Design Of Food Processing Equipment Research Articles

Properties of isomaltulose (Palatinose®) – An emerging healthy carbohydrate: Effect of temperature and solute concentration

Isomaltulose (Palatinose®) is an emerging low glycemic and low insulinemic carbohydrate with several health benefits. Therefore, data about the properties (solubility (IS), density (ρ), specific heat capacity (cp), thermal conductivity (λ), and dynamic viscosity (µ)) of isomaltulose solutions in a wide range of temperature and concentrations are scarce. The influence of the temperature and solute concentration was evaluated by fitting empirical equations commonly applied for carbohydrate solutions to the experimental data. The generic polynomial model concerning the significant variables predicted the experimental values with good accuracy (R2 > 0.99; p < 3.91%). The µ showed an Arrhenius exponential-type behavior (R2 > 0.97; p < 8.02%). IS increase with temperature (T). The ρ and µ increased with isomaltulose concentrations (IC) and decreased with T. The cp and λ increased with T and decreased with IC. The availability of these properties covers a lack of data for the effective design of food processing equipment and unit operations such as osmotic dehydration, pumping, and pasteurization.

Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation as affected by stainless steel surface topography and coating composition

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) biofilm formation on food-contact surfaces is a significant food safety concern. However, research on the ability of contact surfaces to resist fouling by L. monocytogenes biofilm is limited. With the objective of assessing the combined effects of substrate topography and coating composition on L. monocytogenes biofilm formation, we used stainless steel 304 with three surface topographies (native finish, #4 commercial brushed finish, and native finish with microfabricated pillars developed by a new process), in each case either uncoated or coated with one of five FDA-approved food-contact substances (chromium nitride, titanium nitride, Dursan, Ni–P-polytetrafluoroethylene (Ni–P-PTFE), and Lectrofluor 641). Results indicate that surface topography and composition significantly affected fouling resistance. Significant enhancement of resistance to L. monocytogenes fouling was observed on native finish coated by Ni–P-PTFE, which reduced L. monocytogenes by 1.5 Log CFU/cm2. Coating the brushed finish with Ni–P-PTFE, Lectrofluor 641, or Dursan reduced L. monocytogenes fouling by 0.5, 0.4, and 0.9 Log CFU/cm2, respectively. The greatest reductions in L. monocytogenes biofilm formation were obtained with Dursan coated on the native finish (3.4 Log CFU/cm2) and on the micropillar-modified native finish (2.8 Log CFU/cm2). The combined variation of substrate topography modification and coating composition provides a new approach to enhance fouling resistance of stainless steel against L. monocytogenes biofilm for improved sanitary design of food processing equipment.

Physical properties of selected groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) varieties and its implication to mechanical handling and processing

The physical properties of agricultural materials are functional in solving many glitches associated with machine design during handling and mechanical processing. Physical properties of five groundnut varieties (“Obolo”, “Yenyawoso”, “CRI Nkatie”, “Agbeyeyie” and “Pion”) and their relations to the design of food processing equipment were studied. Obolo variety recorded the maximum axial dimensions, 1000 mass grain, angle of repose, unit volume, and porosity. However, the values of bulk and true densities for Obolo variety were minimal compared with the other four varieties. Data for the angle of repose for the groundnut varieties were 17.74° (Yenyawoso), 18.02° (Pion), 18.73° (Agbeyeyie), 18.71° (Cri-Nkatie), and 18.89° (Obolo). The porosity of the kernels ranged from 21.97 to 24.54%. The mean greatest porosity was found in Obolo (24.54%), followed by Yenyawoso (24.38%), while Agbeyeyie recorded the least mean porosity of 21.97%. The coefficient of friction was greater for the galvanized steel surface than the other experimental surfaces for all the groundnut varieties studied. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed varietal differences among some means of the physical attributes at p < 0.05. Except for the angle of repose, the geometric, gravimetric and frictional properties showed some significant differences at p < 0.05. Obolo variety was statistically different compared with the other four varieties for all the parameters studied. In selecting or designing equipment for processing, Obolo variety will require separate equipment different from that of the other four varieties. Additionally, the study provides pertinent data for use in the selection and designing of machines for processing groundnut kernels. Key words: Postharvest processing equipment, geometric mean diameter, bulk density, frictional properties, groundnut kernels, angle of repose.

