< Previous30 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SORTING AND WEIGHING T he importance of weighing is often overlooked, despite being essential in food safety, quality assurance, important for adhering to regulations and having a major effect the ultimate quality and integrity of goods - a miss-weighed ingredient at the start of processing can see costly rejections down the line. Improper weighing can put companies out of pocket, see recalls enacted if goods don’t match their labelled weight, and litigation and fines can arise from underfill alongside brand damage. Used in every step of food production, from farm to table, whether it be scales in conveyor belts, floor scales, checkweighers or sensors, weighing equipment must meet the highest standards. When utilising weighing devices several factors must be considered from Ingress Protection ratings, which are internationally recognised and important for indicating how well sealed equipment is against moisture and foreign bodies, to hygienic design guidelines and establishing a proper cleaning regime to ensure processing remains contamination free. This is also important in preventing weight discrepancies that may occur from for instance food sticking to scales. Moreover it is essential that scales are accurately and frequently calibrated to avoid disparities in product weights, especially when out of normal conditions, such as in cold storage, and routine testing of scales must be completed to maintain consistency of equipment as over time it will wear, for instance vibrations may effect readings and scales may sustain damage from extreme temperatures. Weighing equipment is key in optimising food production at every stage, whether that be when tracking incoming raw materials, in quality control or measuring ingredients correctly. Scales assist in the documenting and storing of weight data and help increase revenue by decreasing waste and making sure that customers are sent accurate order invoices. Something as simple as utilising a conveyor belt with scales or sensors can help smooth operations, and help employees work with materials quickly. Regulators too expect product consistency, especially when it comes to weight - the factor through which many products are sold or purchased. When goods are sold by weight, accurate scales are required for ensuring goods are “legal for trade”. With food industry revenue often centred on the weight of goods, legal for trade approval proves a company’s reliability and reassures customers that inventory records and billing are accurate, enhancing company reputation. A further plethora of safety guidelines exist, requiring exact weight measurements to avoid harming public health. When creating products for consumption specific measurements must be available to ensure they are safe and so that proportions can be stated for dietary control. While use of accurate scales may seem a “no- brainer”, there’s still work to be done across the industry to improve weighing standards. For instance, though using the right scales is vital to avoiding fines, according to a Marsden Weighing Group survey, a quarter of breweries are not using trade approved scales, which are key for selling bottled goods or kegs based on weight or amount of beer. These unapproved scales, which have not undergone the highest levels of scrutiny and testing, may lack the level of accuracy required in the industry, leaving companies facing potential fines of over £1,000 or imprisonment. The future of weighing in the food industry surrounds further implementation of automation and higher accuracy scales. Surprisingly many larger manufacturers are still relying on humans weighing ingredients with a scoop. However, robots are making their way into the weighing process to assist in the repetitive activity, to help make cost savings, increase quality and reliability. Weighing Sorting the weigh forward Sorting and weighing are vital aspects of food production - processes that can help address key industry challenges from reducing waste to increasing food safety and boosting operation optimisation. 30-32.qxp_Layout 1 17/12/2019 11:50 Page 1T: +44 (0) 118 946 1900 E: sales@appliedweighing.co.uk www.appliedweighing.co.uk FOR GENERAL, PROCESS, PHARMACEUTICAL & FOOD WEIGHING APPLICATIONS Load Cells Silo, Tank & Vessel Systems Weight Indicators & Control Systems Platform Scales Drum Filling Systems Dynamic Check Weighers The UK’s leading load cell & process weighing system manufacturer. When you use any product from Applied Weighing you will have absolute accuracy and total peace of mind. Comprehensive National Service Organisation Accurate weighing - whatever your industry MANUFACTURED IN THE UK T: +44 (0) 118 946 1900 E: sales@aw.co.uk www.aw.co.uk Food & Drink International 31 www.fdiforum.net SORTING AND WEIGHING can cost up to one per cent of a food manufacture’s turnover, mainly as a result of labour costs. Robots can mitigate this, completing the same tasks, with higher accuracy, without waste, more quickly. Indeed robots have already been developed to weigh powders to an accuracy of one gram. Helping reduce waste, increase yield and profits, boost quality, eliminate