< Previous30 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FLOW MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL pipes are flushed between batches. Of course, clamp on meters preclude many of these issues by attaching to the outside of the pipe rather than being attached to or inserted inside, but often this comes with a decrease in accuracy. Ensuring products aren’t tainted remains as crucial during manufacturing as later down the supply chain, with flow meters indispensable during bottling, cartoning, canning and the jarring of food and drink products, delivering the exact amount of product every time. A product that is even marginally under or over the weight specified on its label is enough to prompt a recall which can be costly even under the best of circumstances. Never mind the potential reputational damage. There are many different flow meters on the market designed to meet specific industry needs, so finding the right one is critical if not always easy. Therefore, it’s important to understand the advantages and drawbacks of each type so it can meet a manufacturer’s specific requirements. One of the most commonly used flow meters are electromagnetic. These volumetric meters contain no moving parts and are ideally suited where low pressure drop and low maintenance are required. They work by using Faraday’s Law which states that voltage induced across any conductor as it moves at right angles through a magnetic field is proportional to the velocity of that conductor. It’s worth pointing out that these meters only work for liquids and slurries that conduct electricity. Electromagnetic meters have been used in various industries for more than sixty years and it’s easy to see why they remain a mainstay, especially in the processing of wastewater and for various applications in food production. The measuring principle is virtually independent of pressure, density, temperature, and viscosity, providing a simple and efficient solution. Part of its popularity is down to its versatility, as it can meter liquids as well as those with entrained solids such as slurry and pulp. Ranging from basic applications to high demand, there’s an electromagnetic flow meter suited from small batch producers to major manufacturers with multiple production lines. And with no moving parts, they’re also maintenance free, reducing © stock.adobe.com/navintar 28-31.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 15:44 Page 3Food & Drink International 31 www.fdiforum.net FLOW MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL © stock.adobe.com/Aleksandr Matveev downtime. It will still need to be cleaned to reduce the risk of contaminating through product, however. Ultrasonic flow meters offer a non- invasive solution which come in two types – transit time and doppler. Whichever is required, both feature clamp on designs that can detect in- situ flow rates from outside of the pipework without needing to interrupt flow or process. As they can be easily integrated into a product line there’s no downtime or disruption, making them a popular choice among manufacturers. There are, of course, inline ultrasonic meters which are fixed in place and incorporated into the production line. These will need to be installed and require a larger investment, but the bonus is that they offer greater accuracy. These meters work by using soundwaves to determine velocity of a fluid in a pipe offering a high degree of accuracy all round as well as being able to handle extreme temperatures. But they do have several drawbacks, namely the high price tag. Because of the way in which these meters function, they are sensitive to stray process vibrations which can result in inaccuracies in the reading. As they use ultrasonic waves, they are limited to what they can meter as materials such as slurries are denser than liquids and so ultrasonic waves cannot easily pass through them or, in some cases, cannot pass through at all. Whereas electromagnetic flow meters are ideally suited to low flow, turbine meters are purposefully designed for higher flow metering. They contain bladed rotors positioned along the centreline of the flow stream. The rotating component produces a pulse when passing either a magnetic or optical sensor, a frequency that is proportional to velocity of fluid. The biggest advantage here is the high degree of accuracy, the millisecond response time and, as already stated, the high-pressure capabilities. But moving parts can become worn and clogged requiring maintenance, repairs or even replacements. Flow meters are vital in the food and drink industry, performing a myriad of applications. Finding the right one for the task is therefore a must. Fortunately, there are expert suppliers out there enabling you to make informed and savvy purchases. 28-31.