food Marketing - Technology 3/2024

3/24 

Vol. 38 • 31377 

ISSN 0932-2744 

Cover: The Crailsheim 

Manifesto 

Perfect Chocolate 

without Palm-oil 

Efficient Production 

in Food & Beverages 

Combatting Carton 

Costs

Process improvement is like sailing. 

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achieve more. 

Optimizing processes and maximizing efficiency is important to remain 

competitive. We are the partner that helps you master yield, quality, 

and compliance. With real-time inline insights and close monitoring 

of crucial parameters, we support manufacturers to optimize processes, 

reduce waste, and increase yield. 

Do you want to learn more? 

www.endress.com

Editorial 

Keeping Our Food Safe and Secure 

Food safety is rightly a big topic. Many 

consumers still remember the horse 

meat scandal, of a few years back. We 

all want to be sure that the food we 

eat and give to our families is what it 

is supposed to be and, of course, as 

healthy as possible. We all know that 

accidents may happen and prevention 

is an important part of food security. 

However another more gruesome 

aspect is food crime, that is the 

deliberate threat of malicious attacks, 

or deliberate fraud to gain profit or cut 

corners. 

Global challenges often make it difficult 

for manufacturers. Poor harvests, war, 

weather or even lack of farm workers 

can all be factors which lead to a lack 

of raw materials. Alternatives may 

be available, but not as one-to-one 

replacements. The temptation to 

replace one ingredient with another is 

high. 

A new white paper from the British food 

and drink innovation expert Campden 

BRI has just been published and serves 

as a timely defence against food crime. 

The report “Beating Food Crime“ 

references up to 25% of food safety 

incidents to be down to food fraud. 

These are not all dangerous, since 

many issues are misrepresenting one 

product with a cheaper substitute, but 

can bring huge damage to reputation 

for businesses and brands. The cost to 

the global food and beverage industry 

is estimated at EUR 30 billion every 

year, or approximetly 3.3%. 

Campden BRI provide useful and 

practical tips on how to address and 

manage the threat of food fraud. This 

will improve the chances of reducing 

deliberate and also accidental acts 

which threaten food safety, quality and 

intentional substitution. 

Solutions are largely found through 

testing methods. These can be simple 

or complex but are readily available. 

Food science makes it possible to 

test the provenance of most products, 

either in specialist labs or test centres, 

or with specific tests when suspicions 

are more concrete. 

The most important aspect of food 

testing is traceability. By knowing and 

following your supply chain, it is more 

straightforward to find and eliminate 

Ian Healey 

Editor-in-Chief 

risks. Systematic risk assessments 

and audits are a part of this and a 

meticulous attention to detail in 

documentation is essential. 

Should the worst happen, Campden 

BRI also have tips for crisis 

management. This is all a part of being 

prepared, which is certainly the most 

important part of fighting against food 

crime. Above all, let’s be realistic about 

the threat and not underestimate the 

sophistication of fraudsters. 

Cheers 

If you like it – subscribe! 

food Marketing & Technology • June 2024 

food Marketing & Technology • June 2024 3

Contents 

food Marketing & Technology June 2024 

3 Editorial 

50 Impressum 

Ingredients 

10 The Next Generation Protein and Cereal Bars 

12 Ultra Clean Release Flours Range: A Breath of Fresh Air 

for Bakers 

14 Customized Organic TAGs: for Perfect Palm Oil-free 

Chocolate, Confectionery and Bakery 

16 Additive-free Butter Powder Reference 

17 Pepperoni: A Spicy Note Progression of Age-related Frailty 

18 The German Market for Vitamins and Supplements 

Continues to Grow Consistently 

19 Healthy and Traditional Foods 

Processing 

Your 

Ingredient 

Ideas. 

6 The Crailsheim Manifesto Modernizing the Dairy 

Plant Milchwerk Crailsheim 

20 Efficient Production in the Food & Beverage industry: 

How to move the Productivity Needle 

24 Food Producer Opts for Sustainable Constructive 

Explosion Protection 

26 New Method for Analyzing the Crystallization Behavior 

of Chocolate 

30 Neon is A New Solution that Adds Value and Ease to 

Machine-Harvested Blueberries 

33 Contract Drying Specialist Launches New Plant for the 

Spray Drying of Infant Food Components 

35 Separation Premiere: The Bone Cannon® that 

Increases Profit by Recovering Usable Raw Materials 

Packaging 

38 Tomorrow’s Flexible Packaging is Starting Now 

40 Combating Rising Costs in Carton Applications 

42 Standard Robot Palletizing Cell in Leading European 

Food Group, Vandemoortele 

Departments 

44 Hot Topics in Hydrocolloids 

46 IFT FIRST Food Expo, Chicago, July 14-17 

50 Index

7/14/23 12:00 PM 

Vol. 38 • 31377 

ISSN 0932-2744 

NEW 

3/24 

Cover: 

Josef Vögele has dedicated 50 years to 

mastering dairy processes, devoting his 

career to the cooperative and the cheese 

factory in Crailsheim, Germany. When a 

comprehensive facility update was due 

in 2019, capacity was increased and the 

plant was transformed into a sustainable 

and efficient operation, focusing on hygiene, 

automation, and energy efficiency. 

Our Cover Story starts on page 6. 

Photo: GEA / The Nutshell 

ng Technology 

ur product. 

rschel.com 


Manifesto 






Costs 

Ingredients: Perfect chocolate 

Switzerland has been famed for its chocolate ever since François-Louis 

Cailler mechanized its production and opened the 

world’s first chocolate factory on the shores of Lake Geneva, 

in 1819. This quest for excellence continues today, and can be 

seen in the latest innovation that offers a solution to a currently 

important challenge in the industry – how to replace palm oil 

with an easy-to-use alternative that delivers delicious results. 

Read page 14 for more. 

Our 

Extrusion Cooking 

and Drying 

Expertise. 