food safety issues from foreign materials to aflatoxin contamination and enact food analysis and grading, sorting is also vital to the food industry and key in keeping food firms competitive. Central to this is the optical sorter - particularly sensor-based optical sorters - which remains highly sought after and is being gradually implemented more frequently throughout processing lines. This sector is set to experience a double- digit growth rate of 10.4 per cent CAGR between 2018 and 2026. Due to the amount of labour that would 32 Á © Shutterstock /Paula Cobleigh 30-32.qxp_Layout 1 17/12/2019 11:51 Page 232 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SORTING AND WEIGHING be required to sort foods manually, as well as shortening delivery times and high levels of demand, automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) have been implemented to create sorting systems without need for human intervention that can deliver on speed and accuracy without needing breaks, process a higher amount of products and remove human error and accidents. The sorting of goods today involves a variety of technologies from high resolution cameras, to laser scanners, X-ray, Near Infra-Red spectroscopy and machine learning software that can analyse each aspect of, say, a fruit or vegetable. A European Parliament report highlighted that automating processing lines with the right technology is key in improving food sustainability by optimising product quality, reducing losses and reducing defects. Sorting systems are essential in this, particularly the latest solutions that are being fine- tuned to prevent loss as far as possible. While optical sorting machines are for instance assessing potatoes products by size, texture, structure, colour, moisture levels and shape - making split second decisions on whether to approve or reject an item - and can detect defects like a spot that is a quarter of a millimetre in size, sorting systems are being bolstered with technology that gives low quality items a second use to avoid waste - every aspect of a product can now be analysed to optimise its use. This is particularly useful in instances where crops have been affected by adverse weather events and for those that traditionally would not be harvested due to likelihood of defects. Helping to reduce waste, sorting systems have been strengthened to automatically cut out defects for instance from chips to turn what would traditionally simply be categorised as a bad product into good, where normally a significant amount of good product would be lost. While once food manufactures had to hire a large cohort of people to perform sorting tasks, now AI solutions can be easily implemented to decipher which potatoes for instance are best suited to chips or crisps. Big data and intelligent digital sorters are high on the priority list with analytics software to collect, analyse and share data across processing to be used to make decisions to better manage materials, optimise prior or subsequent processes and refine a sorter’s decisions on rejecting and accepting materials. The latest equipment auto-learns, self-adjusts, offers predictive diagnostics and alerts, creating an environment without need for operator imposition. The sorter is now an intelligent data hub. © Shutterstock /Marco Ossino Introducing the future of precision checkweighing Fortress Technology, in association with Sparc Systems, has launched a reliable, accurate, high spec checkweigher. Aimed at food manufacturers seeking an affordable yet advanced standalone checkweigher that can be easily integrated with existing metal detector and x-ray inspection machinery, the SG420 ensures precise monitoring of weight with minimal customisations to existing inspection packing lines. The flagship system utilises tried and tested precision checkweighing software and electronics engineered by Sparc Systems to reduce product giveaway and protect consumers against short measures. Already approved to both OIML and MID (EC TAC) specifications, customers requiring an instant solution benefit from a shorter machinery delivery lead time without compromising on any aspect of weighing performance. Easy to calibrate, the SG420 can operate as a standalone checkweighing unit. Inspecting pre-packed food items ranging from small sachets to larger retail pack, the SG420 is capable of checking up to 200 packs per minute. For more information, visit www.fortresstechnology.com. 30-32.qxp_Layout 1 17/12/2019 11:51 Page 3PUMPS AND FLUIDS H ygiene and efficiency remain two of the key aspects in the pumps and fluid industry, particularly with increased consumer and media attention being placed on food and drink products. Where any liquid or low-viscosity food material is being pumped through a processing line, it’s key that it is done so in a manner that both optimises and ensures sanitation without causing blockages or problems within the process itself. As the industry has been a consistent one for many decades it’s easy to see that most companies are now able to handle the hygienic necessities of the process - with adaptations such as hygienic hoses and pumps. But that’s not to say that there hasn’t been