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 15:44 Page 432 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net PROCESSING, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION T he processing industry is one that all-too-often changes with external pressures only. In an ideal world, businesses would look to proactively improve their efficiency and get the most out of a line, but the reality is that this is expensive, and investment is often saved for when they “must” adapt a line, or when the current way of doing things suddenly becomes impossible. As such, the processing industry could be said to be guided by pressure. COVID was one such pressure, and one that we have for the most part gotten past – we say for the most part because the impact of it is still being felt in the form of health and hygiene scares, more focus on employee safety and other labour issues. The war in Ukraine is another, pushing inflation sky high across the EU and casting doubt on many economies. Labour and staffing were difficult during the pandemic and the task hasn’t gotten any easier now. We, and many others, have advocated automation as a means to reduce the industry’s reliance on a heavy workforce for many years. Some, especially UK companies, were slow to adapt and invest in robotics, and sure enough those companies are struggling now with the Great Resignation. The lesson to be learned is that it’s easy to ignore a distant and potentially unthreatening future, but hard to fix it once it arrives! Investment in automation and touch-free processing is on the rise, and not just because it eases reliance on staff. The more a processing line avoids the human element, the more hygienic it can become. Being able to process goods faster, more accurately and without the risk of contamination ought to be reason enough for further investment, but if necessity is the only way to push change, then the shifting economic conditions across Europe will certainly do that anyway. This will certainly be true for the UK, who, after achieving Brexit, have found themselves suddenly short on foreign workers that often filled temp agencies and worked in manufacturing facilities. Adapting to the future COVID may be over, but the results of the pandemic linger still and with fresh instability thanks to the war in Ukraine, there are a fresh raft of challenges facing the processing industry. 32-35.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 14:49 Page 1Food & Drink International 33 www.fdiforum.net PROCESSING, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION With the rising cost of living and low unemployment, workers are now free to shop around, demand more and essentially make themselves too valuable to risk losing. If the Government cannot get a handle on inflation, it may well be that manufacturers have no choice but to either pay through the nose or invest in technology that reduces the human element. Pressure from advocacy and campaign groups, greater regulatory scrutiny, and a public shift towards greener, more sustainable food and packaging has had a dramatic impact on the industry. Companies can now no longer afford to ignore the environmental agenda but should instead meet the challenge head on the same as they do with labour shortages © stock.adobe.com/asayenka 34 Á 32-35.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 14:49 Page 234 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net PROCESSING, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION Tel: +44 (0)1707 331111 info@welwyntoolgroup.co.uk www.welwyntoolgroup.co.uk Hot Air delivered direct to the point of application HOTWINDMISTRALVULCAN and the widespread move towards smarter, automated production. As well as adopting best practice across the supply chain, companies can make a number of positive changes in- house to reduce carbon emissions. This includes reducing water usage as well as closing the loop and recycling wastewater. Moreover, companies can participate in carbon crediting schemes, switch to energy tariffs that are powered entirely by renewables or take a more proactive approach and invest in solar panels and wind turbines on their facilities, and direct surplus food and wasted yield to anaerobic digestors. Efforts such as these, and plenty more besides, are becoming more common as companies throw their weight behind the net zero agenda, but also committing to science-based targets. Defined by the Science Based Targets initiative, these are targets that “show companies how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the worst effects of climate change.” In other words, it provides actionable data for positive change. While these efforts should be lauded, © stock.adobe.com/ctrl+s photo 32-35.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 14:49 Page 3Food & Drink International 35 www.fdiforum.net PROCESSING, CONTROL AND AUTOMATION Our extensive product range includes: Innovative, system-compatible air heaters Powerful, robust blowers Compact, flexible hot-air blowers Comprehensive range of accessories 3 Heat output & air volume steplessly adjustable with potentiometers 3 Integrated temperature controls 3 Integrated temperature probes 3 Protection against heating elements or devices overheating 3 Brushless power motors 3 Integrated power electronics companies also need to think about the production process itself. It should go without saying that replacing old and outdated machinery will not only boost a company’s efficiency and output but will also reduce carbon emissions, but too many producers still rely on old machinery rather than investing in new or refurbished replacements. It’s a false economy and counterintuitive besides, yet worryingly commonplace. A McKinsey report found that the average food processing plant is more than two decades old. With the continuing market proliferation of smart technologies (more on that later), companies risk making themselves obsolete. Investing in machinery and equipment that can deliver cost savings will, of course, be a motivation alongside efficiency gains, but part of the criteria also needs to be environmental impact. As well as the specific machinery that’s used, there’s also the way in which