4 BULKDISTRIBUTOR Sector Focus : Food Grade March / April 2018
4 BULKDISTRIBUTOR Sector Focus : Food Grade March / April 2018
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The market for aseptically filled foodstuffs is growing . As the trend towards natural food gathers pace , consumers are demanding an increasing number of products that are as fresh and untreated as possible . For manufacturers , this means adhering to consistently high hygiene standards and impeccable production conditions . Foods must be safe for consumption and produced with minimal processing , without using preservatives or high temperatures during the preserving process . Products must also be packaged and transported in containers that both support and maintain stringent aseptic conditions .
The process
The cold-aseptic filling process is considered worldwide to be the supreme discipline in this area . The process involves filling a receptacle with a commercial , sterile beverage or foodstuff using food technology-related sterile machinery . The entire production is undertaken in a low-germ environment ; products and packaging materials are sterilised separately and brought together under strict aseptic conditions . A sterile environment is absolutely critical for aseptic filling , particularly when it involves sensitive products with a low level of self-protection against the growth of micro-organisms . Guaranteeing sterility throughout production and transport can be both difficult and costly . In order to create truly aseptic conditions , sterilisation must be maintained at all times during production . Systems , machines , devices and components used in the process must be welldesigned and easy-to-clean and a sterile area must be maintained continuously around them . In order to increase the security and economic efficiency of the cold-aseptic filling process , the machinery used should be kept as small and simple as possible . The more complex a filling system , the more costly it is to ensure permanent aseptic conditions . Packaging and packing aids also need to be cleanable , sterilisable and aseptically fillable . Depending on the type of the packing material used , different aseptic techniques can be employed . Materials can be dry-aseptic sterilised using hydrogen peroxide , wet-aseptic sterilised using peracetic acid or through a combination of the two methods . Sterilisation of the packing material can also be carried out on the preforms or through the use of pulsed-light . Some firms prefer to establish an aseptic zone , which is maintained using a positive displacement flow of
sterile air .
Innovative solutions
Schütz Packaging Systems , one of the world ’ s leading manufacturers of rigid packaging systems for bulk goods , offers unique solutions in the field of aseptic fillings . The company is taking things to the next level when it comes to safety and cleanliness and is expanding its range of applications to ensure even greater sustainability . Its new Ecobulk Foodcert + Aseptic IBC fully meets the strict requirements of both the food and pharmaceuticals industries and has UN approval . As well as effectively excluding contamination risks along the entire supply chain , the IBC extends the shelf-life of the filling products and ensures consistent quality from filling right through to emptying . The benefits have been achieved by including a special component in this IBC model ; an integrated liner which is certified in accordance with the FSSC 22000 industry standard that guarantees the highest food safety . Constructed from high quality LDPE film , the liner unfolds and aligns itself automatically in the inner bottle during the filling process . This guards against leaks , ensures the highest levels of cleanliness and has an EVOH permeation barrier against oxygen . The gradual unfolding of the liner also minimises contact between the filling product and ambient atmosphere , resulting in 99 percent less exposure to oxygen than in a standard IBC . The Ecobulk Foodcert + Aseptic can be filled and emptied on all conventional lines , under aseptic conditions .
Risk reduction
In order to rule out microbial contamination and create a sterile state , Schütz ’ s special integrated liner and valves are sterilised by gamma radiation with an average dose of at least 1.5 kGray . The inner bottle of the IBC also forms a highly effective , independent barrier against leakage , which still works even if the liner is damaged , offering a double layer of protection . For maximum safety , cleanliness and ease of use , the IBC is delivered ready to fill . The packaging does not require additional steam sterilisation of the inner bottle or time-consuming inliner assembly , saving both time and money . Another advantage offered by the Foodcert + Aseptic is that it reduces the risk of accidental contamination caused by product residues . Filling into the integrated liner minimises the general risk of contamination and there is no risk of highly sensitive filling product coming into contact with
The Schütz Ecobulk Foodcert + Aseptic IBC fully meets strict requirements of the food and pharmaceuticals industries and has UN approval
condensate , which can form inside the inner bottle . The liner ’ s oxygen barrier provides additional protection against oxidisation , vitamin depletion and microbial contamination and unlike other container types , there is no need for nitrogen blanketing .
