VERPACKEN-AKTUELL

Help Meet Retailer Demand for Case-Ready Meat & Poultry

PACK EXPO International 2012

14. September 2012, von Susanna Stock

Triangle Package Machinery's X-Series VFFS Bagger, including the forming tube, is now designed to meet USDA and 3A sanitation standards.

Quelle: PMMI

Not long ago, nearly every grocery store employed a butcher. Today, the retail landscape is changing, and at the heart of this change are advancements in case-ready products distributed by meat and poultry packers. In fact, market analyst The Freedonia Group predicts overall demand for meat, poultry and seafood packaging will grow by 3 percent annually through 2015. Flexible packaging will continue to outpace rigid types, bolstered by good opportunities for high-barrier film and pouches. Added-value features that preserve quality and promote ease of opening will also, along with consumer demand, contribute to growth.

At private-label retailer Trader Joe's for example, refrigerated cases are full of packages of everything from marinated chicken breasts to grill-ready beef and vegetable skewers. Meat and poultry packers will be able to explore all types of technologies that contribute to the production and distribution of case-ready products at Pack Expo International 2012 (October 28-31; McCormick Place, Chicago). This includes everything from pumping and conveying product to packing and labeling it. The following examples are just a glimpse of what to expect in Chicago this fall.

Behind-the-Scenes Efficiency Improvements

Fristam Pumps' FKL series PD pump is designed for high pressures and high viscosities often encountered during meat and poultry processing.

Quelle: PMMI

One trend meat and poultry processors are experiencing is the need for higher throughput. "Processors are being challenged to get more product out of existing equipment," says Sam Raimond, applications engineering supervisor, Fristam Pumps USA (Middleton, WI, Booth #7430). "When throughput is increased, system pressure increases. As a result, process pumps need to have higher pressure capabilities."

To address this, Fristam's FKL series positive displacement pump is designed to be exceptionally robust and is manufactured of 316L stainless steel. "Its heavy-duty construction, which includes large shafts and balanced rotors, allows it to withstand differential pressures up to 500 psi," says Raimond.

"Another current trend is the need to pump highly viscous products, such as mechanically deboned meat," Raimond adds. "To meet this demand, the FKL is offered with vertically mounted, large rectangular inlets. These large rectangular inlets are much less restricted than standard fittings and allow viscous product to enter the pump even when low amounts of inlet pressure are available."

With the steady increase in meat and poultry processing volumes, there has been a corresponding increase in concentrations of wastewater pollutants. Poultry processing in particular uses a relatively large amount of water. Processing one 5-pound, average-size broiler chicken, for example, requires 5 to 10 gallons of water - and turkey processors use considerably more.

"This water is laden with proteins, fats and carbohydrates from meat, fat, blood, skin and feathers," says Steve Hughes, CEO, Lyco Manufacturing Inc. (Columbus, WI; Booth #7336). "The water is also polluted with a fair amount of grit and other inorganic matter.

Double-screen technology for wastewater treatment

Lyco's Double Drum screen uses rotary action to separate waste solids from liquids. The net result is that more solids are screened out of the wastewater.

Quelle: PMMI

"Poultry processors are required to remove the majority of the soluble and particulate organic material in their wastewater prior to discharge from the plant in order to achieve compliance with local, state and federal environmental regulations," says Hughes. "The problem is that few screening systems are really capable of continuously cleaning out all of this material to a level within the standards of municipalities. Further, the vast majority of these are single-screen applications."

With the advent of double-screen technology, processors can capitalize on a much more efficient and cost-effective system for their wastewater treatment. "Lyco's Double Drum screen uses rotary action to separate waste solids from liquids in one step, eliminating the need for two sequential, single-stage screens," says Hughes. "Primary screening takes place when the wastewater enters the inner drum from the inside and screens out solids longer than 0.08 inches. Secondary screening follows as the wastewater passes through the outer drum, screening particles as small as 0.02 inches. The net result is that more solids are screened out of the wastewater."

Harsh elements such as meat byproducts, fat, grease and oil can also make their way onto surfaces inside processing plants, creating a slippery work environment and a safety hazard for employees.

"SlipNOT products can assist with employee safety as well as proper sanitation," says Sarah Johnson, marketing assistant, SlipNOT Metal Safety Flooring (Detroit, MI; Booth #108). "Our stainless steel flooring products are chemical and corrosion resistant, providing a sanitary and slip-resistant surface."

Triangle Package Machinery's X-Series VFFS Bagger, including the forming tube, is now designed to meet USDA and 3A sanitation standards.

Quelle: PMMI

Applications include platforms, crossovers, stair treads, catwalks, mezzanines, drain covers, ladder rungs/covers, flooring and countless others. "Easily cleaned by power washing and a stiff bristle brush, SlipNOT products increase productivity in high-speed meat processing facilities, poultry plants and many other types of food processing facilities."

To help meat and poultry packagers comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act regulations, Triangle Package Machinery Co. (Chicago, IL; Booth #713) designs its X-Series VFFS Baggers, including the forming tube, to meet USDA and 3A sanitation standards.

"This cleaner design is a result of a collaborative effort with our customers, as well as regulators," says explains Bob Williams, vice president of sales & marketing at Triangle. "By focusing on USDA and 3A requirements, we designed critical control points out of the machine and were able to incorporate many sanitary features for a cleaner machine design." These features include a continuously welded, electro-polished frame; stainless steel and dye-filled film rollers and food-grade/wash-down servo motors. "We have also eliminated the use of wire ties," says Williams.