Processing: Efficient production 

Food security is a global imperative, with many developing 

nations increasing their demand for processed foods. In order 

to maintain their competitiveness and to access new markets, 

producers must increase their throughput, improve their yields 

and minimize their production losses. However, the industry 

also faces significant challenges.Production facilities are under 

pressure to do more with less. This means that everyone must 

use their resources in the most efficient manner. See page 20. 

The Possibilities are Endless. 

Wenger pioneered twin screw extrusion for food applications 

nearly 40 years ago. Today, our leading-edge technology is 

used to create diverse food products and ingredients such as 

protein crisps, textured proteins, cereals, breadings, starches, 

snacks, and many more. 

And our world-class process 

experts can help you develop 

whatever shape, size, color, 

fi brous structure, or moisture 

level required. 

Packaging: Rising carton costs 

Carton applications are the backbone of diverse industries, 

from the comforting aroma of freshly baked biscuits to the 

soothing warmth of a cup of tea and the tantalizing flavors of 

pasta and bakery delights. However, with escalating costs 

and stringent regulations, manufacturers encounter significant 

challenges in maintaining efficiency and accuracy in 

carton packaging. Here we look at the complexities of carton 

packaging applications and explore how combination product 

inspection solutions can combat rising costs effectively. Take 

a look at 

food 

page 

Marketing 

40 

& Technology • February 2016 

Key No. 102163 

Wenger.com

Cover Story 

The Crailsheim Manifesto 

Modernizing the Dairy Plant Milchwerk 

Crailsheim 

Future-proofing Milchwerk Crailsheim preserves the legacy of Managing Director Josef Vögele. He has 

partnered with GEA to upgrade the production area and digitalize the cheese factory. This lays a robust, 

resource-efficient foundation for the company‘s success. 

Shoppers selecting popular grilling cheeses 

or Kashkaval at supermarkets might 

be enjoying products from Milchwerk 

Crailsheim-Dinkelsbühl. The mediumsized 

dairy from Southern Germany has 

one of the most modern cheese production 

facilities in the country, featuring a 

fully modernized production area and 

completely digitalized processes. 

″Our goal is to secure our future as a serious 

player in the milk market. We‘ve intensified 

our efforts to process more milk 

and produce more cheese,″ explains Josef 

Vögele. Currently, the company processes 

around 150,000 tons of raw milk 

annually from cooperative suppliers and 

produces about 21,000 tons of cheese, 

including Balkan, pasta filata (Kashkaval), 

and grilling varieties. 

Forever forwards 

Josef Vögele has dedicated 50 years to 

mastering dairy processes, devoting his 

career to the cooperative and the cheese 

factory. Being at the helm of Milchwerk 

Crailsheim-Dinkelsbühl since 2012, he 

has now cemented his legacy and the future 

of the dairy with the largest investment 

in the company‘s history. When a 

comprehensive update of the 1980s/90sbuilt 

facilities was due in 2019, the company 

invested around five million euros 

in the modernization program. This increased 

the capacity of the production 

area by about 30 percent. Equally important 

was transforming the plant into a 

sustainable and efficient operation, focusing 

on hygiene, automation, and energy 

efficiency. 

Marriage between technology 

and digitalization 

GEA has proven to be the perfect partner, 

fully understanding the needs of 

the dairy industry and the company‘s 

expectations. The rising costs of energy 

and raw materials, a shortage of 

skilled labor, and sustainability demands 

are compelling the industry to 

innovate and adapt. ″The challenges 

faced by Milchwerk Crailsheim are 

common among small to medium-sized 

dairies: sustainability and digitalization 

are advancing, achievable only through 

efficient, high-performance technology 

and thorough process planning,″ notes 

Steffen Rathmann, Managing Director 

of GEA TDS. 

In their comprehensive solution, technical 

modernization and sophisticated 

automation are integrated seamlessly, 

enhancing energy efficiency, lowering 

production costs, and improving both 

process reliability and product quality. 

Vögele was particularly impressed by the 

integration of essential technology and 

components, such as skimmers, valves, 

and plate heat exchangers from GEA, 

which ensure meticulous production documentation. 

″We are honored to serve as the technical 

foundation for the dairy‘s future 

success. Our project exemplifies fruitful 

collaboration and deep trust—essential 

for a complete overhaul of the machi- 

The Crailsheim dairy plant processes around 150,000 tons of raw milk from cooperative suppliers every year and prepares it for the production of Balkan, 

pasta filata (Kashkaval), and grill cheese. Image: GEA/The Nutshell 

6 food Marketing & Technology • June 2024

Cover Story 

ne room during ongoing operations,″ 

GEA states. This approach has elevated 

Milchwerk Crailsheim to a new level of 

competitiveness. 

Energy-efficient raw milk 

processing 

″Realizing the technical modernization at 

the Crailsheim site has been a long-held 

dream,″ shares Josef Vögele. ″Energy 

efficiency is crucial when envisioning our 

dairy‘s future.″ The heat treatment of 

raw milk, vital for hygienic cheese production, 

can be energy-intensive if not 

optimally integrated with technology and 

processes. 

By combining tradition and innovation, the dairy creates a solid basis for sustainable success. 

Source: GEA/The Nutshell 

The new cream pasteurizer handles 

7,500 liters of milk per hour. According 

to Technical Operations Manager Jean- 

Claude Werner, most pasteurizers employ 

a counterflow of cold and warm 

cream, which aggressively inputs heat 

and intensifies deposits in the plate heat 

exchanger, increasing cleaning efforts 

and downtime. In contrast, the GEA 

cream pasteurizer uses dual hot water 

circuits that transfer heat more slowly 

and gently, extending the equipment‘s 

service life. 

Increasing flexibility and availability 

To ensure a high microbiological quality, 

in addition to the pasteurizer with surplus 

cream cooling, the dairy received 

two new thermizers, arranged in parallel. 

