< Previous20 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FROZEN AND CHILLED FOODS The rise of frozen and chilled foods has remained constant in recent years, with steady growth within the UK and EU, and rising growth in Asia and further abroad. In fact the cold chain accounts for roughly nine per cent of the £187 billion of sales in the food and drink industry. At the end of last year figures showed that approximately 41p of every £1 spent in the retail industry was in food stores, with a large share of the goods moving through the cold chain. As a consequence of changes in the global economy, the public are spending less on perishable foodstuffs. This has presented opportunities to manufacturers of cheap frozen foods and ready meals, but there are challenges, too. Market analysis suggests that today’s consumers, particularly young people, are demanding experimental frozen foods that go beyond the bog-standard pies, chips and peas orthodoxy of yesteryear. As people travel more they are being exposed to new flavours, and this is one factor that is driving product diversification within the industry. Another is healthy living. The key questions for manufacturers, then, are how to make production more efficient, and how to introduce new product lines without increasing costs? The answer lies with innovative refrigeration technologies. Manufacturers are using Individual Quick Frozen technology (IQF) to ensure the freshness and taste of their products. Each component of a ready meal is sprayed with a stabilising agent (usually a combination of Guar gum and Xanthan gum) prior to freezing. Liquid nitrogen, which is far more powerful than conventional refrigerants, is then used to freeze the product. IQF can be used to safeguard the freshness of any product line, but it is especially useful in cases where exotic components that have already travelled a long distance form part of a ready meal. One of the most unusual new approaches to freezing food, known as Acoustic (or “Stirling”) refrigeration, involves the use of sound waves to modify the pressure in refrigerant gases – fluctuations which in turn cause changes in temperature. Although it is still in development, this technology is likely to become popular in the future as companies look for more flexible ways to freeze their products; flexibility during the preparation stage being the key to a diversified product line. For companies dealing in frozen fruit and vegetables, dehydro-freezing is a great option: large quantities of water are removed from a product before it is frozen, which helps to concentrate its flavour and speeds up the freezing process. There is a wealth of development within the frozen and chilled foods sector, particularly with the recent upturn in refrigerated ready-meal sales. As such, new technological advancements in temperature control are being focused on by many, with developers looking at new ways of achieving old tasks. The cold chain & COVID-19 It goes without saying that the global pandemic of COVID-19 has stretched the cold chain and in fact any logistical sector. While deliveries of food goods, many of which are frozen or chilled, has become a prime concern for many Governments, the new challenges posed by social distancing, infection of key logistical workers and lockdowns have made the task harder than ever. A cool challenge The frozen and chilled foods market has boomed in recent years, and looks set to continue doing so. But what challenges face manufacturers within the industry – and how are they navigating these? 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:47 Page 1Food & Drink International 21 www.fdiforum.net FROZEN AND CHILLED FOODS Ice, frost and fog in cold stores can create slippery, dangerous conditions for staff. While many accept that ice is simply part of the cold store, it doesn’t need to be so. Munters IceDry® is a specially designed dehumidifier that targets moisture in manufacturing facilities,cold stores and process freezers to: • Reduce & prevent ice, frost and fog build up on floors, walls and ceilings • Reduce defrosts - case studies available • Lower maintenance costs • Improve safety for staff & forklifts • Increase productivity • Improve evaporator efficiency 01480 432243 info@munters.co.uk munters.com/icedryseries Improve Safety & Climate Conditions in Cold Stores Free CPD Seminars Proven global installations “The cold store is the best it’s ever been for excessive ice & snow” - Kitchen Range Foods FREE site surveys Consideration can be put forth as to whether the logistics sector will be more respected after this, in so far as the importance of it being highlighted, but it’s likely that Governments will be playing the blame (or don’t blame me) game, so while life may never go back to normal as it was before, the cold chain and its hard work delivering food fresh to supermarkets in the midst of panic buying is likely to go forgotten. One thing the crisis has provided is new awareness of just how vulnerable the supply chain is. Being able to operate and thrive despite coronavirus should harden the chilled food industry, and the logistical aspects of