innovation in other areas; as companies vie for competitive edge over one another. In efforts to increase efficiency many pump process machines now include metering of additives themselves, essentially measuring and administering flavourings, acids, vitamins or colouring directly to the food material in line with the recipe of the product. Of course, these then need to be mixed, and in that regard industrial mixers are now a common part of the process at this point - fitting seamlessly into a pump production line. Ensuring products are mixed and blended effectively has always been a challenge for the food and drink sector, but never more so than now. Labelling requirements that demand products contain exactly the correct make-up of ingredients and weight, along with an increased focus on cleanliness, has meant accuracy and effectiveness is now a top priority. However, this has to be countered with the changing tastes Moving fluids Efficacy and hygienic design are major factors when it comes to the pumps and fluid industry, so ensuring a food or drink manufacturer selects the very best is critical. © Shutterstock /Lik Studio 34 Á Food & Drink International 33 www.fdiforum.net 33-36.qxp_Layout 1 17/12/2019 11:52 Page 134 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net PUMPS AND FLUIDS © Shutterstock /SeventyFour of consumers who now prefer products to appear natural and not totally uniform in appearance. The goal is versatility, alongside the typical ones of efficiency, reliability and hygiene. A food manufacturer might now have a number of different products which have vastly different requirements in terms of mixing. Mixing companies have risen to the challenges through the sheer number of products they can now provide manufacturers. From top entry batch, sealed bearing, bottom entry to single stage and three stage inline high shear rotor stator mixers and fluid mixers. When it comes to the valves industry, the demand for the elimination of preservatives from food and beverages is set to drive demand higher than ever. Transparency Market Research has shown that many large players in the valves industry have taken to investing in developing regions and emerging markets in order to cater to the huge 36 Á YOUR EXPERTS IN CLEANING IN PLACE Excellence in fluid technology As a worldwide leader in dosing technology, sera ProDos is a system provider of high quality products and services for the dosing and feeding of chemicals and fluids. Indeed, with 75 years of experience, sera ProDos is renowned for its excellent customer service and leading German engineering, offering some of the most robust pumps available on the market to customers involved in the chemical industry, food and beverage, pharma, and water and wastewater treatment. • Saves costs • Meets the highest requirements on hygiene • Increases safety and quality • Used in breweries and food & beverage industries Contact: +44 1283 753400 sales.uk@sera-web.com www.sera-web.com 33-36.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2020 10:40 Page 27+(+20(2)9,6&286 3803,1*62/87,216 Kecolhaveover25yearsof experienceinhandlingalltypes ofviscousproductsinthefood, pharmaceuticalandcosmetics markets,aswellasgeneral industrialapplications. T:+44(0)1746764311 E:sales@kecol.co.uk W:www.kecol.co.uk ᅚ Honey ᅚ PetroleumJelly ᅚ Mascara ᅚ Sauces ᅚ Lanolin ᅚ LipGloss ᅚ Essences ᅚ EyeOintment ᅚ MeatPaste ᅚ ParaffinWax ᅚ FaceScrub ᅚ TeethingGel ᅚ TomatoPuree ᅚ MedicalAdhesives ᅚ VeterinaryCreams ᅚ FruitPaste ᅚ Toothpaste ᅚ Malt ᅚ Jam ᅚ Wax Asampleofproductswealreadypump… 33-36.qxp_Layout 1 17/12/2019 11:52 Page 336 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net PUMPS AND FLUIDS potential there. The research report also claims that the global hygienic and aseptic valves market is set to increase from $6 billion in 2015, to $9 billion in 2025 - an increase of fifty per cent in just a single decade. Of the various types of valves available, hygienic single seat valves are expected to do the best, outperforming all other segments and acquiring a figure close to twenty-six per cent of the global market. This is due to the ability of these valves to meet the strict and varied requirements pertaining to aseptic and hygienic process in the food and drink industry. Much of this comes in comparison to the rest of the food and drink industry, who often show some reluctance to face new laws and regulations on the issue of hygiene. This is perhaps understandable given the upsetting nature of new regulation has on a well- run process, but the valves industry flourishes in such difficult times due to its focus and ability on controlling and improving hygiene. A major challenge in the pumps and fluids industry is that of ensuring traceability is in place. Labelling regulations mean that packaging needs to explain exactly what is in the product so it is vital manufacturers can identify ingredients during the mixing process. In many cases - particularly that of a recall - a large retailer might give a manufacturer less than twenty-four hours to ascertain where something went wrong. This is important for the retailer due to the fast spread of negative publicity through the media - requiring