-points and...

Jet printer. (Focus on Flowmeters).
June 1, 2002... Domino Amjet's new printer incorporates IP66 protection and is designed to work in tough environments. The Domino A300 SE's sealed design performs in environments with a high level of dust, vapor or sugar such as soft drinks and food...