Friday, November 26, 2021

Equipment Used For Food Processing | Alaqua Inc


Modern food processing equipment includes a vast range of machinery, systems such as distillation equipment, crystallizers, evaporator system, etc., and components for handling, cooking, preparing, storing, and packaging processed meals. Even while food processing equipment is primarily used to improve the palatability and digestibility of food while also extending its shelf life, various types of food processing equipment are also utilized to serve ancillary purposes. Preparation, packing, and handling of processed goods from one end of a food processing plant to the other are examples of these.

The global market for food processing and handling equipment was assessed at $137.2 billion in 2019. By 2025, the market is predicted to reach $196.6 billion, with a CAGR of 6.2 percent. The food processing industry's various processing technological breakthroughs, as well as the industry's continued rise in demand, are likely to propel the industry's expansion even further in the future years. The growth of the equipment market will be supported by the rise of food production in emerging economies.

The uses of the food processing equipment services manufacturing cycle may be divided into many stages. These are distinguished by unique duties that will be carried out during the execution of individual unit activities. The primary function of the preparation step, for example, is to prepare the food for subsequent processing. Washing and separating are two of the unit actions conducted during this step.

Secondary functions that assist the core function of the food production cycle may also be found throughout the food preparation phase. System control procedures that ensure that the required processing standards are met, as well as material handling systems that transport food materials between the various process stations, are some examples of the same.

Preparation, Mechanical Processing, Heat Processing, Preservation, Packaging, and Material Handling are only a few of the most prevalent purposes by which the equipment used in food processing may be categorized.

Equipment for Food Preparation

Within the food processing production cycle, there are early preparation activities that focus on preparing raw food resources for future procedures. Separation of the desired material from low quality or unacceptable material is a common food processing method utilized at this step. Manufacturers will be in a better position to create uniform, high-quality food while removing any extraneous matter, pollutants, or pathogenic microbes that might deteriorate or damage the food or equipment, or cause food-borne diseases. Cleaning, sorting, grading, and peeling are examples of raw material preparation processing.

  • Cleaning - This procedure involves either wet or dry cleaning to remove foreign matter and impurities from the surface of the raw material. Flotation tanks, spray washers, sterilizers, and ultrasonic cleaners are all part of the wet cleaning process. Air classifiers, magnetic separators, and screen separators are among the dry process's components.

  • Sorting and Grading - This determines the overall quality of the food by assessing numerous qualities such as damage, color, fragrance, flavor, and so on. Tungsten lamps (candlelight) and a variety of different image processors were employed in the processing.

  • Peeling - It eliminates any inedible or unpleasant material from the finished product, improving its quality and appearance. Some of the food processing methods employed include pressure vessels for flash steam peeling, knife peeling with stationary or revolving blades, abrasive rollers for abrasion peeling or furnaces, and conveyors for flame peeling.

Mechanical Processing Equipment

Mechanical food processing procedures decrease, expand, homogenize, or otherwise alter the physical shape of the foodstuff. This procedure will enhance the efficiency of future processes, improve the quality and edibility of food, and allow for the production of a wider range of food items.

  • Size Reduction - Shearing, compression, or impact force procedures are used to lower the average particle size of solid food matter. Some of the processing technologies utilized include grinding, pressure, or attrition mills, roll crushers, band saws, or meat grinders.

  • Size Enlargement - Extrusion or agglomeration techniques will raise the average size of the food components. Extruders with single or twin screws, chilled extruders, agglomeration rotating pans, high-speed agitators, and different molders are employed.

  • Homogenization - Also known as emulsification, is a procedure that decreases average particle size while increasing food consistency. Food processing technology includes emulsifiers, homogenizers, high shear mixers, and colloid mills.

Heat Processing Equipment

Heat exchangers or transfer equipment can guide the heat towards or away from a substance. Heat processing equipment, in particular, has the potential to alter the physical, chemical, biological, and biochemical properties of the final product. These will modify the overall nutritional properties of the food by altering the chemical structure, increasing the flavor, or functioning as a food preservation method by suppressing or eliminating harmful microbes or enzymes that cause spoiling.

  • Roasting/Baking - This process causes physical and chemical changes in the food and aids in food preservation. It may be used to make bread, crackers, biscuits, and other flour and dough-based foods. Continuous or semi-continuous ovens, baking ovens, and breach ovens are employed.

  • Blanching - To minimize the number of pathogenic bacteria and inactivate unwanted enzymes that might lead to spoiling, steam or hot water is utilized. Blanching cleans, softens, and improves the overall quality of the product. Blanching can be done using either steam or hot water blanchers for fruits and vegetables.

  • Dehydration - To extend the shelf life of food goods, heat is employed to evaporate the water. In addition, the final food product's weight and volume are reduced. Dehydration is accomplished by the use of convective, conductive, vacuum, or freeze dryers.

  • Pasteurization - Using medium-heat temperatures (158-212°F) to process food material inactivates most enzymes and bacteria, preventing spoiling. Pasteurization gives items a short shelf life while maintaining quality and other features. Pasteurizers used in-container or continuous flow pasteurized dairy, wine, beer, egg goods, as well as fruit and vegetable products. Heat exchangers using plates or concentric tubes are also employed.

For diverse food items, processing equipment is employed throughout the food and food processing sectors. There is a vast selection of food processing equipment available; however, not all of it is employed in every facility since distinct industrial subsections choose to use certain types of equipment for their processes and unit operations.

The food processing industries are divided into several categories including alcoholic drinks, products for bakeries and confectioneries, fish and seafood (dairy and non-dairy), fruit, foodstuffs in general, meat and poultry, non-alcoholic drinks, and vegetables.

Alaqua is a processing equipment supplier that also provides installation and commissioning, equipment fabrication, retro-fitting, field, and troubleshooting processing equipment services. They are crystallizer, solvent recovery system, distillation equipment, heat exchanger, and evaporators supplier in the USA for food and beverage, pharmaceutical, chemical, and environmental industries. Contact them today for processing equipment and processing equipment services! For more information visit our site - www.alaquainc.com 


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