The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA), McLean, Va., surpassed exhibit space for PROCESS EXPO 2019, which took place Oct. 8-11 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.

Here’s a rundown of what new equipment, systems and solutions made their debut at this year’s show:

POULTRY CUTTER & MEAT SAW, LOCK-OUT/TAG-OUT SYSTEM

Hollymatic, Countryside, Ill., rolled out its Defender PC1500 Poultry Cutter, which uses patented, blade-braking technology and a patented electronic braking mechanism that activates and stops the blade within .015 seconds should an operators’ glove or other material come in contact with the machine.

Hollymatic also introduced its new Hi-Yield 14-inch meat saw, which provides a space-saving compact footprint for supermarkets, butcher shops and processors alike. With swing-open construction, cleaning and blade changing is a breeze. Stainless-steel upper and lower wheels come standard and can be easily removed for faster cleaning. The 1-piece frame design improves sanitation and provides rigidity for added strength. Peaked upper housing helps prevent water damage, and double-flanged wheels provide blade retention and tracking. The new saw also features safety interlocked doors.

Also new is the LOTOS (lock-out, tag-out system), which replaces standard disconnect operations on processing equipment. This safety-centric system works with any piece of equipment from 200-500 volts. LOTOS senses energy forces connected through the system to the piece of equipment. This could be hydraulic, pneumatic, electric or any extra motion caused from equipment operation. Once the LOTOS senses all energy sources have dissipated, the system allows operating personnel to press the unlock push button, turn the on/off handle and lock out/tag out the machine. LOTOS alerts operators to dangerous forces and motion through a series of LED lights.

Hollymatic
708-579-3700
www.hollymatic.com

HYDRAULIC & ELECTRIC FOOD FORMING SYSTEM

Nutec, New Lenox, Ill., exhibited its 745H Hydraulic Food Forming System as well as its 745E Electric Food Forming System. Both offer high productivity in a small footprint while providing accurate weight control and quick tooling changes. Both systems also provide rapid changeover while processing formed products like beef, pork, poultry, fish, veal, lamb or vegetables. The 745H and 745E Forming Systems are USDA and Agriculture Canada-approved, are hose-proof for easy washdown and boast an intelligent design that enables heavy parts on the machine to simply swing out of the way for speedy cleanup.

The 745H Food Forming System features a rotary vane pump feed design that gently portions up to 3,600 pounds of product per hour with minimal product working. A rotating spiral gently moves product toward the rotor. The vane pump feeds directly to the mold plate cavity without product back flow or bridging.

The 745E System is 100% electric, and is said to use 50% less electricity than other machines its size. It also uses 0% hydraulic oil with reduced “wear items” by 50%. The 745E Food Forming System portions up to 4,500 pounds per hour. A 100% servo design reduces the number of moving parts and improves routine maintenance.

Nutec Manufacturing
815-722-2800
www.nutecmfg.com

AUTOMATIC VACUUM PACKAGING MACHINE

Rollstock, Kansas City, Mo., introduced its RM-100 fully automatic Rollstock vacuum packaging machine.

The RM-100 Rollstock Machine is available in 420 mm and 459 mm widths. Cut-offs are available from 200-240 mm. The RM-100 features programmable PLC controls with readable diagnostics and a vacuum leak check program. The chain system is guided, and an auto tensioning system reduces stretch and wear. Dies are manufactured in Rollstock’s facility from solid aluminum block and lifted by a triple knee lever system, driven by a 4-inch air cylinder with variable height control.

Rollstock
800-295-2949
www.rollstock.com

INLINE SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING, ANALYZING, DOCUMENT CLEANING & SANITATION CHEMISTRIES

Hydrite Chemical Co., Brookfield, Wis., displayed its line of food processing technology solutions featuring Hydri-Vision, a patent-pending inline system for collecting, analyzing and documenting parameters of cleaning, sanitation and intervention chemistries. 

Hydrite also showcased its HydriPet line of pet food sanitation products. 

Hydrite Chemical Co.
262-792-1450
www.hydrite.com

SANITARY PUMPS

NETZSCH Pumps North America, LLC, Exton, Pa., highlighted its sanitary pumps ideal for a wide range of food applications.

For example, the revolutionary T.SANO rotary lobe pump is a compact, service-friendly design featuring the FSIP (full-service-in-place) design. The TORNADO T.SANO has a smooth, flat profile rotor specifically developed to meet the process industry requirements. Self-priming and valve-less, the TORNADO T.SANO is ideal for any kind of liquid, including media containing gas, solids or fibrous matter. It can be used in intermittent, continuous or metering applications. 