Hygienic design of food processing lines to mitigate the risk of bacterial food contamination with respect to environmental concerns

Abstract Public authorities, chain stakeholders and consumers are all concerned by microbial food safety. Microbiological hazards are one of the most common causes of food poisoning that has been considered for many years but still on the track nowadays considering the recent foodborne disease outbreaks largely reported by the media. Microbial contamination origins are diverse from the field to the plate e.g. soil, air, equipment surfaces, packaging material and staff. Firstly, this article highlights the ways in which the choice of materials plays a major role in surface hygiene. Hydrodynamic conditions directly linked to the equipment geometry are focused on, as is the role played by surfaces in contact with air in surface drying. Surface environmental conditions during processing or cleaning are discussed and new proposals described. Better knowledge of surface contamination and cleaning mechanisms would positively impact hygienic design principles, thereby mitigating any environmental impact of the cleaning operations in the food and beverage industries: new strategies are therefore proposed. Industrial relevance Hygienic design of food processing equipment is nowadays considered to be mandatory in the reduction of the risk microbial food contamination. The presentation of potential roles of materials on the remaining bacterial soil, after soiling and cleaning, provide new insights when envisaging any hygienic improvements. Equipment design plays a major role in contamination trapping or in the ease of removal via the flow arrangements, notably during cleaning and rinsing operations. More detailed knowledge of the flow mechanical actions combined with the unavoidable chemical action of the detergents would allow industries to go further in enhancing certain “good” phenomena, such as pulsed flow conditions. Last but not least are those possibilities offered by a hygienically designed processing line, in the quest for environmental impact mitigation of cleaning operations i.e. drinking water and energy reductions, or the use of new “green” mild detergents.

Guiding Criteria for Hygienic Design of Food Industry Equipment

AbstractEquipment design for food industry should consider, in addition to performance, cost and quality requirements, further aspects regarding to hygiene and food safety. This paper discusses how information associated with hygiene aspects can be used as orientation criteria for equipment design for food industry. The study was based on specialized literature and national and international standards to establish valuation criteria for hygienic design. Eighty‐five criteria were established, grouped into six orientation classes, as follows: processes, materials, geometry, accessories, sealing and others. The criteria were validated through their application in a company which produces concentrated fruit juice, demonstrating how problems could have been avoided by using this valuation method.Practical ApplicationsThis work provides a contribution to food industry equipment in order to understand how to identify, classify and store the best practices for hygienic design of food processing equipment. In very specific sectors such as food equipment industry, the knowledge related to the equipment design is usually captured in a tacit manner. This paper provides a reflection on this subject and shows a way to organize this knowledge.

EHEDG in eastern Europe

Since the foundation of EHEDG in 1989, the guidelines of EHEDG have been accepted and applied by the food industry, equipment manufacturers, consultants, test institutes and authorities in all countries in western Europe. Although in 1989 EHEDG was a small organisation, supported by just a few, be it major, players in the food and equipment industry, currently EHEDG has Regional Sections in many western European countries, including Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia, Spain and Switzerland. Some of these Sections exist for quite some time, others have been founded recently and are still under development. The guidelines of EHEDG are also appreciated outside Europe, resulting in a section in Japan and Thailand and the set up of an EHEDG test facility in the USA. Until recently, the only country in eastern Europe with a Regional EHEDG Section, was Poland. Although EHEDG does not make nor intends to make standards, many standards on the design of food processing equipment have been based to a significant extent on the guidelines developed by EHEDG. Often, members of EHEDG Subgroups were also members of the standardisation committees in Europe and elsewhere and helped developing the standards. Not so long ago, food processors had to meet legal requirements that differed between countries and consequently, companies had to manufacture several executions of pumps, valves and many other components, depending on the country of destination. Therefore, having the same guidelines and standards everywhere is of great importance to the food industry and its suppliers. Subgroups of EHEDG develop the guidelines and because the composition of these groups is usually multinational, the language that is used is English. The resulting guidelines therefore too, are in English. One of the main reasons for regional sections is the translation of the guidelines into local languages, recognising that those who need to apply the guidelines often have not the command of English to fully understand them. In addition, there is a need for training and education in hygienic food manufacturing and in designing hygienic machinery in local languages, which is not readily available. Half of the European population lives in the eastern part, where traditionally the command of English is less than in western Europe, for the simple reason that in the time of the Soviet Union, not English but Russian was the language of communication between countries. To make EHEDG guidelines and training material accessible to the eastern countries, in 2007 the executive committee of EHEDG decided to start activities, aimed at the creation of Regional Sections in more of the eastern countries. Another reason is that participation of eastern countries in EHEDG may offer significant benefits to EHEDG. During recent visits to food factories in eastern Europe, it became evident that the level of hygiene in many food factories in eastern Europe is at least at the same level as in western Europe and in several cases possibly even at a higher level. It certainly applies to some slaughterhouses in Serbia and a very large beer factory in Kiev. It is with great interest that I look forward to seeing more food factories in the eastern part of Europe.