Depending on the cheese type, milk from 

the tank is either pasteurized or thermized, 

processes typically interrupted 

by frequent cleaning to prevent uncontrollable 

growth of thermophilic germs. At 

Crailsheim, however, the systems switch 

seamlessly from one cheese production 

to the next, continuously from 6 a.m. to 

9 p.m. without major interim cleaning. 

This eliminates the usual setup times for 

multiple cleanings. 

The decision to use a tandem system gives 

the master cheesemakers significant 

flexibility for rapid product and recipe 

changes, particularly for white cheese 

varieties. This system allows for the precise 

inclusion of specific qualities during 

cheese curd preparation. 

Other systems also enhance production 

flexibility and reduce operational errors. 

For instance, depending on the cheese 

type, the Crailsheim team can blend 

milk with predetermined fat and protein 

contents and cream inline, preparing it 

The automation with GEA Codex Plant Playback has greatly helped us optimize the parameters of 

the dairy and make plant conditions visible at all times." Source: GEA/ The Nutshell 

for individual cheese-making machines, 

rather than sourcing the required mixtures 

from separate storage tanks. 

GEA has now also installed inline systems 

for partial flow denaturation of whey proteins, 

in which whey is separated from 

the cheese curd and the cheese curd acquires 

its cohesion. The cheese-making 

technology is complemented by two new 

calcium chloride stations for proportional 

inline dosing. The goal is to increase yield 

and improve product quality through stabilized 

rennet gel. 

Traceability provided by GEA 

Codex automation 

Vögele emphasizes the significance of 

automation in optimizing hygiene practices 

and minimizing errors in cheese production. 

A key tool for the team is GEA‘s 

Codex ® Plant Playback monitoring solution, 

which records and reports plant history 

to personnel. This GEA automation 

system functions like a software-based 

video recorder for batchwise analysis of 

industrial processes, making dependencies, 

errors, and their causes clearly visible 

and easily rectifiable. The software 

animates SCADA Historian data in realtime 

or time-lapse mode, thus improving 

production, product, and process safety. 

Werner notes that these advancements 

significantly expedited the installation 

process. 

Connecting the dairy‘s production 

area to the cheese factory 

The production area feeds the connected 

cheese factories with pre-treated – cleaned, 

heated, and mixed – milk. To connect 

the cheese factory to the Crailsheim 


7

Cover Story 

machine room, GEA also technologically 

upgraded various tank farms, completely 

rebuilding all valve blocks and the 

cheese-making milk tank farm. Process 

integration also includes a coordinated 

heating concept: for example, the 

excess waste heat from the evaporation 

process now preheats 

the milk on its way to the cheese 

factory. 

The existing CIP station has 

been updated to the latest 

technical standards. The 

caustic heat exchanger, previously 

prone to early clogging 

due to deposit formation, 

now alternates with an acid heat 

exchanger. The upgraded system in 

the CIP depot effectively extends the 

equipment‘s service life. 

Future topic water saving 

With energy and raw material costs already 

a primary concern, GEA‘s solutions 

also incorporate water-saving measures, 

increasingly vital for the future. Technical 

Operations Manager Jean-Claude 

Werner highlights the tank showers as 

an example. These rinse the cream film 

from the tank surface at the end of the 

emptying process, allowing the product 

to be collected and reused in cheese-making 

without issues. Similar to pre-rinsing 

dishes in a dishwasher, this prevents 

strong adhesions in the tank, facilitating 

easier and faster cleaning. The company 

saves three million liters of water annually 

with this method alone. 

Two additional solutions further reduce 

water consumption in the new GEA 

Managing Director Josef Vögele (left) and Technical Operations Manager Jean-Claude Werner tasting 

the popular grill cheese from Milchwerk Crailsheim-Dinkelsbühl. With the largest investment in the 

company's history, the dairy plant was converted into a sustainable and efficient facility with the help 

of GEA. The focus was on hygiene, automation, and energy efficiency. Image: GEA/The Nutshell 

skimming separator at the plant, which 

features GEA proplus to increase protein 

yield through larger emptying intervals 

for the milk separator, significantly 

cutting the use of fresh water for hood 

rinsing and as control water for drum 

discharge. Moreover, GEA will install its 

proprietary Centrifuge Water Saving Unit 

at Crailsheim, a centrifuge cooling system 

that transfers waste heat to recirculating 

glycol and ice water. This method 

saves 99.9% of the cooling water compared 

to traditional methods. As one of 

GEA‘s most resource-efficient solutions, 

the Centrifuge Water Saving Unit be- 

ars the TÜV-validated Add Better label. 

GEA estimates that the general savings 

amount to 1.3 million liters of water per 

year, per separator. 

Driving each other to the best 

Milchwerk Crailsheim-Dinkelsbühl exemplifies 

how traditional industries can 

be future-proofed through the adoption 

of modern technologies and sustainable 

practices. This comprehensive modernization 

secures its leading position 

in the dairy industry for many years. 

″In our partnership with GEA, we have 

pushed each other to excel,″ concludes 

Josef Vögele. Reflecting on their journey, 

he expresses confidence in the decisions 

made. The relationship with GEA transcends 

a typical supplier-customer dynamic; 

it is a partnership that solidifies 

Milchwerk Crailsheim-Dinkelsbühl‘s status 

as a key player in the dairy market for 

the foreseeable future. ″I am proud to be 

passing on a well-positioned company to 

the next generation.″ 

fmt 

For more information: 

www.gea.com 


Cover Story 

Five questions to Jean-Claude Werner, Technical Operations 

Manager at Milchwerk Crailsheim-Dinkelsbühl 

1. How do you guarantee a high level of hygiene in your cheese production? 

"We've automated the entire process to minimize human error. Specifically, 

we installed a ring line at the kettle mixing block that ensures an even 

flow and eliminates dead spaces." 

