Food Engineering articles from September 2004

Food Engineering archives from September 2004

Powerful new search engine delivers industry information.(BNP Media LINX)(Food Engineering)(Editorial)
September 1, 2004... PRACTICAL BUSINESS INFORMATION IS A precious commodity--concise and current information is even more invaluable. The issues of Food Engineering that you receive each month are a testament to that. They are a resource that you turn to for the...

Calendar.(Calendar)
September 1, 2004... SEPTEMBER 2004 21-22 Food Safety/Sanitation Workshop, Manhattan, KS; American Institute of Baking; 800-633-5137 or 785-537-47.50; www.aibonline.org. 22-23 Plant Engineering & Facilities Maintenance Show, Santa Clara, CA; 800-548-1407....

Ultima Foods, Inc.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Ultima Foods, Inc. is investing $6 million in the first phase of an expansion that will increase annual production from 65,000 to 75,000 tons in its Yoplait yogurt plant in Granby, Quebec, Canada. The expansion, which will add 30 jobs, will...

Hormel Foods, Rochelle Foods.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A subsidiary of Hormel Foods, Rochelle Foods is using a $1.2 million grant from the state of Illinois to expand its plant in Rochelle, IL. The 18,700-sq.-ft. expansion, slated to open in early 2005, will produce pre-cooked and raw bacon and...

Peco Foods.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... An $18-million expansion project is underway at Peco Foods' Sebastopol, MS-based poultry processing plant. Roughly 65,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space will be added to improve and expand the plant's evisceration and de-boning operations....

Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. is planning a multi-million dollar project involving mechanical changes that will boost production capacity to more than 15,000 hogs per day and increase processing volume at its Storm Lake, 1A pork plant.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.(Plant Openings & Expansions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... A $17-million loan will be used to finance the construction of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters' new Waterbury, VT-based distribution facility. It will also cover the purchase and installation of related machinery.

Tell me something good.(Manufacturing News)(importance of employee recognition)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Measuring productivity--how effectively inputs (materials, labor, capital and energy) are turned into outputs (food products)--provides a good indication of the economic efficiency of the food manufacturing industry, according to a report from...

Report puts GMOs under more scrutiny.(Regulatory Watch)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... In a report requested by several federal agencies, the National Academy of Science warns that genetically modified food carries the risk of unintended changes in the allergens, toxins and nutrients in the food which could pose human health...

National centers to protect food supply.(Regulatory Watch)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Department of Homeland Security is establishing the National Center for Food Protection and Defense. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says four centers will be set up nationwide to prevent and respond to food-borne attacks in the US....

General Mills.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... General Mills elected Ken Powell as vice president. He will be responsible for General Mills' Meals, Pillsbury USA, Baking Products and the Bakeries & Foodservice divisions. Prior to this promotion, Powell was the chief executive officer of...

B&H Labeling Systems.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Roman Eckols is the new president and CEO of B&H Labeling Systems, Ceres, CA. Before joining B&H, he was president of Cherry Burrell Corp.'s process equipment manufacturing and engineering business in Louisville, KY.

The Auburn, ME-based Pepsi bottling operation of Seltzer and Rydholm, Inc. will be sold to the Pepsi Bottling Group this fall.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Auburn, ME-based Pepsi bottling operation of Seltzer and Rydholm, Inc. will be sold to the Pepsi Bottling Group this fall. The business includes a production, distribution and sales facility in Auburn and distribution centers in Portland...

The Dannon Co., Inc.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Juan Carlos Dalto was named president and chief executive officer of The Dannon Co., Inc. He succeeds Thomas Kunz who was promoted to executive vice president of the Groupe Danone Water and Beverage division.

The Sara Lee Bakery Group.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Sara Lee Bakery Group is ending production of nonbranded fresh bread in the Dallas, Houston and San Antonio areas and will instead concentrate on producing Sara Lee, Earth Grains, IronKids, Rainbo, Grant's Farm and other branded fresh...

The Coca-Cola Co.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Succeeding Douglas Daft, E. Neville Isdell assumed the position of chairman and chief executive officer of The Coca-Cola Co. The company promoted Chuck Fruit to the position of chief marketing officer.