they’re used that needs to be considered. A good analogy here is a car: you’re going to get more miles out of a tank of petrol or charged battery if your car is regularly and thoroughly serviced and maintained, if you drive at consistent speeds and plan ahead for breaking and cornering. The same is true of production and processing where regular inspection and maintenance can sustain efficiency and identify causes for concern before they result in extended disruptions. This will also ensure that machines are running at optimum levels and, thus, at their most environmentally friendly. Reducing energy consumption during processing can also be accomplished by addressing and altering the cooking techniques themselves. Research carried out by the University of Lincoln, UK in The new packaging trend that meat processors are in touch with Global supply chain disruption has led to meat processors increasingly embracing a ‘touchless’ trend of packaging automation. Stephanie Poole, Senior Business Development & Retail Manager, Food Care NW Europe at Sealed Air explains what this is and why it’s a trend that will long outlast global uncertainty. During the past two years, widespread supply chain problems have intensified the challenges that meat processors must overcome to maintain operational continuity and meet demand. Minimising food waste, increasing efficiencies, maximising food safety and optimising productivity have become even more critical to protecting brand reputations, sales and margins. At the same time, fresh, smoked, and processed meat companies have also had to deal with labour shortages. Meat processors are investing in intelligent vacuum packaging systems that reduce manual touchpoints to limit the reliance on labour, while also improving speed, safety and sustainability. Automated vacuum packaging helps solve labour issues by replacing multiple human touchpoints with high-speed automation that delivers consistent throughputs. Systems can be seamlessly integrated into processing lines to ensure they are set at the right speeds to keep pace with the wider production schedule. For efficiency, vacuum packaging systems such as CRYOVAC® brand VS2X and VS9X have been specifically designed to increase packaging speeds. Key equipment features such as automatic bag loaders, neck guides, cutting systems and electric conveyors all combine to optimise the speed and flow of meat products through the packaging process. These features remove human touchpoints and minimise manual interventions to enable more fresh, smoked, or processed meat to be packaged per minute. The sustainability benefits of touchless automation extend beyond reducing levels of meat spoilage and wastage, and the more efficient use of packaging material. Vacuum packaging systems can also deliver greater levels of energy efficiency. For example, equipment such as CRYOVAC® brand VS2X and VS9X use an UltraSeal® sealing system, meaning water is not required to cool the sealing bar. This system also optimises temperature control to reduce energy consumption. For more information visit www.sealedair.com/uk/products/food- packaging/vacuum-system#productLines collaboration with industry partner OAL, found that using novel approaches to a process called Steam Infusion can reduce energy consumption by seventeen per cent, cutting close to nine tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per production line each year. Steam Infusion technology is unique in that it reduces carbon emissions directly at the site of manufacturing, which can support businesses’ plans to incrementally cut emissions throughout their facilities, while the technology enables alignment to UN Sustainable Development Goals. 32-35.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 14:49 Page 436 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net HEALTH, SAFETY AND HYGIENE T he need for health and hygiene observance in the food and drink industry has only been heightened in the aftermath of the COVID crisis. Now, with the war in Ukraine leading to scarcity of certain ingredients and causing wholesale prices to rise, companies may be looking to cut costs where they can. Caution should be advised when it comes to trimming the cleaning budget. Although there’s always efficiency gains to be had, cheaper rarely means better – especially where health and safety are concerned. Clean in place (CIP) systems are commonplace throughout the food and drink industry and while effective, these systems are intensive and require large amounts of water, chemicals, and energy to operate. Essentially, the system works by using non-foaming detergents and disinfectants which are circulated through pipework and process equipment. But tanks, large diameter pipes, and large containers can be more thoroughly cleaned using spray balls or rotating jet devices. This helps to avoid the frankly unnecessary and uneconomical filling of vessels with solutions as well as slashing overall water usage. Because CIP systems are automated it means that it requires no human contact, so stronger detergents can be used for circulation as well as boosting overall onsite safety. Disinfectants used across the food and drink industry are purposefully designed and used so that any potential residues left on surfaces do not taint the food or harm the consumer. However, many still affect the skin, eyes, or respiratory system and, if ingested in sufficient quantity, can be harmful to human health. Although CIP and spraying systems help to automate the process, cleaning is still predominantly undertaken by human workers, so it’s critical for companies to ensure the welfare of their operatives. Indeed, according to The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), exposure to disinfectants is one of the biggest causes of occupational ill health in the food and drink industry. The handling of such harsh chemicals means operatives will need to be outfitted with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) including industrial cleaning gloves – which are usually made from either latex, PVC or rubber depending on the requirement – At the From rigorous cleaning routines to the importance of microbiology, health, safety, and hygiene must be front centre of any food and drink company. © stock.adobe.com/Seventyfour 36-39.