2. What role does automation play for you? 

"Automation is crucial. The rebuild with GEA Codex Plant Playback has 

greatly helped us optimize our parameters and make plant conditions visible 

at all times." 

3. How do you save water in your production? 

"Each tank has a tank shower that effectively rinses out product residues. This saves about three million liters of 

pre-rinse water annually and reduces our cleaning times." 

4. How do you improve energy efficiency in cream pasteurization? 

"Our new cream pasteurizer uses two hot water circuits that transfer heat more gently and increase service life 

without increasing energy consumption." 

5. What advantages do you see in these optimizations? 

"The combination of energy and water savings, as well as more efficient production processes, leads to significant 

cost savings, which strengthen our competitiveness and at the same time protect the environment." 


9

Ingredients 

The Next Generation Protein and Cereal 

Bars 

GELITA, a world leader in collagen peptide solutions for food and nutrition, is introducing OPTIBAR®: an 

innovative ingredient that allows manufacturers to create future-proof, next generation bars that satisfy two of 

the most important consumer trends. OPTIBAR® allows more protein to be delivered in functional bars with a 

long- lasting, soft and indulgent texture. It also acts as a sugar-free binder, enabling ‘low sugar’ and ‘no sugar’ 

claims in cereal bars. 

OPTIBAR® is a specific blend of collagen 

peptides optimized for bar production. 

It has excellent solubility, so it 

creates pleasantly smooth bars with an 

indulgent mouthfeel that lasts throughout 

their shelf life – even at very high 

protein levels of as much as 60 percent. 

For best results, GELITA recommends 

using OPTIBAR® together with whey 

or plant-based protein: Whey and plant 

proteins add structure, while OPTI- 

BAR® ensures homogeneity, a pleasant 

bite and long-lasting softness. 

As well as enabling protein enrichment, 

OPTIBAR® can also be used as a sugarfree 

binder in cereal bars. Thus, the sugar 

content can be minimized and appropriate 

‘low sugar’ or ‘no sugar’ claims 

can be made in bars that stay pleasantly 

crunchy throughout their shelf life. 

Versatile and efficient 

The versatile collagen peptides powder 

is the latest addition to the company’s 

portfolio of naturally functional branded 

collagen peptide ingredients. Derived 

by enzymatic hydrolysis of natural collagen, 

OPTIBAR® has good bioavailability 

and its neutral taste makes it ideal for 

both sweet and savory bars. It is easy 

to customize with flavors, sweeteners, 

colorants and dietary fibers, and it combines 

well with other nutrients, including 

vitamins and minerals, and ingredients 

such as dried fruits and cereals. 

Being completely natural, OPTIBAR® is 

non-GMO and free from E-numbers, so 

it is ideal for clean label products with 

potential nutritional claims (under EU 

Regulation 1924/2006) including ‘source 

of protein’, ‘high protein’, ‘reduced 

sugar’, ‘low sugar’, and ‘sugar-free’. 

Easy processing 

Unlike traditional cereal bar binders, with 

OPTIBAR®, there is no need for boiling. 

It is simply warmed with water and oil to 

70° C then the dry ingredients are added 

and the mass is molded. OPTIBAR® can 

be used in existing production lines without 

the need for additional equipment 

and its agglomerated form guarantees 

dust-free handling. Overall, using OP- 

TIBAR® leads to lower energy requirements, 

reduced processing costs, less 

thermal stress on sensitive ingredients 

and a lower environmental impact. 

“As a pioneer in collagen and collagen 

peptides, we are excited by the opportunities 

our latest innovative ingredient 

presents for bar manufacturers,” says 

Natalie Leuwer, GELITA Category Manager 

Food Specialties. “We look forward 

to discussing how OPTIBAR® can 

be used in practice to satisfy consumer 

demand for next generation bars that 

are higher in protein, lower in sugar and 

ultimately delicious too.” 

fmt 


www.Gelita.com 


Ingredients 

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11

Ingredients 

Ultra Clean Release Flours Range: 

A Breath of Fresh Air for Bakers 

GoodMills Innovation’s TIP-TOP® Ultra Clean range offers a solution to the long-standing issue of fine dust for 

bakeries and baking industries using release flours. The flours are hydrothermally treated to reduce the amount 

of dust they produce, with tangible benefits for employee health and safety, factory hygiene and production 

economics. Companies that use TIP-TOP® Ultra Clean flours can minimize their risk of exposure to respiratory 

diseases, whilst benefitting from reduced cleaning and maintenance and a mould-free environment. 

No more fine flour dust 

Low-dust TIP-TOP® release flours are 

hydrothermally treated, a physical process 

during which the fine fractions are 

aggregated into larger particles. These 

higher density particles settle quickly, 

keeping the working environment free 

from airborne particles. Measurements 

performed in bakeries have confirmed 

that TIP-TOP® Ultra Clean produces up 

to 80 percent less respirable dust compared 

to common wheat flour 1 . This mi- 

tigates the risk of respiratory diseases 

such as baker’s asthma, promoting a 

safer workplace. 

Active mould prevention 

A further benefit of the thermal treatment 

is that it inactivates the flour‘s 

enzymes and creates a water-repellant 

surface structure that prevents 

microbiological growth. For an industry 

that has long accepted mould 

as part and parcel of a humid working 

environment, this represents a 

breakthrough. Thanks to TIP-TOP® 

Ultra Clean’s active mould prevention 

action, bakers no longer have to contend 

with visible mould on boards, 

fermentation carriers, conveyor 

belts, cloths and proofing baskets or 

with the invisible spores that present 

a risk to health. By eliminating the 

growth of microorganisms, they can 

maintain a clean, safe and hygienic 

workplace. 


