24 fooD HygiEnE & safEty
☞
developing the world’s first steel belt in
1901, has created a complete processing
solution around the technical properties
of the stainless steel belt in the form of a
system called Rotoform.
The heart of this operation is the steel
belt but the brain is the Rotoformer itself,
a device that deposits molten product
onto a continually running belt in the
form of droplets. As the belt runs it is
sprayed from the underside with water
and the heat is transferred from the
product to the water via the steel belt. As
a result, the product is converted from
its heated liquid form into a solid form,
creating pastilles that are easy to handle,
to store, to transport and to reprocess.
Typical applications for this process
include chocolate, gum base, fat,
emulsifiers and food additives, but it can
Fig. 3. Sugar/candy drops produced using the Rotoform system from
be used to solidify any hot-melt product.
Sandvik Process Systems.
Another area in which the thermal
properties of steel are of major benefit is baking, where costs can be reduced and, perhaps most important of all,
carbon steel belts have been widely used for many years. a better quality end product can be produced. p
A steel-based bake oven belt also has the advantage of
reduced downtime through fast, easy cleaning and the Enter 24 or
✔ at www.scientistlive.com/efood
elimination of the accidental fires caused by residues.
And by using a perforated belt rather than a solid one, Staffan Karlsson is with AB Sandvik Process Systems in
air circulation within the oven can be improved, heating Sandviken, Sweden. www.processsystems.sandvik.com
WatEr activity anlaysErs EnsurE safEty of saucEs
P
remier foods manufactures a range of activity measurements can also assist in the aqualabs, Ben Bradley is also appreciative
table and cooking sauces and pickles creation of innovative food products that of the support provided by labcell, saying:
at its plant in Bury st Edmunds, uK. in the would be virtually impossible to develop in “labcell is a highly professional outfit,
past the water activity of the products has any other way. delivering fantastic service both pre-sales
not been critical due to the nature of the the aqualab series 3 analysers and aftersales. they even came to Bury st
recipes used, but the recent introduction purchased by Premier foods are laboratory- Edmunds to carry out site-wide training,
of new products made it essential that grade instruments that deliver dependable which was an excellent way to raise
water activity be measured as part of the results extremely quickly. they feature a awareness about water activity within the
batch approval process in order to maintain resolution of ±0.001 aw, an accuracy of plant.”
product safety and to avoid downtime ±0.003 aw. the aqualabs are playing a vital role
in the plant that runs 24/7. to meet this Ben Bradley, the recipe chain Manager in ensuring product safety and plant
need Premier foods has purchased a pair at the Bury st Edmunds plant, explains the efficiency, plus they are being used in
of Decagon Devices aqualab series 3 water benefits of having the aqualab analysers: new product development programmes.
activity analysers from labcell. “the products manufactured today need to However, because of the considerable costs
Water activity is a measure of the energy be monitored to ensure the water activity that would be incurred in the event of an
status of the water in a system, which might is within the acceptable limits for reasons unplanned plant stoppage, Ben Bradley has
be a solid or powdered food ingredient, or a of food safety. a particular advantage of recently purchased two Decagon Devices
complex product such as a sauce. the main these analysers is their fast response; if we Pawkit portable water activity meters from
application of water activity measurement were to identify a problem, we could take labcell. should anything happen to the
is in the control of microbial growth for action very quickly and avoid or minimise aqualab analysers, the Pawkit devices can
food safety, though it is also widely used any lost production. in the time we have be used as a back-up to avoid production
for maintaining and improving food quality, had the aqualabs, they have proved to be having to be halted. p
extending shelf life, developing packaging easy to use, clean and calibrate, and totally
and increasing the efficiency of production reliable.” for more information, visit
processes. When used appropriately, water as well as being pleased with the www.labcell.com
www.scientistlive.com
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