POSS Design Limited.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Ronald Brewer joined POSS Design Limited as the director of global sales and marketing. Brewer was previously vice president of sales for Wilden Pump & Engineering LLC. At the same time, POSS Design has named PRIME Equipment Group, Inc. of...

The HJ. Heinz Co. named Kenneth Keller chairman and chief executive officer of Heinz Italy and president of Heinz Southern Europe.(Industry & People)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The HJ. Heinz Co. named Kenneth Keller chairman and chief executive officer of Heinz Italy and president of Heinz Southern Europe. The company also appointed Fernando Pocaterra as chief operating officer of Heinz Italy.

Stick-to-it-iveness defined: Hormel's conversion to retortable cartons is the culmination of a 12-year quest by Tetra Pak.(Food Packaging)(Hormel Foods)
September 1, 2004... FOR PACKAGING DEVELOPERS AT TETRA PAK INC., THE TWO-YEAR, lag between regulatory clearance for its retortable carton and the rollout of Hormel Foods' first-U.S, commercial application was the easy part. After all, they already had a decade of...

A mitsubishi from DuPont.(Food Packaging)(DuPont Awards for innovative plastic packaging)
September 1, 2004... THE DUPONT AWARDS COMPETITION FOR INNOVATIVE PLASTIC packaging set a precedent two years ago when two entries were deemed worthy of the top award. Judges in the competition's recent 17th edition went one better, bestowing Diamond Awards on...

Avoiding courtroom drama: understanding the ins and outs of lawsuits is imperative to safeguarding your business.(Food Safety)
September 1, 2004... HOW CAN YOU TELL WHEN A LAWYER is lying? Other lawyers look interested. But, seriously, all of us should be interested in what lawyers have to say, when it comes to food safety-related lawsuits. At a meeting of the Institute of Food...

Hydraulic container dumper.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... The Lift & Seal hydraulic container dumper from Material Transfer & Storage accepts containers and rotates 150[degrees], discharging the contents into a custom surge hopper. The surge hopper includes a bolted top cover with an inlet valve and...

Flow enhancer.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... The Flow-Enhancer from Pelletron is designed to increase the capacity and efficiency of pneumatic transfer systems without changing conveying line size. System benefits include decreased particle attrition due to reduced conveying velocities,...

High-level palletizer.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... The HL 7000 high-level palletizer from Columbia Machine is suitable for plants that require medium- to high-speed handling of odd-shaped or delicate products. The soft-turning, in-line conveyor configuration manipulates a range of case sizes...

Bottle pick-up heads.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Anver's bottle pick-up heads feature air powered internal bladders that pick up bottles from the top of the neck and attach and release in milliseconds. Made from rubber and urethane compounds, the grabs require 15 psi compressed air and...

Stainless chain hoists.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... SSC series stainless steel chain hoists from David Round are built entirely from 304 and 316 series stainless steel. The hoists are available in capacities up to two metric tons and are suitable for lifting applications in washdown,...

Flexible screw conveyor.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Designed to convey at inclines up to 60[degrees], the Spiroflow 834 flexible screw conveyor offers a maximum output of more than 44 tons per hour, 100% full capacity throughput, continuous mixing of product and variable speed drives for...

Bag loaders and unloaders.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... AEC's bulk bag loaders and unloaders are available for manual operation or as fully automated units incorporating electric hoists, bag massagers and flow control valves. The bulk bag loader features a self-contained 2 HP electric-over-hydraulic...

Conveyor belt fasteners.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... The non-metallic Alligator Spiral Lace Fastener System from Flexco provides a low-profile alternative to vulcanized splicing of thin, light-duty conveyor belts and provides FDA-approved materials for use in food production. The product features...

Sortation tilt-trays.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... FKI Logistex Crisplant's S-3000 series of high-speed sortation solutions includes the S-3000E and the S-3000M tilt-trays. The S-3000E tilt tray is a high-speed sorter with standard weights up to 50 kg and maximum lengths up to 2m for two-tray...

Conveyor chain lubricant.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Oxy Glide, a highly concentrated conveyor chain lubricant is safe on PET plastic bottles, says the manufacturer, Chemetall Oakite. A blend of non-ionic surfactants, lubricant additives and hydrogen peroxide, the lubricant contains zero...