Ingredients 

R+K_AD_2024_1_135x210_Food&Marketing_Technology.qxp_Layout 1 17.04.24 21:11 Seite 1 

Improved production economics 

TIP-TOP® Ultra Clean also enables bakeries 

to make cost savings through 

extended maintenance and cleaning 

intervals, reduced wear and tear to 

equipment and shorter cleaning routines. 

The low dust load protects fine ball 

bearings and sensitive electronics, plus 

light barriers stay cleaner for longer. 

Costly repairs and unplanned downtime 

are reduced and maintenance 

internals and equipment lifespan are 

prolonged. Additionally, TIP-TOP® Ultra 

Clean offers great potential for cost 

efficiencies through lower usage levels. 

The unique refining process results in 

a particle structure that delivers outstanding 

release performance. This 

means that when replacing standard 

dusting flours with TIP-TOP® release 

flours, consumption can be reduced by 

up to 70%. 

Clean label credentials 

The TIP-TOP® Ultra Clean range includes 

clean label flour varieties tailored 

to different applications and produced 

from different grains. TIP-TOP® 

Ultra Clean is made exclusively from 

wheat grains, whilst TIP-TOP® Ultra 

Clean RYE is a variant made from milled 

rye. Both flours can enhance the 

appearance of breads, pastries and 

other baked goods. Used for dusting, 

they result in a traditional and rustic 

‘flour dusted’ look, and used as a 

release flour, they deliver the shiny, 

flaky crust consumers expect from 

wheat baked goods. 

fmt 

New product ideas need 

new colours. Mix and match 

the winning colour for your 

next product from the ERKA 

palette on our website. 


www.goodmillsinnovation.com 

1) Source: IGV-Potsdam 

food Marketing & Technology • June

Ingredients 

Customized Organic TAGs: for Perfect 

Palm Oil-free Chocolate, Confectionery 

and Bakery 

While palm oil offers technical advantages for producers of chocolate, confectionery and bakery items, many 

consumers are still sceptical about by products that contain it. But thanks to an innovative new processing 

technique from edible oils expert Nutriswiss, it is possible to source top quality organic alternatives with no 

compromise on product enjoyment. 

Switzerland has been famed for its 

chocolate ever since François-Louis 

Cailler mechanized its production and 

opened the world’s first chocolate factory 

in Vevey, on the shores of Lake 

Geneva, in 1819. Back in those days, 

Swiss chocolate wasn’t what it is today 

(it tended to be bitter and grainy), but 

Cailler demonstrated the country’s pioneering 

spirit. 

He was followed by names like Suchard, 

Nestlé, Lindt and Tobler, and 

the innovations continued until the 

country’s reputation for excellence was 

firmly cemented around the world. 

This quest for excellence continues in 

Switzerland today, and it can be seen 

in the latest innovation from Nutriswiss 

AG, that offers a solution to a currently 

important challenge in the chocolate, 

confectionery, and bakery industry – 

how to replace palm oil with an easy-touse 

alternative that delivers delicious 

results. 

Market demand – and supply 

Although sustainable production of 

palm oil has improved in recent years, 

shoppers are still sceptical about 

purchasing products that contain it, especially 

if it appears that the palm oil has 

been obtained at the detriment of the 

environment. As a leading expert in edible 

oils and fats, Nutriswiss is regularly 

approached by customers looking for 

an alternative. “Palm oil-free filling fats, 

glaze masses and sweet spreads are 

now among the most frequent requests 

we receive from customers,” says Frank 

Möllering, the company’s Head of R&D. 

Palm oil possesses the perfect technological 

attributes for chocolate products 

and baked goods, and the company is 

keen to point out that it is not against 

its use per se – but the source has to be 

right. “All the palm oil we use is sustainably 

sourced and RSPO-SG certified,” 

explains Möllering. “We are strongly 

committed to organic quality and are a 

founding member of the Palmoil Network 

Switzerland. However, we are also 

aware of the importance of offering alternative 

solutions and responding to 

the needs of consumers.” 

Market supply was another major driver 

behind the Nutriswiss R&D team’s 

determination to find a palm oil alternative. 

With limited availability of organic 

palm oil, Nutriswiss has been approached 

by companies wanting to buy up 

practically all available stock. “In terms 

of being able to satisfy demand alone, 

we needed to find alternative raw materials,” 

says Möllering. 

Existing alternatives were limited by 

various drawbacks. For instance, cocoa 

butter has excellent qualities and 

is widely accepted by consumers. But 

its triglyceride (TAG) structures have 

to be altered to achieve that melt-inthe-mouth 

texture that we all associate 

with the best quality products. This is 

usually achieved by a process of controlled 

crystallization or conching (incidentally 

also invented in Switzerland 

in the 1800s), but this is complex and 

time-consuming. Instead of conching, 

cocoa butter TAGs can be modified by 

fat fractionation and hydrogenation of 

unsaturated fatty acids to produce fat 

components with better melting properties. 

Although today‘s complete hydrogenation 

contains practically no trans 


Ingredients 

fatty acids, it is criticised, especially in 

dietary fats. Under organic criteria it is 

not permitted at all. Using cocoa butter 

or coconut oil can also cause issues with 

eutectic behaviour, affecting the quality 

and the flavor of the end product. 

A novel alternative 

The Nutriswiss solution has no impact 

on end product quality or flavor, however: 

that prospect was unthinkable for 

the Swiss company. Chocolate fillings 

and spreads, for instance, derive their 

creaminess and the desired melting 

texture from their fat components. As 

Möllering elaborates: “Composition is 

crucial here. The end product should 

melt gently in the mouth and not be 

waxy or too firm.” 

Thus, the company has rigorously tested 

its innovative new process, which 

has been proven to deliver outstanding 

results and can be used to develop tailormade 

TAGs for all sorts of confectionery 

and bakery applications, from 

chocolate bars and luxury chocolates 

to bakery fillings, cake toppings, glazes, 

spreads and even pastry – both shortcrust 

and laminated. “With the help of 

various steps within a special process 

sequence, we are able to restructure 

the TAGs to give them different physical 

properties that enhance crystallisation 

behaviour and ensure the desired soft 

and creamy mouthfeel for delicious results,” 

explains Möllering. 