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 14:53 Page 1Food & Drink International 37 www.fdiforum.net HEALTH, SAFETY AND HYGIENE googles and overalls. Depending on the cleaning process itself, operatives may also need breathing apparatus. While it’s universally understood that health, safety, and hygiene are vital to maintain across the supply chain, it’s also important to understand why. Microbiology is the unseen cog in the great food and drink machine, one which directly affects consumers, but one which they rarely give any thought. So long as the food and beverage products they’re buying are safe, there’s no need for them to pay it any mind. But consumers have become increasingly more aware of the food supply chain over the last fifteen years, 38 Á © stock.adobe.com/dusanpetkovic1 36-39.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 14:53 Page 238 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net HEALTH, SAFETY AND HYGIENE helped in no small part by the advent of social media. Since 2020, there has been a further spike as consumers think more deeply about contaminants that might be lurking within their food. Capitalising on this trend, food companies are interacting with consumers on social channels and are becoming more transparent about their processes in doing so. Part of this means allaying the concerns of consumers in the event of a product recall. There are several reasons why a product is pulled from shelves. Sometimes this is a voluntary precautionary measure, as a manufacturer may have discovered the possible presence of metal, rubber, or plastic. The most common reasons, however, tend towards the presence of undeclared allergens which could put consumers with food allergies at severe risk. Food poisoning can be much harder to identify and catch wind of, with recalls usually initiated after consumers have already fallen ill. But food manufacturers aren’t defenceless against microbial threats such as E. coli, salmonella, and campylobacter. A thorough washdown routine is a must, but it isn’t a silver bullet. Instead, companies can turn to laboratory testing facilities that can assess food and beverage products and production lines for any sign of infection. Although this isn’t mandatory, manufacturers can rest assured that their products are free from contaminants and that their production environment is hygienic. Or, should any microbial threats be detected, they can take steps to ensure consumers stay safe and spare themselves any reputational damage or litigious action. Laboratory testing can also be utilised in the authentication of food products, ensuring that what’s on the ingredients list corresponds with what consumers are putting into their mouths. This safeguard can also be used in the ongoing battle against counterfeit food products, which still flood the marketplace. Testing works by taking controlled amounts of food products either from a © stock.adobe.com/auremar 36-39.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 14:53 Page 3Food & Drink International 39 www.fdiforum.net HEALTH, SAFETY AND HYGIENE UKASAccreditedServices Providing analytical services to the food and drink industry Testing includes: Microbiological analysis Nutritional declaration Allergen and Speciation testing Rapid DNA services by PCR and LAMP MICROSEARCH LABORATORIES, UKAS ACCREDITED AND APPROVED BY THE RSA SCHEME single batch or from a selection. Samples are then rendered down into a uniform slurry, ensuring that results are consistent and precise. The slurries are analysed and processed, ready to return the results to the respective food company. Testing products is one step of the equation, as knowing contamination exists doesn’t solve the issue of eradicating it. Although hygiene is critical in this regard, preventative and defensive measures are coming along in leaps and bounds. Cold plasma has been part of the conversation for years, with its use of reactive gases to disarm microbes on meat, fruits and vegetables sought after by food manufacturers. What gives this method an advantage over others, such as ultraviolet, is that it can kill a high percentage of microbes without damaging the food product or affecting its properties. One study found that the method killed 99.9 per cent of norovirus without damaging the delicate fruit. The technology is hardly ubiquitous, though it is positioned on the precipice of mainstream usage. As well as counteracting microbes on the surface of food products itself, cold plasma can also be used on contact surfaces and processing & packing equipment to help ensure a sterile and contaminant-free production line. © stock.adobe.com/settapong 36-39.qxp_Layout 1 27/05/2022 14:53 Page 4Next >