The NEMO BY Sanitary Prime pump is an FDA-compliant solution for sensitive, abrasive and high viscosity pumping needs. From low viscosity media to products barely capable of flowing, with or without solid content, shear-sensitive, sticky or abrasive, the NEMO BY Sanitary Prime pump conveys even difficult substance gently and with low pulsation. It is ideal for pet food, high acids, high sugars and low water content, as well as raw materials before being processed.

Also on display was the NEMO BH Sanitary Advanced pump, ideal for meats, dairy products and products requiring gentle handling and/or high viscosity, as well as clean-in-place (CIP) processes. They also meet 3A standard requirements and can be disassembled quickly for easy cleaning.

The NEMO BH Sanitary Advanced Plus pump meets the strictest hygienic standards, and can be used when CIP time needs to be minimized. This pump is ideal for high-risk products, liquid eggs, white mass, cultures and low-acid pasteurized or protein products.

The NEMO BO Sanitary Prime Open Hopper pump is an FDA-compliant pump for non-free-flowing applications. Designed with an integrated auger that forces non-flowing product into the pumping area, the NEMO BO Sanitary Prime Hopper pump is ideal for raw material handling, fruits, vegetables, meat emulsions and sticky products.  

NETZSCH Pumps North America, LLC.
610-363-8010
https://pumps.netzsch.com

FOOD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

Heat and Control, Inc., Hayward, Calif., showcased a number of food processing equipment.

The Spray Dynamics Coating Drum, which Heat and Control purchased in 2011, provides variable tilt frame assembly, while the product flight design exposes each piece of product to liquid and dry coating applications. The sanitary operation allows for simple cleaning in dairy and other process-specific applications. 

The FastBack Revolution Seasoning System is an on-machine seasoning application that combines the superior seasoning performance of the patented AccuFlavor Tumble Drum, the efficiency of the Modular Dust Collection System and the advanced FastBack Model 260E-G3 into one compact, standalone unit designed to overcome seasoning challenges at the weigher.

Ishida CCW-RV Series Multihead Weighers feature sloped self-draining surfaces to prevent bacteria traps and simplified sanitation. Models for fresh and frozen foods feature automatic setup, fast product delivery and wireless operation.

Heat and Control, Inc.
800-227-5980
www.heatandcontrol.com

INGREDIENT SOURCING SYSTEM FOR FARMERS

The new SureTrack PRO ingredient sourcing system from AGI SureTrack, Archie, Mo., enables processors to easily source quality grain, corn, soybeans, barley, wheat and other commodities that meets their exact specifications, including monitoring inventories and tracking deliveries to ensure that plants are always up and running.

The system digitally connects processors, merchandisers and grain buyers with farmers to simplify the process of sourcing and managing grain used in food and beverage production, pet food manufacturing and restaurant operations.

SureTrack PRO works in conjunction with SureTrack FARM, an online solution that allows farmers to provide a traceable product and establish contracts directly with processors and merchandisers to ensure confidence in the purchasing process, including seed selection, improved crop growth, grain storage management and marketing grain.

AGI SureTrack
855-293-5607
www.suretrackpro.com

TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS MEAT COMPANIES TO MORE EFFECTIVELY UTILIZE HPP FOOD SAFETY BENEFITS

JBTAvure, Chicago, acquired a new high-pressure processing (HPP) meat technology that retains the natural appearance and texture for fresh ground meat.

Pending USDA approval, this technology is slated to expand to whole muscle beef, as well as poultry and pork in the future.

JBTAvure
312-861-5900
www.jbtc.com

MIXER SOLUTIONS

HOLLOWAY AMERICA, Springfield, Mo., exhibited its custom design, engineering, fabrication and service solutions for the food, dairy and beverage industries, including the new FusionDrive Mixer, which will hit the market later this year.

HOLLOWAY AMERICA
866-659-0077
www.hollowayamerica.com

100% OIL-FREE VACUUM PUMP

Leybold North America, Export, Pa., released the NOVADRY, what is said to be the first 100% oil-free vacuum pump for the food industry. The new oil-free screw vacuum pump is 100% dry following hygienic criteria. This increases safety in applications such as tumbling, filling, vacuum packaging and thermoforming. Plus, the NOVADRY is air-cooled, making it suitable for simple applications that emit low amounts of humidity, such as packaging of cold products. The pump is also suited for more demanding processes with large amounts of water vapor, such as hot meals with high temperatures needing to be quickly cooled down by evaporative cooling.

Leybold also showcased its DRYVAC FP and SCREWLINE pumps. The DRYVAC FP, featuring a hygienic stainless-steel design, is a rugged, dry screw vacuum pump with excellent energy efficiency. Compactness and low noise levels enable installation directly on the production floor. The SCREWLINE is a robust dry screw pump for the harshest of food processing applications. These pumps enable simple disassembly of the pump chamber for on-site cleanability.

Leybold North America
724-327-5700
www.leybold.com