The secret lies in the gentle distillation 

that Nutriswiss applies to carefully selected 

oils and fats, including plant seed 

oils, cocoa butter, shea butter and lauric 

fats, to create TAGs with optimal structures 

for each recipe. Only the highest 

quality raw materials are used, with natural 

enzymes utilised in some cases to replace 

certain fatty acids in the TAG molecules 

with others. Particular attention is 

paid to the choice of enzymes in order to 

guarantee organic quality (e.g. only biocompatible, 

explicitly authorized, non- 

GMA enzymes from natural sources are 

used). All production facilities and processes 

comply with the strictest organic 

quality standards and, as with all of its 

ingredients, Nutriswiss operates secure, 

traceable supply chains from the producer 

to its production plants. 

The restructured TAGs are easy for manufacturers 

to process, and as well as 

being organic, another big ‘plus’ is that 

because they are dairy-free, they are 

naturally high in vegetarian and vegan 

appeal. 

Endless possibilities 

In terms of applications, the Nutriswiss 

TAGs open up a wealth of possibilities. 

For instance, customised cocoa butter 

or coconut fats can be used to create 

top quality, stable bakery fillings with 

excellent melting properties and significantly 

less fat migration than occurs 

when using standard cocoa butter or 

coconut fats. Being more temperature 

stable than regular coconut fat, they 

can replace palm fats and palm oil fractions 

such as stearin in pastry fillings, 

and they can be used as an alternative 

to palm fractions in leavening fats for laminated 

or puff pastry. 

The customized TAGs also work perfectly 

in filling creams for roulades and 

sponge rolls, which require a stable fat 

phase during filling due to their airy and 

fluffy consistency. They are ideal too 

for making buttercreams for cakes and 

cupcakes, with end results retaining the 

desirable firm structure on the plate, 

even when they are not refrigerated. 

Glazes are a piece of cake too, with 

the customized TAGs exhibiting fast 

crystallization without the need for 

conching, and good levelling behavior 

during processing. This means they 

run smoothly on cakes and biscuits 

and solidify quickly enough in just the 

right thickness. During subsequent 

portioning of the pieces or in the packaging 

on the way to the consumer, 

it is important that glazes don’t smear 

or oil out – they need to stay perfect 

throughout, without forming a greasy 

film and melting only when reaching 

the mouth. As well as ticking this box, 

the specially customised TAGs can 

also be used in long-life shortcrust 

pastry goods as an alternative to palm 

oil or dairy butter. 

In the confectionery sector, Nutriswiss 

TAGs offer significant benefits too. They 

are perfect for glazes and covertures 

with rapid crystallization, and they can 

be used in fillings for bars and chocolates 

that deliver the required indulgent 

melt-in-the-mouth behavior. Nuts, nut 

oils and/or milk fat can be incorporated 

into recipes and, despite their delicate 

melting behavior, the resulting creations 

have good temperature stability 

with no oil migration or fat bloom. The 

customized TAGs also offer additional 

flexibility for makers operating in the organic 

sector, whose options have until 

now been relatively limited. Importantly, 

there is no eutectic behaviour as if the 

case with cocoa butter, for instance. 

“Our customized TAGs are a real breakthrough,” 

says Möllering. “They are so 

versatile in use that there are virtually 

no limits to what can be achieved when 

they are in the hands of imaginative bakers 

and confectioners.” 

fmt 


www.nutriswiss.com 


15

Ingredients 

Additive-free Butter Powder Reference 

Naturalness as an innovation driver to address the challenges of the pastry and baked goods industry 

In the past four years, more than 400 

new products incorporating butter powder 

have been launched on the world 

market.1 

This popularity is mainly due to the organoleptic 

and functional benefits, as 

well as the ease of storage of the powder 

format, which does not require refrigeration. 

In this context, and in order to meet 

an increasing consumer demand for natural 

products, French dairy ingredients 

supplier EPI Ingredients has added an 

additive-free Butter Powder to its range. 

Butter powder : a commitment to 

flavor and functionality! 

The Butter Powder can be easily incorporated 

into a broad variety of food matrices. 

It gives the typical taste of traditional 

butter and an authentic flavor to 

finished products. The EPI Ingredients 

manufacturing process guarantees a 

functional powder, with a creamy texture 

and mouthfeel comparable to those of 

traditional butter-based products. 

Powder format makes it easy to use for 

food industry players. Its benefits include 

matrix incorporation, good dispersion 

and hydration, as well as ease of storage. 

With no need for refrigeration, butter 

powder offers a longer shelf life and, 

consequently, a high level of flexibility for 

manufacturers, unlike traditional butter. 

Thanks to all its characteristics, the ingredient 

is primarily used in pastry and 

baked goods applications, especially in 

premixes and mixes. It can also be useful 

in other applications, such as sauces, 

ready meals, and dairy products. 

Although freeze-dried products are not 

yet widely available in France, they are 

rapidly becoming more popular, offering 

promising potential for the use of butter 

powder. 

Committed to supporting its customers 

in their product development process, 

EPI Ingredients has devised a broad 

variety of recipes datasheets. These datasheets 

feature a wide range of applications, 

from Viennese baguettes and 

brownies to tasty sauces. 

“Currently, few players on the European 

market offer butter powder, especially 

in additive-free versions”, says Anne- 

Laure Legrand, Product Manager at 

EPI Ingredients. “At EPI Ingredients, we 

have always been committed to providing 

high-quality solutions that meet 

evolving market requirements. Today, 

we are seeing a growing consumer demand 

for additive-free products. It was 

only natural that we should work on 

creating an additive-free butter powder, 

to meet the expectations of both manufacturers 

and consumers.” 

fmt 


www.epi-ingredients.com 


Ingredients 

Pepperoni: A Spicy Note 

Let yourself be transported by the pepperoni flavor created by the French family 

owned company, Aromatech through their USA R&I laboratory. 