Easy handling
From filling to discharge , the Ecobulk Foodcert + Aseptic offers easy handling for the user . It can be filled via the IBC ’ s standard outlet or from above via a filler nozzle , which is attached to the liner and can be fitted to different bungs as required . Both the outlet fitting and the bung used at the filler nozzle can be steam sterilised . The integrated liner unfolds independently as it is filled and the air in the inner bottle is vented by opening the screw cap . The container can also be filled from above using the filling nozzle in the liner , if preferred . Emptying the container is just as easy and as a rule is done gravimetrically and safely through the outlet valve , with very little residue . For more viscous products , the cap nut can be loosened and the liner and outlet valve can be pulled out of the container to ensure that it is completely empty . Once the IBC has been emptied , the Schütz Ticket Service with its worldwide network , provides a fast and administrative-free collection service and then reconditions both the IBC and inner bottle using an environmentally-friendly process , giving this innovative system unrivalled economic and ecological benefits .
On show
There is currently a high demand for cold-aseptic processes amongst food and beverage manufacturers . A number of other systems which aid the aseptic filling process and ensure easy transport will be on show at Anuga Foodtec 2018 and are sure to be a focal point of the exhibition . The trade fair runs from 20-23 March 2018 at Koelnmesse , Cologne , Germany . www . anugafoodtec . com www . schuetz-packaging . net
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Hoyer is expanding the area of activity of the recently founded joint venture H & H Foodlog with locations in Bulgaria and Hungary . The joint venture has been active in the liquid foodstuffs transport market in Germany since November 2017 , and combines the strengths of Hoyer and H & S to enable an optimum response to market requirements . Hoyer provides 49 percent of the shares in H & H Foodlog , with H & S Group holding 51 percent . The Foodlog operations of Hoyer in Bulgaria and Hungary were transferred to H & H Foodlog as of 31 December 2017 . This was a logical step to expand the co-operation that already exists with H & S , to pool resources and know-how , and to strengthen the pan-European network of the two companies , both with long traditions on the market .
Adwin Verhoeks , managing director of H & H Foodlog , said : “ We have already achieved a great deal in the first two months since the founding of H & H Foodlog . We look forward to further expansion of the co-operation .” While Hoyer CEO Ortwin Nast added : “ We are very pleased with the first results initially obtained . We are confident we have taken the right decision for a positive development of the liquid foodstuffs transport business .” Hoyer Hungária Kft . and Hoyer Bulgaria EOOD have been 100 percent integrated into H & H Foodlog . www . hoyer-group . com
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Sustainability and environmental management play an important role in the food industry . Nevertheless , regardless of how efficiently the machines work and how resource-friendly they produce , at the end of the day manufacturers are still faced with a question : what to do with waste materials that are left over ? Anuga FoodTec , which takes place on 20-23 March in Cologne , Germany , holds answers in store for visitors . Upcycling strategies and innovative methods for the recovery of materials from industrial by-products is the focus of the international industry meeting point . Added value gained from waste products holds enormous potential for food manufacturers . On the one hand , upcycling of by-products that arise in partly large volumes while processing vegetable and animal-based raw materials is resource-friendly and ecological . On the other hand , the biomass contains a multitude of substances that can be implemented as ingredients for new foodstuffs . Modern machinery and innovative methods for the recovery and upgrading of by-products are of particular interest here .
From waste to food
The initial starting point of every upcycling strategy is always the homogeneous separation of the arising vegetable and animal-based secondary raw materials . Whey is a prime example of successful
Anuga FoodTec ( 20-23 March , Cologne ) will exhibit the latest in food production and handling technology
upcycling . The former waste product that arises in large volumes during the production of curd cheese and cheese is turned into coveted ‘ superfoods ’ that no longer just create added value in fitness studios . Thanks to its protein , vitamin and mineral content , the popular ingredient is in the meantime added to puddings , drinks and smoothies - and it is also implemented as a demineralised concentrate in baby food . Numerous exhibitors at Anuga FoodTec will be presenting a spectrum of established technologies for the isolation of whey components and for the further processing of the recovered ingredients into liquid and powder products . The outlook of Anuga FoodTec demonstrates that like recycling , upcycling - the transformation of industrial by-products into important substances - has firmly established itself in the industrial environment of food production . www . anugafoodtec . com