Inclined conveyor.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Bilt-Rite's CSW inclined cleated side-wall belt conveyors are available in an all-sanitary design with a white FDA-approved belt for food products. The corrugated side-wall construction and fully vulcanized cleats should prevent material from...

Transfer and batch system.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... The IEDCOPack transfer and batch system is designed to transfer most powders from a drum and batch them into a pouch or other container. The self-contained system eliminates the dust containment, ergonomic, safety and quality issues associated...

Bulk bag weigh batching system.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... The automated bulk bag weigh batching system from Flexicon feeds ingredients to a central weigh hopper at mezzanine level using four flexible screw conveyors and transports pre-weighed batches to a downstream blender using a pneumatic conveying...

USDA-approved belting.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Wire Belt received equipment acceptance and certification from the USDA for its C-Cure Edge, Flat-Flex and EZ Splice conveyor belting product lines. The issuance of the certificates is in compliance specifically with the NSF/ANSI 2003 hygiene...

Wire mesh belt conveyor.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Conveyor Technologies modular low profile conveyors feature a stainless steel wire mesh belt with high thermal and chemical resistance, as well as a 60% open flow area. Capable of handling part contact temperatures above 1,000[degrees]F, the...

Vertical offset conveyors.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... VO Series vertical offset conveyors from Span Tech allow users to orient product horizontally at the beginning and end of the conveyor before and after elevation. Product is transported on a continuous chain with no transfer needed between the...

Steel belts.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Steel belts from Berndorf Band are suitable for processes like baking, cooling, deep freezing, steaming, drying and conveying. The smooth surface of the steel belts resists processing remnants and, according to the company, is easy to clean...

Vertical reciprocating conveyors.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Wildeck's Delta Series vertical reciprocating conveyors allow material to be moved between two floors. The absence of overhead machinery allows the equipment to fit into tight spaces and a side-mounted drive simplifies maintenance. Units...

Flush grid belting.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... The Series 900 flush grid belting with insert rollers from Intralox is designed for light- to medium-duty low back pressure accumulation or general delicate package conveyance where straight running roller top belts are required. Rollers...

Automatic bottle unscrambler.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Accuteck's Accusort automatic bottle unscrambler elevator/orientator provides a floor-level loading source for containers, orients them and delivers them to a conveyor. The units are food grade and all contact parts are stainless steel or...

Lump breaker.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Prater-Sterling's lump breaker is designed to delump and improve product flow for applications including sugar, salt, cereal, filter cake and pasta. The equipment can be used to reduce natural agglomeration or to reduce materials deliberately...

Viscous product reduction.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)(Polar Process Incorporation)(Polar Pump)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Polar Pump receives cold butter blocks and pumps them through a jacketed line and out through a "shower head" for fast, complete and effective mixing, says Polar Process, the manufacturer. Mozzarella and other cheeses can be processed...

Compact dicer.(Technology Sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... The DiversaCut 2110 dicer from Urschel Laboratories offers high capacity with less floor space. Using a compact cutting zone, the machine offers a range of cuts, including flat slices from 1/16 in. to 1 in., circular knife cuts from 1/8 in. to...

Color brushes.(Technology Sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Remco Products' Total Color brush line features blocks and bristles made from the same color to assist with traceability and compliance with HACCP environments. Available in five colors and a range of styles and sizes, the brushes help enhance...

Colloid mills.(Technology Sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... A-Series sanitary colloid mills from Bematek Systems can be adjusted while running, allowing users to fine tune their products. Offered in a variety of models to produce ultra fine particle size reduction and sub-micron dispersions and...

Cheese reduction.(Technology Sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Deville's FS-40 machine enables cheese reduction without pre-cutting at rates up to 14,000 lbs./hr. The company says the machine provides fast and easy clean up, as well as reduced downtime. Deville Technologies, Inc.; 514-366-4545;...

Sanitary ribbon blenders.(Technology Sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Charles Ross & Son offers in-stock sanitary ribbon blenders manufactured in type 316 stainless steel and polished to a 150 grit finish. Shaft seal rings are accessible and removable for cleaning product zone surfaces, including the face of the...

