Food Processing in Action

The IFT16 food expo, which was home to 2,695 booths, was both exciting and educational for those who wished to learn more about food processing. From pumps to small-scale unit operations to commercial equipment, exhibitors highlighted both traditional and innovative food processing solutions for food product developers. This column will provide highlights from some of the organizations that presented innovations in food processing.

This year’s IFT Food Technology Industrial Achievement Award was presented to PepsiCo for the development of a novel, continuous enzymatic processing technology. The technology was developed to treat whole grain flours, delivering highly soluble whole grain without off-flavors. These healthful new ingredients can now be added to beverages and high-moisture foods.

The importance of fermentation processes was highlighted at this year’s expo through the plethora of fermented foods exhibited at the show. One novel fermented food was highlighted by Hanamaruki Foods of Japan. The company manufactures a liquid-type salt with malted rice koji that is produced by fermented rice koji. The product can be used like soy sauce as a umami enhancer.

Glatt Air Techniques, Ramsey, N.J. (glatt.com), produces state-of-the-art fluid bed and spouted bed processing technology for customized food ingredients. At the food expo, the company showcased virtual processing technologies for processing liquids into innovative encapsulated and agglomerated powder particles with unique release and solubility properties.

Goodnature Products, Orchard Park, N.Y. (goodnature.com), exhibited cold press juice technology supporting the trend toward fresh juice production. The company produces juicers in a range of sizes all the way up to commercial juice presses.

Another technology highlighted at the expo was e-beam aseptic filling. Shibuya Hoppmann, Manassas, Va. (shibuyahoppmann.com), is a leading manufacturer of e-beam aseptic filling systems and e-beam irradiation systems that effectively reduce and/or eliminate harmful foodborne pathogens on foods and extend shelf life.

Small-Scale Equipment
Whether for educational or research and development purposes, small-scale processing equipment plays an important role for the food industry. In many cases, this equipment is critical for commercialization of new food processes and products.

Armfield, Ringwood, England (explorearmfield.com), is one of the leaders in this area, designing and manufacturing equipment that enables researchers to replicate full-scale manufacturing processes on a miniature scale in the pilot plant or laboratory. The equipment range includes HTST/UHT/aseptic systems, spray dryers and chillers, extractors, crystallizers, oil processors, ultrafiltration devices, and more. The company’s new FT17 laboratory membrane evaluation system was highlighted at this year’s food expo. The FT17 cross-flow filtration system enables rapid determination of cross-flow filtration performance.

Microthermics, Raleigh, N.C. (microthermics.com), is another world leader in small-scale equipment. Microthermics specializes in pasteurizers, UHT/HTST sterilizers, and aseptic processors. The company recently introduced the world’s first aseptic laboratory filler.

Extrusion is used to manufacture a wide variety of foods—from breakfast cereals to snacks and beyond. Numerous extrusion manufacturers were present at the IFT16 food expo. Extruder suppliers on hand in Chicago included CW Brabender Instruments, South Hackensack, N.J. (cwbrabender.com), Buhler Group, Plymouth, Minn. (buhlergroup.com), Clextral, Tampa, Fla. (clextral.com), and Wenger Manufacturing, Sabetha, Kan. (wenger.com).

CPM Wolverine Proctor, Horsham, Pa. (cpmwolverineproctor.com), and G3 Enterprises, Modesto, Calif. (gwdryers.com), are two of the dryer manufacturers that exhibited at the expo. CPM Wolverine Proctor manufactures a wide range of energy-efficient dryers, puffers, and ovens. G3 Enterprises featured what was formerly known as refractance window drying technology, which uses low temperatures to create crystal powders.

Feeders, Pumps, and Sprayers
Feeders, pumps, and spray systems are critical for many food processing operations. Not only must they deliver accurate amounts of materials, but they also must be hygienic. Coperion K-Tron, Sewell, N.J. (coperion.com), is one of the leaders in gravimetric and volumetric feeders. Ampco Pumps Co., Glendale, Wis. (ampcopumps.com), Fluid Metering, Syosset, N.Y. (fmipump.com), and Murzan, Norcross, Ga. (murzan.com), are three companies who exhibited state-of-the-art pumps at the expo. Spraying Systems Co., Wheaton, Ill. (spray.com), exhibited its leading industrial spray technologies, which include more than 100,000 spray nozzles and accessories.

GEA Group, Columbia, Md. (gea.com) is one of the largest suppliers of process technology for the food industry. It offers innovative global solutions for smart food processing. S. Howes Co., Silver Creek, N.J. (showes.com), also exhibited and is also a leading designer and manufacturer of processing equipment.

In summary, this year’s IFT food expo presented a number of innovative new processing technologies and products. In addition, it provided access to suppliers of a varied assortment of traditional processing equipment that is important for food research as well as commercial product development.

Tara McHugh, PhD, contributing editor of Food Technology magazine, is research leader, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Albany, Calif. ([email protected]).