it. Temperature control With specific temperature requirements for individual products 22 Á © Shutterstock /Vladimir Nenezic 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:47 Page 222 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net :(67(51 0(&+$1,&$/ +$1'/,1* 8. /7' 0RVV 6LGH ,QGXVWULDO (VWDWH&DOOLQJWRQ &RUQZDOO3/ 6' HQTXLULHV#ZPKXNOWGFRP ,WD^ ZZZZPKXNOWGFRP FROZEN AND CHILLED FOODS and food types, it is more important than ever that strict temperature control be observed at any stage of the process. Traditionally this is easiest to achieve within a manufacturing line which might see a product kept on a single automated line. However, the warehouses and distribution centres are regularly areas where this is breached, causing product loss and deterioration. Doors and loading bays create an immediate but necessary breach in a warehouse’s defences, allowing the cooler air inside to escape via convection currents. What’s more, this is an inescapable consequence, as the ultimate goal of these facilities is to store and ship out goods as quickly as possible to their final destination. As such while it might be result in energy savings to install a number of doors between the cold storage facility, and the loading bays. This only slows down the productivity of the workers within, and how soon they can have the stock shipped out. The battle for efficient temperature control quickly becomes a difficult balance between energy savings, and throughput. The final focus 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:47 Page 3Food & Drink International 23 www.fdiforum.net FROZEN AND CHILLED FOODS Providing a one-stop solution for processing frozen and chilled foods From its UK headquarters, BCH has been developing innovative process equipment and solutions for frozen and chilled foods since its establishment in 1835. Recent projects it has undertaken demonstrate the wide variety of equipment on offer, along with its expert process and product knowledge. A complete turnkey cook-cool system has been the solution of choice for most of the UK savoury pie industry, as well as further afield in South Africa and Australia. The systems can be customised to meet the client’s individual process needs. Whether it’s Cornish pasties, steak slices or Lancashire hot pots, chances are the filling has been produced on a BCH system. Steam Jacketed Bratt Pans have also been in high demand from a UK-based gourmet frozen ready meal company, to cook their vast range of fresh-cooked dishes including fish pie, macaroni cheese, lamb tagine, lasagne al forno and chicken Alexander. Sauces can also be produced using a variety of methods, whether it’s a fully automated pizza sauce cold mixing, blending and dosing system, or sauce cooking and pouch chilling of Asian / Japanese ‘fusion’ sauces for a well-known UK restaurant chain. A unique pressure and vacuum chill system for producing a high volume of hummus allows the manufacturer to cut out the pre-soak stage, reducing cooking and cooling times significantly. Soups, sauces and side dishes are also being rapidly chilled at a customers’ facility in Texas for use in restaurants. BCH’s ‘one-stop solution’ approach, can provide the complete process engineering package including development testing, design, process equipment, automation, software and installation - all available in-house. Find out how BCH can help you with your processing requirements today by visiting www.bchltd.com, email info@bchltd.com, or call +44(0) 1706 852122. must always be on the efficiency of a distribution centre at its central goal – the storage and distribution of goods. Energy savings must come second to this, though should still be pursued at every opportunity. But it is all too easy to focus on one to the detriment of the other. Perhaps a company is able to ensure their temperature control, but at a heightened cost to themselves due to poor energy efficiency and the need for higher gas usage. Of course there is more to efficiently running a temperature controlled storage facility than plugging up the entrances. Managing stock within the distribution centre can become increasingly more complex, as the temperatures are kept lower. For instance, machinery and systems that rely on battery power can come under risk, as continued exposure to the cold has a negative impact on batteries – typically resulting in 50% degradation to battery life. This can become a larger concern with the recent move towards electric lift trucks and fork-lifts, which can see vehicles running out of juice at inopportune moments. When it comes to workers within these facilities as well, there are a host of new concerns and problems to be aware of, many of which will require some remedial training for companies moving employees to cold store facilities. In the above example of electric vehicles staff need to be made aware that a vehicle which is marked down as having an eight hour battery life, might struggle to manage more than four or five. Changing the labelling on these vehicles can go a long way to preventing problems, alternatively investing in batteries with larger voltages can help minimise the problems. © Shutterstock /Niloo 20-23.