Food processing & Packaging

Automation in the food processing industry creates a demand for the regulation and monitoring of air pressure throughout the production process. Closed-loop systems from Proportion-Air deliver customized electronic pressure control for a variety of food processing tasks:

• Controlling pressure to cylinders which produce downward force on cutting machinery
• Removal of oxygen in baking applications that require an air-free environment
• The control of air pressure on automated food frosting equipment
• Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) and package integrity testing
• Precision temperature control of saturated steam

Temperature Issues in Food Production

When food manufacturers cook with steam using a double boiler, the cavity between the inner and outer layer is filled with saturated steam that needs to be controlled. With a process like pasteurizing milk, for example, accuracy is especially critical.

One option is to continually check the temperature via the sensor. This is possible with manual control, but this method permits rising and dipping below the optimal temperature, which is not only effort-intensive but makes optimal food production less consistent. It also tends to wear out the wetted parts of the steam regulator more quickly because of the continual adjusting.

The Proportion-Air product allows you to set a programmable, constant pressure you can maintain without constant adjustment–one level that holds the line. This saves time as well as wear and tear, making the product more reliable as well as more efficient. It’s a bit like the mileage in city traffic vs. mileage on the highway.

Clean-Up Applications

Temperature accuracy is no less important during clean-up in the food manufacturing cycle as the preparation. At chicken processing plants, for example, the water must be a precise temperature to effectively kill bacteria off the waste. As well, this tight control of temperature must be maintained for cleaning-water that is sprayed out using hundreds of pounds of pressure.

Meat Processing Applications

When ground beef manufacturers package the meat into tubes for the consumer, the meat is packed into shrink tunnels to cover the product with plastic, then steam closed and sealed. Precise temperature control is even more crucial with international shipping due to additional regulations.

Also, because saturated steam is used with pre-evisceration carcass wash equipment, temperature control of the wash water is an obviously important part of keeping microbial levels under control.