Ribbon blenders, paddle mixers and other types of mixers are integral to an ingredient system. With proper maintenance, these mixers can last for decades. Without proper maintenance, they may wear out prematurely. Setting aside time regularly to perform ingredient system mixer maintenance can save you thousands in the long run. Keep these mixer maintenance tips…
A powder feeder can improve your system efficiency by metering the right amount of materials from the ingredient source—such as a bulk bag or another container—into a mixer or another downstream process. Many ingredients can be challenging to work with, and knowing how to customize your powder feeder can prevent flow problems like clogging, flushing…
Capacitive load cells are relatively new to the weighing world, compared to strain gauge load cells, which have been used for decades to measure weight through piezoresistivity. Capacitive load cells use electric charge to measure weight. This, and other important differences, give capacitive load cells several advantages over traditional strain gauge load cells. Knowing how…
Lot traceability is essential for consumer safety. While it’s impossible to prevent food safety hazards 100% of the time, lot traceability allows manufacturers and distributors to stop the spread of contamination when it occurs, and prevent more customers from accessing the contaminated goods. Common lot traceability problems in storage, processing, and distribution can make it…
When your food processing equipment works at optimal speed and efficiency, every part of your plant runs better. Choosing the right food processing equipment manufacturer is the first step to implementing the best possible equipment. Consider the following when choosing your supplier and you can reduce repairs, maintenance, and hazards. How to Choose a Food…
The Food Safety and Modernization Act has set a higher standard for reducing contamination in food and dangers to consumers. Automation has helped to improve FSMA compliance by increasing accuracy and consistency in food processing. Automation allows you to streamline processes and remove human error to make FSMA compliance simpler and more accurate. With some…
A hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) assessment is an essential part of food safety at every level. The Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) made HACCP assessments and plans more stringent for food manufacturers and processors, with the goal of reducing risk and improving food safety. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how…
Good manufacturing practices (GMP) help to reduce risk and prevent illness and injury throughout the supply chain. CFR Title 21 Part 110 lays out GMP for food safety in manufacturing, covering a range of activities from packaging to processing to storage and more. In some areas, the document provides explicit instructions about GMP. Other areas…
A variety of bacteria and viruses, including Norovirus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, E. coli, and Campylobacter, among others, can infect food, causing thousands of illnesses and deaths every year. These pathogens can hide in many different materials, usually originating from infected water or soil. The sheer volume of ingredients and finished products that food processors and…