The most recent launch they are featuring, pepperoni, is a variety of spicy salami 

seasoned with paprika and chili peppers. 

This liquid flavor will spice up savory applications such as cheeses, sauces & 

marinades. Its organoleptic profile is characterized by the following descriptors: 

meaty, dry sausage, spicy & smoked. More information and samples are available 

on request. 

fmt 


www.Aromatechgroup.com 


17

Ingredients 

The German Market for Vitamins and 

Supplements Continues to Grow 

Consistently 

The market for vitamins and supplements in Germany continues to show consecutive growth, reaching an 

estimated €1.78 billion in 2023, according to a new study by leading Market Intelligence Agency Mintel. 

This marks a value growth of 4.8% from the previous year. The study suggests that an increase in health 

consciousness among people during times of global crises has contributed to a rise in the utilization of 

vitamins and supplements. This trend is observed despite the present uncertain economic conditions and 

inflation. The study also anticipates continued growth in the market and forecasts a revenue rise of 15% to 

€2.05 billion by 2028. 

German consumers‘ top three vitamins 

are: 

• Vitamin D (42% of respondents 

used this supplement in the 12 

months prior to the survey) 

• Vitamin C (34%) 

• Multivitamins (32%) 

Germany‘s most popular minerals are: 

• Magnesium (65% of respondents) 

• Iron (34%) 

• Calcium (30%) 

Despite the influence of inflation 

on purchasing power, the number 

of daily supplement intake rises 

The ongoing cost of living crisis has 

had an impact on how Germans perceive 

their health. According to Mintel, 

in 2023, 48% of Germans considered 

themselves healthy, compared to 55% 

in 2021. Hannah Sandow, Principal 

Health & Wellbeing Analyst at Mintel 

Germany, says: “The decreased sense 

of well-being coupled with a simultaneous 

rise in health consciousness is 

prompting Germans to turn to vitamins 

and supplements despite the inflation. 

However, some supplements prove to 

be more crisis-resistant compared to 

others. For instance, only 31% of multivitamin 

users have limited or stopped 

their intake of vitamins and supplements 

due to financial concerns – whereas 

among users of vitamin A, the 

figure is significantly higher at 60%.” 

Overall, 65% of Germans took vitamins 

and supplements in 2023 – an increase 

of 5% compared to 2021. 

“Despite this positive market development, 

we can still observe the continued 

influence of the high cost of living 

on consumer choice,” Sandow asses- 

ses. ″The economic situation is still 

uncertain, and the high cost of living 

is causing many consumers to reconsider 

their further expenses. This leads 

consumers to opt more for private labels, 

limit their consumption, or even 

completely avoid purchasing vitamins 

and supplements.″ Overall, 37% of 

consumers said that they have either 

reduced or completely stopped their 

purchases altogether due to financial 

concerns. 

″However, with regards to Germans 

who continue to rely on vitamins and 

supplements, there is a clear trend to 

increase their intake, with 33% of respondents 

taking vitamins and supplements 

daily in the past year – compared 

to 28% in 2020,″ Sandow continued. 

On the other hand, the proportion of 

people who have never taken vitamins 

and supplements dropped to 22% 

(compared to 26% in 2020). 

Ageing population is leading 

to shifts in the demand for 

nutritional supplements 

Despite 28% of respondents aged over 

65 having not yet experimented with vitamins 

and supplements, older consumers 

are expected to play a larger role 

in the future. The changes in health 

needs as a result of Germany’s ageing 

population are expected to impact the 

market for vitamins and supplements. 

Specifically, vitamins and supplements 

with beneficial effects on bones and 

joints are expected to become increasingly 

important. 

″From the age of 60 onwards, metabolism 

slows down, often resulting 

in weight gain, compounded by the 

side effects of other medications. Additionally, 

bone structure and joints 

undergo changes with age. These 

developments present significant 

opportunities for the vitamins and 

supplements market – ultimately, manufacturers 

contribute to an overall 

improvement in health outcomes,″ 

concludes Sandow. 

About the study 

The representative survey was conducted 

as part of the Mintel Report on Vitamins 

and Supplements in September 

2023, utilising an online panel of 1,954 

consumers over 18 years. . The main focus 

of the study included the impact of 

inflation on vitamins and supplements, 

trends in usage and frequency of use, 

as well as consumer behaviour regarding 

health, vitamins, and minerals. 

When the term ″German″ or ″German 

consumers/population″ is used, it refers 

to all consumers in Germany and 

not exclusively German citizens. fmt 


www.mintel.com 

Hannah Sandow 


Ingredients 

Healthy and Traditional Foods 

GoodSAM Foods is a small business 

and B Corp helping upend the traditional 

food industry in the best 

way possible. GoodSAM produces 

a healthy food brand with a commitment 

to sustainability and regenerative 

agriculture. The snack leader’s 

product portfolio has consistently 

expanded and it recently announced 

the launch of the 2024 Nexty-award 

winning Pineapple Slice Chips. Continuing 

to revolutionize the snack 

category GoodSAM – previously and 

long known for nuts, coffees, and 

chocolates – the Pineapple Slice 

Chips are the first in a new line of fruit 

chips for the company. A women-led 

innovation with a sweet crunch, these 

new, regeneratively grown Pineapple 

Slice Chips retail for $4.99 and will 

be available soon at Thrive Market. 

These superfoods‘ natural sugars 

and flavor shine when they are slowly 

baked into chips. No oils, added sugars, 

artificial flavors, or preservatives 

added. It’s another sweet notch 

in GoodSAM’s belt of regenerative 

agriculture focused innovation that 

focuses more on positive farmer relationships 

and healing the planet than 

the lowest price point. 