Batching system.(Technology Sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... K-Tron's Gain-in-Weight batching system for use in batch applications involving up to eight materials and 100 recipe lines can produce batch sizes from 5 to 800 kilograms. The weigh hopper volume ranges from 80 to 750 liters. Each material is...

Dual-lane checkweighers.(Technology Sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... The Sonic 350 dual-lane small package checkweighers from Thompson Scale Co. use a second parallel conveyor belt to weigh more packages. Designed for in-motion weighing of semi-rigid or flexible and hard-to-handle products weighing from 10 grams...

Portable container.(Technology Sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Designed to allow for the automation of minor and micro ingredients, the DosiBox from AZO is a 30-cu.-ft, semi-bulk portable container constructed of food grade polyethylene (or stainless steel) and equipped with an integrated metering screw...

Mass flowmeter.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... ABB's FCM2000 Coriolis mass flowmeter provides simultaneous measurement of mass flowrate, process density and process temperature. The flowmeter provides digital signal processing (DSP) that uses filtering techniques to detect weak flow signals...

In-line emulsifier.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Quadro's Z1, Z3 and Z5 in-dine high-shear emulsifiers provide consistency and control of high-shear process applications such as immiscible phase emulsifying/homogenizing, wet grinding, deagglomeration and fine-solids dispersion. Incorporating...

High-pressure nozzle.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... BETE's TD-K high-pressure twist and dry nozzles offer spray dryer capacities up to 10,000 psi when equipped with a back up ring. Offered in two models, the TD 7K for pressures up to 7,000 psi and temperatures up to 450[degrees]F and the TD 1 OK...

Wiring solutions.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)
September 1, 2004... Designed to meet the demands of the food and beverage processing and packaging industries, Lumberg's line of connectivity products offers high-grade stainless steel hardware, PVC inserts and cable jackets with overmolding. Rated at IP 69K,...

Central hydraulic system.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)(Air & Hydraulic Equipment)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... AHE's over/under central hydraulic system was designed for customer applications regarding flow, pressure and specific requirements. Modular and O-ring components eliminate leaks and optional equipment includes pressure filters, installed...

Filter/receiver.(Technology sourcebook: focus on material handling, conveyors, belting, unscramblers and size reduction)(Horizon Systems, Incorporation)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The SideWinder side-loaded filter/receiver offers top-loading media benefits while reducing overhead height requirements. The unit is offered in epoxy-coated carbon steel, 304 stainless steel or aluminum construction and can be rated for...

The state of food manufacturing: processors bring out the checkbooks and focus on productivity and people: possible changes in GMPs are just background noise for food professionals focused on manufacturing.(Cover Story)
September 1, 2004... As agribusiness heads into the fall harvest, the state of food manufacturing might best be described as "in flux." This year's Food Engineering State of Food Manufacturing study presents the observations of plant professionals who are dealing...

Refining packaging's purse strings: from beginning to end of line, efficiency upgrades reduce costs and downtime in packaging.
September 1, 2004... Fast is no longer a word; it's a mantra. For many manufacturers and processors, how quickly they can deliver high-quality product can have tremendous impact on their bottom lines. Like deciding if a feather is falling or floating to the ground,...

I, foodbot: declining costs, faster speeds and advances in vision-guided systems are helping plant engineers justify the cost of robotics.(Tech Update)
September 1, 2004... WITH THE STAR WARS GENERATION SWELLING THE ranks of plant engineers and automation specialists, it should be no surprise that robotic systems are making the transition from food production wish list to commercial application. While food...

Lilliputian principles of design: instead of upsizing a lab-scale machine, equipment engineers sometimes must contend with downsizing issues.(Engineering R&D)(Bulk Solids Pump)
September 1, 2004... SCALABILITY IS A TWO-WAY STREET, AND THERE, ARE ENGINEERING hurdles to clear when reducing the size of a processing unit, just as there are when enlarging one. Engineers at K-Tron International, Inc.'s Feeder Group faced the former scenario...

The bioterrorism act: the cost of compliance: with the final rules yet to come, food and beverage processors are gearing up for the expected requirements while implementing the systems they hope will make them compliant.
September 1, 2004... As a nation, our vulnerability to a malicious or nonmalicious contaminated food incident remains high due to terrorist threats and the global nature of the American food supply. We've witnessed beef and poultry industries here and abroad...