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:47 Page 424 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SLICING, DICING AND CUTTING Consumers have come to expect uniformity in the food and beverage products they buy. A product they purchase from a store should be identical to one purchased in a different branch on the other side of the country. This is as true for the finished products and their packages, as the ingredients and goods inside. For this reason, the slicing, dicing and cutting industry needs to be consistent at all times, never deviating from its strict processing homogeneity. So much depends upon slicing and cutting machines and equipment performing their duty within strict parameters. If there are varying sizes of meat or vegetables within a product mix, or if a blade isn’t adequately cutting, it risks contradicting the weight printed on its packaging. This can result in costly recalls, the fallout from which manufacturers can suffer from for years. Consistency of cuts and portion size is largely dependent on the sharpness of a cutting tool. Regular use renders any blade dull over time, and so it’s paramount that manufacturers regularly change, sharpen and replace their cutting tools. It’s as much to do with hygiene, with a dull blade more likely to harbour matter and risk contaminating other products. Dull blades can also damage products, crushing, denting or bruising them. In any case, a manufacturer can be left with entire batches compromised and/or an expensive clean-up bill. Better to regularly replace and service cutting Precision and integrity The growing demand for pre-cut packaged foods and convenience meals containing sliced and diced ingredients have significantly increased the demand for cutting machines. In order to meet this demand, manufacturers have to turn to automation and other innovative options to maintain product integrity whilst also scaling up output. 26 Á 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:49 Page 1Food & Drink International 25 www.fdiforum.net SLICING, DICING AND CUTTING © Shutterstock /Sergey Ryzhov 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:49 Page 226 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SLICING, DICING AND CUTTING tools than risk extended periods of downtime. Hygiene is critical right across the supply chain but is of particular concern in the production line where products are directly exposed to conveyor belts, weighers and, of course, cutting tools. As we’ve already explored, the tools themselves must meet stringent hygiene levels, but so too does the surface on which the foods are placed and the cuts are made. Constant cutting will inevitably lead to dullness of the blade, which in turn can result in less than ideal precision for food products, while rendering others completely unsuitable for the customer. A blunt blade will leave ragged edges which can lead to the product, particularly meat, spoiling. This can result in it becoming unstable or unsafe during distribution, something that might only be discovered by the end user. Likewise, a blunting blade will likely retain residue and matter from the previous products which will then become entrenched in others, allowing for contaminates to spread with greater ease. It’s something as simple as ensuring equipment is at its best, but the consequences otherwise can result in an entire batch deemed unsuitable for sale or may even result in a recall at a later stage. It comes at the cost of a company’s profits and its time, not to mention its reputation. Given the constraints of any given technology, there is only so far a process can be streamlined, meaning a producer is only able to become efficient and time effective to a certain point. By the same rationing, adopting equipment designed to minimise wasted time and damaged goods is the next logical step. Ultrasonic slicing might be widely used across the industry for use with foods of a sticky, © Shutterstock /Evgeniy Kalinovskiy 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:49 Page 3Food & Drink International 27 www.fdiforum.net SLICING, DICING AND CUTTING delicate or soft structure, but extension across more food types is combatting yield loss and boosting profit. Many food equipment manufacturers and retailers are adopting ultrasonic slicers and cutters, and the uptake among producers is rising. The advantages over traditional blades extend beyond the obvious boon to hygiene, with greater precision, functionality and reliability. Robots have become commonplace on the factory floor and production line, providing untold benefits to industry and consumer alike. In fact, a survey undertaken by The International Federation of Robotics identified ten reasons why manufactures should invest in robots. Some of the benefits include reducing operating costs, improving quality and consistency and reducing material waste as well as increasing yield. In a slicing, dicing and cutting context, robotic advancement has come in leaps and bounds, replacing human workers on the production line altogether. They come with numerous