No Bones About It: This Protein is Clear of Foreign Objects

The Thermo Scientific EZx 465 Touchless X-ray machine is ideal for unwrapped products, such as meat, which cannot be passed through shielding curtains due to hygienic concerns.

Quelle: PMMI

Meat and poultry processing creates many byproducts, particularly bone fragments, which have the potential to remain with the product during further processing and packing.

Unlike traditional foreign object X-ray detection systems, the new Thermo Scientific EZx 465 Touchless X-ray from Thermo Fisher Scientific (Minneapolis, MN; Booth #1230) has been engineered without the shielding curtains typically used to block radiation, while still complying with all global safety standards.

"Heavy curtains frequently prevent lightweight meat products from being conveyed through the X-ray chamber, resulting in production line jams and downtime," explains Bob Ries, Thermo Fisher's lead product manager, metal detection and X-ray inspection. "The EZx 465 Touchless X-ray system eliminates shielding curtains by conveying the product through the inspection chamber via a series of small slopes. Additionally, the unit also features an aperture with reduced height to ensure that X-ray scatter does not escape from the system."

Mettler-Toledo's Safeline PowerChek Plus X-ray inspection system was designed to meet the product contamination inspection needs of volume producers of meat products.

Quelle: PMMI

The new line of Dual X Technology from Anritsu Industrial Solutions USA (Elk Grove Village, IL; Booth #7952) analyzes two different X-ray energy signals, allowing it to distinguish between product and contaminant and enabling a higher detection rate of low-density items compared to conventional X-ray technology.

"The Dual X system is optimal for use in the poultry industry and is also well-suited for detecting rubber, stone, bone and other detectable, dense contaminants," says Christopher Young, business development manager at Anritsu.

Mettler-Toledo Safeline (Tampa, FL; Booth #706) its Safeline PowerChek Plus X-ray inspection system was designed specifically to meet the product contamination inspection needs of volume producers of meat products, detecting contaminants including metal, stone, glass and bone. Allen Bradley controls ensure reliable performance and elevated AMI sanitary requirements provide maximum results.

Mettler-Toledo's Safeline PowerPhasePRO electronics software delivers unrivalled levels of detection sensitivity that enables the detection of even difficult-to-find non-magnetic stainless steels.

Quelle: PMMI

Also, the Mettler-Toledo Safeline PowerPhasePRO electronics software delivers unrivalled levels of detection sensitivity that enables the detection of even difficult-to-find non-magnetic stainless steels. PowerPhasePRO metal detectors offer the unique benefit of an advanced change-free running mode that enables multiple products to be run at a single setting, eliminating the need to reset during product changeovers.

Keep Product Moving After Inspection

The new line of Videojet ink jet printers provides a significantly increased maintenance interval along with reduced fluid consumption. Together these improvements result in longer uptime, fewer production interruptions and lower cost of operation.

Quelle: PMMI

Packing and labeling technologies should function at the same rate as the previous processes, says John Fini, vertical marketing manager-food, Videojet Technologies Inc. (Wood Dale, IL; Booth #1534), or the packer might be forced to dispose of unpackaged meat.

"The challenge for the packer is that once the packaging process has started, the production line has to continue. Any extended downtime could risk product safety," he says "Wait too long, and the financial impact could be significant, due to disposing of unpackaged meat."

Clearly, it is critical that packers have the most efficient and reliable coding system in place, the one that functions best on specific packaging materials, in particular flexible packaging. The movement to flexible packaging is continuing, because it allows for highly convenient, eye-catching packaging options, while providing great shelf stability.

"Flexible packaging growth provides great opportunities for improvements in coding technologies to meet new food safety requirements while providing easier-to-read solutions for busy consumers," says Fini. He adds, "Videojet's new DataFlex Plus Thermal Transfer Overprinter (TTO) delivers high-resolution images on flexible packaging, while minimizing downtime and costs associated with ribbon breaks and production changeovers. The system is highly efficient in marking variable information such as date, time, batch code, ingredients, logos and marketing information onto flexible film packaging, labels or glossy cards."

The new generation of continuous inkjet printers allows for even more uptime than previous models, enabling greater productivity and continuous operation for a wide range of coding and marking applications. Today's coding and marking systems are also available in IP-rated versions, for enhanced protection against dust and water, making them ideal for the wash-down environments that exist in meat and poultry applications.

Videojet national account manager Eric Davis adds laser marking systems might be the labeling system of choice. "We have a new system that offers a clear, easily legible, quality laser marking on almost any material, giving a wide range of application options," he says. "The advantages of laser marking systems are high speeds, consistent print quality, printing on extremely small areas and operation in almost any environment."

Food manufacturers see case-ready, chilled prepared foods as an area for growth. These fresh meal solutions, such as fajita kits, chicken nuggets and meatloaf, are appealing to today's not-enough-hours-in-the-day mentality.

"Packaging is often a plastic bag or a chipboard paper box. TTO is a good solution for simple bags, while gusseted and preformed bags are typically coded with inkjet," says Davis. "And chipboard cartons are typically coded with laser or inkjet."

For more information about PACK EXPO International 2012 or to register, visit www.packexpo.com or contact PMMI's Show Department at 703.243.8555 or expo@pmmi.org.

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