Passivation of stainless steel

This paper, the 18th in a series of articles on the hygienic design of food processing equipment published in TIFS, introduces the first joint EHEDG/3-A Update article in the series, a set of guidelines for the hygienic passivation of stainless steel surfaces intended for food-contact use. These guidelines have been prepared on behalf of the US-based 3-A Steering Committee and the Sanitary Standards Sub-committee of the Dairy Industry/Farm Industry Committee, in addition to the European Hygienic Equipment Design Group (EHEDG).

Local Wall Shear Stress Variations Predicted by Computational Fluid Dynamics for Hygienic Design

Food producers depend to a great extent on the availability of easy-to-clean processing equipment. This paper presents initial work carried out to improve the application of commercially available computational fluid dynamics (CFD) programs as a tool to improve hygienic design of food processing equipment. In the present paper, previous work on using CFD to improve hygienic design are combined with work that shows the importance of measured local mean wall shear stresses and the fluctuations in these wall shear stresses with respect to cleaning effects of the flow. Results of wall shear stress and the fluctuations acquired by the measuring technique are difficult to apply directly for actual design optimization. Instead, steady-state CFD simulations using STAR-CD were applied to predict the fluctuation of equivalent mean wall shear stresses on the entire surface of pipes with various diameter changes (gradual and sudden expansions or contractions). Measured fluctuation rates of wall shear stress are shown to be analogous to the turbulence intensity in the near-wall region predicted by CFD simulations. The results are promising; hence, an important step has been taken towards setting up a method for evaluating cleanability by steady-state CFD simulations based on evaluation of the mean wall shear stresses and the turbulence intensity.

A method for assessing the bacterial retention ability of hydrophobic membrane filters

This paper is the 19th in a series of articles on the hygienic design of food processing equipment. It is based on a report prepared by the Test Methods Subgroup of the European Hygienic Equipment Design Group (EHEDG). A method for validating the bacterial retention ability of sterilizing grade hydrophobic membrane filters is described. The procedure was developed at The TNO Nutrition and Food Research Institute, Zeist, The Netherlands. The bacterial aerosol challenge test was found to be sufficiently sensitive to determine filter efficiency up to 99.9995% for the types of micro-organisms used. ∗ ∗ Readers requiring further information on the EHEDG are referred to Trends in Food Science & Technology (1992) 3(11), 277.

Passivation of stainless steel

This paper, the 19th in a series of articles on the hygienic design of food processing equipment published in TIFS, introduces the first joint EHEDG/3-A Update article in the series, a set of guidelines for the hygienic passivation of stainless steel surfaces intended for food-contact use. These guidelines have been prepared on behalf of the US-based 3-A Steering Committee and the Sanitary Standards Subcommittee of the Dairy Industry/Farm Industry Committee, in addition to the European Hygienic Equipment Design Group (EHEDG) 2 2 Readers requiring further information on the EHEDG are referred to Trends in Food Science & Technology (1992) Vol. 3(11), p. 277. .