New E-Beam Research Facility Exemplifies the Value of Pilot Plants

PROCESSING

Food Technology Magazine | Article

Neil Mermelstein

Neil H. Mermelstein

Pilot plants—essentially small production plants—are essential steps in translating laboratory results to full-scale production. Most companies have pilot plants for their own use, but many also offer them to potential customers for use in evaluating their products and processes. Many universities are also doing the same, especially now that universities are forming alliances with industry.

Fig. 1—In the electronic pasteurization system, a conveyor moves packaged food products into the treatment area and through the electron beam or X-ray beam, then returns them to the product handling area

One example is a facility being constructed at Texas A&M University, College Station, dedicated to ele…

Fig. 2—Texas A&M’s Project Bright Star Team led the presentation and negotiations with SureBeam. Shown from left are Lee Deviney, Assistant Commissioner, Finance & Agribusiness Development; Mark McLellan, Director and Professor, Institute of Food Science and Engineering; Alan Waltar, Professor and Department Head, Nuclear Engineering; Elsa Murano, Associate Professor of Animal Science and Director of the Center of Food Safety; Dale Whittaker, Professor and Associate Head of Agricultural Engineering; Leslie Braby, Research Professor of Nuclear Engineering; and Rudolfo Nayaga, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics

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About the Author

IFT Fellow
Editor Emeritus of Food Technology
[email protected]
Neil Mermelstein

In This Article

  1. Food Processing & Packaging
  2. Food Processing & Packaging
  3. Processing Equipment

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