them to make a prompt response. However, the onus is then passed down to the manufacturer, who must check their systems to see if it was something that went wrong on their end; or whether it might have happened outside of their control. Where supermarkets are concerned, it’s guilty until proven innocent, and a poor traceability system that cannot meet the retailer’s demands is sure to lead to damages, or perhaps even a loss of a major contract. Detection, scanning and vision systems should be employed at various stages throughout the process - with the results of these monitored by software systems or employees. While pumping systems can and should be able to meter and prepare the product as per the recipe specifications, there is still a need for quality control and assurance at every stage of the process. © Shutterstock /Nordroden Flow measurement flexibility – why not try renting your flowmeters? While there are, of course, many flow measurement and monitoring applications in the food and beverage industries that require continuous, permanently installed flow measurement, there are many more that need only temporary measurement or to be checked periodically. A non-invasive, clamp-on system such as a hand-held Katronic KATflow 200 offers straightforward, easily installed flow measurement on filled pipes for CIP testing, verification of other flowmeters and leakage/blockage detection, while the KATflow 230, with twin transducer inputs and temperature measurement, provides a direct method of measuring heat entering and leaving an area so heat usage can be directly surveyed. For occasional usage, or where outright purchase can’t be justified, or even just to test and verify new installations, rental becomes a great option. The obvious advantage is that there is no capital cost, you just rent the meter for the days, weeks or months that you need it. You hire the clamp- on meter that you need so you are always making the measurement with the ideal device. As long as you are dealing with the manufacturer directly or an experienced and expert rental company such as Flowhire in West Yorkshire, you get professional advice and the right equipment for the job. That leads to probably the most important benefit – you know it will work. The clamp-on unit will feature up-to-date software, fully charged batteries, it will have been tested and in most cases, will be set up exactly to your application and be supplied with a current, traceable calibration certificate. A good rental partner such as Flowhire will also support with installation if required and will give technical and application support throughout the rental along with, where necessary, help with downloading and interpreting data at the end of the project. For more information, visit www.katronic.com or www.flowhire.co.uk and search KATflow. 33-36.qxp_Layout 1 17/12/2019 11:52 Page 4Food & Drink International 37 www.fdiforum.net BAKERY & CONFECTIONERY A study from food safety certification experts, Lloyds Register, found that seventy-five per cent of UK shoppers want supermarkets to only stock food form sustainable and ethical sources. Though much of the responsibility lies with legislators, the burden has been on food companies to make their supply chains more transparent. This can be most obviously seen in the palm oil and cocoa production chains where some of the biggest confectionery companies have committed to climate and social targets, reducing carbon emissions, curbing deforestation and improving the lives and incomes for farmers. Alongside this action from inside the sector, pressure is continuing to mount from consumers and campaign groups, rallying as much on these ethical issues and health. One of the biggest issues in bakery and confectionery revolves around sugar, specifically looking for innovative and natural alternatives that are low in calories whilst functionally the same as traditional refined sugars. Sugar-free products have become increasingly more visible on store shelves, growing well beyond the niche of diabetic and diet options and exploding into a profitable market in its own right. For example. Hostess Brands, the American bakery company best known for the high sugar Twinkie range, has brought its way into the sugar-free cookie and crème wafer market with the $320 million acquisition of Voortman. Though sugar replacements and alternatives continue to expand across the wider bakery and confectionery sector, some of the most innovative © Barry Callebaut The changing confectionery sector 38 Á Across the bakery and confectionery sector there has been growing interest and consumer demand in clean label, allergen-free and vegan products. In so doing, there has been a greater emphasis on sustainability in the supply chain and healthier products on store shelves. 