Guide to Food Processing Industry News and Trends

The food processing industry depends on trends and new techniques to stay fresh

By Sherril Steele-Carlin, Freelance Writer

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Uncover food processing business and machinery innovations and techniques at news sites

In the always moving business of food processing companies, news on new equipment and processing techniques can give you the upper hand in the food processing plant. These innovations and developments can be hard to find, but not if you know some of the best news sites to check every day.

I recommend: FoodProductionDaily provides daily news updates on the food processing industry, including innovations in machinery and production techniques. They offer frequent newsletters and subscription services, too. The ThomasNet Industrial Newsroom® serves up food processing technology and machinery news and solutions.

Read educational reports and white papers to stay ahead of the food and beverage processing game

What's new in sanitation, packaging, and food production in commercial food processing? Educational reports and white papers can get you on the fast track to developing everything from new food products to designing the best, most efficient food processing conveyor system, and they are easy to access online.

I recommend: The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources offers reports on everything from specialty cheeses to produce safety and developing a winery. Food Processing offers a comprehensive set of white papers on just about every aspect of the food processing business.

Subscribe to industry publications to learn about food industry process and design

Some of the best industrial food processing equipment technologies and innovations are reported first in respected industry journals and publications. Subscribe to some of the best to help keep your food and beverage processing business ahead of your competition, and on top of the newest rages like organics and heart-healthy products.

I recommend: The Journal of Food Processing and Preservation offers monthly issues on just about every aspect of the food processing industry. The Journal of Food Composition and Analysis offers scientific and nutritional analysis and discussion of food, food products and food development.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The food processing industry is dynamic and fast-paced. Develop new food products with the help of news and trends, and investigate technologies like robotics and flash freezing to improve your machinery costs and bottom line. Investigate new suppliers too, to help attract specialty food shoppers who are looking for organic foods, non-modified foods, and fewer additives and more nutrition in the foods they serve their families every day.

Guide to Food Processing Industry

Equip your food processing plant with the proper machinery

By Andrea Townsley, Owner, Keystone Writing Services

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a food processing machine for your specialty

Decide if you want any humans working in your plant or if you want the entire operation to be automated. This choice depends largely on the type of food you're making, but rest assured, there are machines for every want and need out there.

I recommend: Search through a huge selection of processing machinery at CFS. From battering to freezing to forming to cooking, they have it all. Aaron Equipment is your one-stop shop for used food processing technology.

Use a food processing conveyor to speed up the process

A conveyor system is the most efficient way to get your product from one machine to the next. If your system if fully automated, this is the only way to go.

I recommend: Get a custom-made system from A&B Process Systems that cuts, cubes and conveys your product, with three different conveyor belts to choose from. Meyer Industries offers a range of conveyors that are sure to fit your needs.

Locate other industrial food processing equipment

To ensure that you're only selling your best products, you'll need a few other types of equipment. Machines that randomly inspect your product will pick up on any errors and allow you to make adjustments accordingly. Flash freezing is the most economic way to properly freeze your food before it goes to the packaging department.

I recommend: Conduct quality assurance with all kinds of inspection equipment from S+S Separation and Sorting Technology. If your plant needs to flash freeze your products, check out the blast freezers at International Freezing Systems.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider working in beverage processing if you haven't opened your plant yet. This type of processing involves purifying water or enhancing the color, smell and flavor of sodas and juices.

Guide to Supplies for the Food Processing Industry

Locate the right food processing supplies for your food processing specialty

By Sherril Steele-Carlin, Freelance Writer

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The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider adding organics or heart-healthy lines to your food industry process

You can create organic food products with organic supplies from manufacturers around the country, or you can add organic ingredients to your existing food products. Today's consumers are all about health and freshness, so locate the ingredients you need to make your products healthier to keep your customers happier.

I recommend: If your commercial food processing plant uses gums as stabilizers, consider TIC Gums line of TICorganic® Certified Organic gum systems as a replacement for non-organic gums you already use. Marroquin International offers organic commodities in a number of food processing supply needs, including organic dairy items.

Create new beverage processing or sports drinks for healthy consumers

Consider adding beverage processing to your product line if you want to create new products and bring in more customers. Fruit and juice products are especially popular, and a number of distributors offer concentrates and other mixtures that will create more dollars in your bottom line.

I recommend: Use the well known name of Kerr Concentrates for tasty concentrates as a base for your beverage. Cognis offers a variety of nutritional additives, like anti-oxidants, that can bump up the nutritional and health values of your new beverages.

Pick suppliers you know and trust that sell in bulk to help cut food processing costs

Commercial food processors know they get the best deals on supplies for food processing industry and food processing machinery from big suppliers that offer wholesale prices and discounts for bulk purchases. Look close to home for local suppliers that may give discounts to other local businesses, too. Don't forget about packaging and food process machinery supplies, like cleaners, packaging, wrapping and labels, too.

I recommend: Hesco offers grains and milled flours in bulk for a variety of commercial food processors and their products. Bunzl Distribution is a worldwide company that specializes in food packaging and distribution solutions and supplies.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you don't want to spend the time and money developing your own food products and food processing technology, work with other food processing companies that have products you're interested in. Perhaps you can distribute or package your products together, or come up with some other innovative ways to combine your ideas and products in a way that enhances both your food processing business operations.

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Additives

Additives used in food processing are chemical substances that improve the appearance, nutritional value and shelf life of products. Pectin, lecithin and ascorbic acid are some examples of additives that help maintain food flavor and consistency.

I recommend: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration features a guide to additives, how they're approved for safe use and their applications. Nutrition Data also provides an extensive list of food additives and their roles in food processing.

Emulsifier

An emulsifier is a substance used to mix food components that are normally incompatible, such as oil and water. Examples of food products that contain emulsifiers include mayonnaise and cooking sauces.

I recommend: Food Additives World gives information on emulsifiers and how they fit into food processing. Norchem Industries presents the features and benefits of using emulsification equipment.

Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)

Modified atmosphere packaging, or MAP processing, uses gas technology to preserve the shelf life of foods by reducing mold growth. Vacuum sealing is one example of food packaging that is created under MAP conditions.

I recommend: Learn about how modified atmosphere packaging benefits meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables at Coextruded Plastic Technologies.

Food irradiation

Food irradiation involves the use of gamma rays, X-rays or electron beams to kill bacteria and parasites that cause food borne illnesses.

I recommend: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes in detail the food irradiation process. Iowa State University Extension also provides an overview of food irradiation.

Fluid bed drying

Fluid bed drying uses heated and cooled air to dry food particles like grains, powders and animal feed. Manufacturers feed fluid bed dryers in batches or in a continuous process.

I recommend: Glatt explains the advantages and operation principles of fluid bed dryers. The site also presents the features and differences between batch and continuous fluid bed dryers.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspects items and facilities such as cosmetics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, food and food processing plants to ensure public safety. The agency also researches the health and medical effectiveness of foods and medicines.

I recommend: Search for the FDA/Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition’s guidance documents and other industry resources.