benefits, no least in offering a more time-vaing solution, in that they have none of the requirements of their human counterparts. Of course, robots will have to be washed and service like any other piece of processing equipment. With the startling development of robots, the human workforce is likely to further decrease. For the slicing, dicing and cutting industry, imagine the speed, efficiency and safety of a robot workforce with the ability to handle food with minimal risk to product integrity, in an environment that is more hygienic and more cost effective. As efficiency and hygiene are the heart of this industry, robotics and advanced cutting equipment are ensuring the changeover from traditional processing machines to more modern fare goes smoothly. © Shutterstock /stockcreations 24-27.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:49 Page 428 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS © Shutterstock /kostrez The future is functional Functional ingredients that provide nutritional benefits are now highly sought after as consumers look for more from their food. The future is functional 28-31.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:51 Page 1Food & Drink International 29 www.fdiforum.net FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS The market for functional ingredients continues to expand as consumers demand healthy alternatives and clean labels, take proactive control over their wellbeing, and push for more options that meet their dietary requirements, such as veganism. Available in a variety of ingredient types - vitamins, proteins, probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids et al. - global sales for functional food and drinks are anticipated to surpass $225 billion by 2024, according to data from Grand View Research. To remain competitive, food and drink firms must produce products that do not just satiate hunger/thirst while providing a satisfying taste and texture experience, but present additional benefits that add value without compromising on quality. Moreover, health conscious consumers are proactively looking for food- alternatives to supplements, as pill exhaustion takes hold - a survey of US adults found that seventy-nine per cent would rather ingest probiotics via food and beverages than through a supplement or pill. Consumers are particularly interested in products containing functional ingredients that boost the immune system, aid digestion, weight management and are high in protein. Kerry’s recent white paper ‘Proactive Health’ indicates that there is a building desire for functional ingredients across various applications, with sixty-five per cent of US consumers looking for added functionality benefits from their everyday food and drinks beyond their inherent benefits. Digestive health is a main driver of functional food development, a reputation that has extended from the 1980s. Seeking products to assist gut health and the microbiome, consumers are primarily focused on probiotics - being more likely to buy yogurts and nutritional bars if they are fortified with a probiotic. As a result many food companies are playing with the ingredient, with products holding claims such as ‘good source of probiotics’ growing their market entry, according to Mintel, by thirty per cent in the past three years. While yogurt is one of the most popular products with probiotics, other opportunities for food firms lie in juices, coffee, tea, snacks, baked goods and ice creams. The breadth of probiotics available continues to progress, with new probiotic strains on offer from powders to refrigerated tablets to shelf-stable options, and work is being undertaken to provide probiotics which have a high survival rate in production and on the shelf, with much of the bacteria utilised in fermentation not strong enough to survive for extended periods of time. Opportunities for digestive health goods is expanding outside probiotics however, with an upswing in foods containing prebiotics, which are important in growing beneficial bacteria in the gut and tend to hold a slight sweetness, making them prime for reducing sugar in goods. Launches of synbiotic products, including those containing both probiotics and prebiotics are expected to increase, with prebiotics acting as good bacteria promoters, containing non- digestible ingredients that fuel probiotic bacteria growth. The use of various fibres, of which a lot are prebiotics, in launches is climbing across the world, hand-in-hand with the dietary fibre enrichment trend, not only playing a clear role in digestive health, but weight management. Fibre demand comes as just three per cent of consumers, according to the World Health Organisation, meet the daily recommended intake of fibre in their regular diets. There is thus great opportunity for food firms to inhibit this nutritional gulf. Innovation in fibres has seen Fooditive launch a natural fibre sweetener created from apple and pear leftovers, Bellway show off its new soluble fibre suitable for gluten free diets, Ingredients by Nature recently launch a functional, 30 Á 28-31.qxp_Layout 1 04/05/2020 11:52 Page 2Next >