37-40.qxp_Layout 1 17/12/2019 11:53 Page 138 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net BAKERY & CONFECTIONERY and, indeed, pressing solutions are emerging in the manufacture of chocolate, an industry that continues to be wracked by controversies over deforestation, child exploitation and slave labour, alongside health-related issues stemming from sugar and fat. To combat the former, the industry is responding with transparency and other supply chain initiatives, utilising monitoring technologies and more thorough reporting. When it comes to the latter, new product development is driving change. We are currently experience arguably the most innovative era in the history of chocolate since the early twentieth century as companies double down on their NPD efforts and meet the demand for lower calorie chocolate that doesn’t compromise on taste, texture or quality. In 2007, Swiss chocolate manufacturer, Barry Callebaut, unveiled a new kind of chocolate made from the ruby cocoa bean some eighty years after the introduction of white chocolate. Since then, there have been a handful of high-profile products utilising this so-called “fourth type” of chocolate, with Nestlé Japan becoming the first to commercialise the variety with the launch of a new KITKAT in Japan and Korea back in January 2019. As one of the biggest confectionery makers in the world, Nestlé is no stranger to innovation, especially when it comes to chocolate. Some seven months following the launch of its ruby KITKAT, the company unveiled a new method of producing chocolate made entirely using the beans and pulp from cocoa fruit as the only ingredient. This approach, which completely bypasses the need for any refined sugar, is a far cry from simple efforts to fortify sugary © Shutterstock /Syda Productions Loma Systems’ X-ray technology provides peace of mind for Brighter Foods Food manufacturer, Brighter Foods, has recently invested in X-ray inspection technology from Loma Systems, supporting an increased emphasis in the company’s product checking processes. Following a full audit, Loma Systems recommended its X5C compact, which checks for a wide selection of contaminants from metal to hard plastics. Incorporating an air blast reject system to detect and remove any contaminated product, the system is perfect for convenience food, ready meals and small packaged goods. The XC5 also provides the added benefit of being able to analyse product integrity, including counting the number of bars within the pack, checking the volume per bar, and ensuring the product is undamaged. Previously a labour intensive, time consuming process, in the event of any defect, the product is now quickly removed from the production line and logged on the system, so that Brighter Foods can investigate. For more information, visit www.loma.com. 37-40.qxp_Layout 1 17/12/2019 11:53 Page 2Food & Drink International 39 www.fdiforum.net BAKERY & CONFECTIONERY www.kanegrade.com Tel: +44 (0) 1438 742242 Email: info@kanegrade.com NATURAL FOOD INGREDIENTS chocolate bars with fibre and protein and could potentially shake up the entire chocolate sector, offering treats that align with consumer expectation of taste and texture, but without the need for refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. In December of that year, the company launched its very first product utilising this method. During 2020, Nestlé said it will launch cocoa pulp sweetened versions of all its most popular products, heralding, perhaps, the dawning of a new epoch for the chocolate industry. It isn’t only NPD efforts where major confectionery companies are investing, but production and processing. Cargill has recently invested $5 million in its Mouscron, Belgium facility to increase and enhance its capabilities for producing chocolate with lower levels of sugar. Ingredion, meanwhile, has opened the first allulose production plant in Latin America, where obesity affects almost a quarter of the population. Allulose is an ideal solution as it tastes and functions like sucrose and is absorbed by the body, but not metabolised, making it nearly calorie- free. The processing and production equipment that has historically been used for traditional sugars and typical sugar sweetened chocolate won’t necessarily be sufficient for these new kinds of sugars emerging as challengers or, indeed, the innovative new kinds of chocolate themselves. Therefore, equipment and machinery makers must be constantly innovating in order to enable this kind of innovation and new product development. Ingredient makers are also capitalising on these changing trends in the confectionery market, introducing novel ingredients which allow food makers to maintain a sense of indulgence – be that a smooth texture or a rich flaky pasty – whilst using less calories, salt, fat, sugar etc. Elsewhere, researchers at Tufs University in Massachusetts have developed a biomanufacturing process that could unlock the commercial potential of low calorie, low glycaemic sugars. Tagatose has only thirty-eight per cent of the calories of traditional table sugar, is safe for diabetics and will not cause cavities. Despite being approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a food additive, it is too expensive to produce at present. While derived from fruit and dairy products, tagatose is not abundant and is currently difficult to extra from these sources. The manufacturing process involves a conversion from more easily obtained galactose to tagatose and is 40 Á © Shutterstock /Hong Vo 37-40.qxp_Layout 1 17/12/2019 11:53 Page 3Next >