Commitment to regenerative 

agriculture 

GoodSam supports biodiversity: “We 

purchase as many commercially viable 

products as we can from each farm 

that we work with. This helps to provide 

a year-round stream of income 

for farmers. We do not believe a regenerative 

agriculture 

is a one size fits all 

solution. We are working 

on our own regenerative 

agriculture 

standards, according 

to the necessities 

of each ecosystem 

and each community 

we‘re working with,“ 

says Heather K. Terry, 

Founder and CEO. 

Regenerative agriculture 

is an approach 

to farming that incorporates 

all of the 

cycles of nature to 

improve soil health 

while also producing 

high quality food and 

fiber. This method of 

agriculture provides 

ecosystem benefits 

through circular farming 

practices that implement diverse 

crop rotation, incorporate animal 

integration, limit soil disturbance and 

build upon agroforestry systems. 

Conventional agriculture is a prescriptive 

approach to farming with the goal 

to maximize crop or livestock yield. 

This method of agriculture typically relies 

on chemical inputs like genetically 

modified seeds, synthetic fertilizers, 

and chemical pesticides to increase 

farm production. This style of farming 

typically sacrifices soil health and can 

lead to negative short term and long 

term ecosystem outcomes. 

The latest Nexty win marks the 

company’s third win in five years and 

Heather Terry has become a sought 

after leader in the food space and is 

a go-to resource on topics regarding 

transparent supply chain, sustainability 

in food systems, and regenerative 

agriculture. Heather is a sought after 

speaker with many ideas for a company 

which is constantly innovating products 

that are good for both people 

and the planet. 

fmt 


www.goodsamfoods.com 


19

Processing 

Efficient Production in the Food & 

Beverage industry: How to move 

the Productivity Needle 

by Marion Fünfgeld 

Food security is a global imperative, 

with many developing nations increasing 

their demand for processed foods 

to keep up with their growing populations. 

As the market expands, Food & Beverage 

manufacturers have the opportunity 

to expand their global footprint 

and increase their profitability. In order 

to maintain their competitiveness and 

to access markets, producers must increase 

their throughput, improve their 

yields, and minimize their production 

losses. In short, manufacturers must 

achieve efficient production in Food & 

Beverage. 

However, the industry also faces significant 

challenges. Raw material prices 

and energy costs are rising globally. But 

these costs cannot be passed onto consumers 

without losing out to competitors. 

This means that Food & Beverage 

companies must use their resources in 

the most efficient manner. As a result, 

production facilities are under pressure 

to do more with less. 

How inline process measurement 

can increase throughput and yield 

while minimizing losses in Food & 

Beverage production 

Inline process measurements make information 

available to engineers in realtime. 

This takes the guesswork out of 

their decision-making and gives them 

an opportunity to exercise real-time 

control of their process in several ways: 

Reducing waste 

Inline quality measurements are a key 

factor for reducing waste in the Food 

& Beverage production environment. If 

the final product or intermediate stream 

quality changes negatively, engineers 

can make immediate adjustments to 

rectify the trend compared to waiting for 

lab results. This means that having inline 

quality instruments gives engineers 

the time to fix the problem before an entire 

batch of product goes off-spec. Lab 

testing can still be used to complement 

the quality control process and confirm 

the inline results. Endress+Hauser field 

experience shows that companies with 

inline quality measurement experience 

5-6% fewer deviations from tolerance 

ranges. 


Processing 

Reducing expensive resources 

Inline process measurements enable 

engineers to monitor the concentrations 

in pipelines and makeup tanks 

to detect overdosing or contamination 

due to leaking valves. Having this information 

available enables engineers to 

optimise their dosing rates, thus minimizing 

chemical losses while maintaining 

adherence to health standards and 

avoiding a compromise of food safety. 

Real-time quality control 

Measuring quality enables engineers 

to monitor changes as they add ingredients 

to a mixture so that they can shut 

off the ingredient at the optimum point. 

This leads to lower wastage of additives 

and ingredients and more precise control 

of product quality for a consistent 

consumer experience. 

General Food & Beverage 

production challenges 

As with many other industries, engineers 

rely on information to generate 

efficient production in Food & Beverage. 

Inaccurate information or delayed 

access to information hampers their 

ability to drive productivity and improve 

yields. There can also be product wastage 

if a warning of quality issues comes 

too late to take corrective action. Some 

common areas affecting Food & Beverage 

production are as follows: 

Hold times 

Hold time is the period between completing 

production and obtaining a result 

from the laboratory that allows the 

Promass Q, a flowmeter that features the Multi-Frequency Technology that eliminate measurement 

errors induced by gas entrainment down to a level of nearly zero. 

Photos: Endress+Hauser 

Efficient storage management systems require fast and reliable access to the amount of product 

available. 

facility to release the product to market. 

This is effectively wasted time as the 

tank cannot be used for production and 

the product cannot be despatched to 

the market. Depending on the product, 

the location of the laboratory, the type of 

laboratory test, and other factors, hold 

times in the Food & Beverage industry 

can range from 14 minutes upwards. 

Reducing this time to the absolute minimum 

could improve the throughput of a 

production facility substantially. 

Variability in product quality 

Research shows that product quality 

could vary between 1 and 5% when relying 

on laboratory sampling and analysis. 

This variability is primarily due to the 

time delay associated with laboratory 

testing. Suppose the result takes 15 minutes 

to come back from the lab. In that 

case, it represents the plant conditions 

from 15 minutes earlier – not the current 

ones, making it challenging to optimise 

the process and maintain a consistent 

quality performance. As a result, even 

though the product remains on-spec, 

there could be market impacts due to 

wide variability in product consistency. 

Consumers demand a similar product 

experience whenever and wherever 

they buy, and significant changes in that 

experience from one product purchase 

to the next lead to a negative view of the 

brand in the market. Making quality information 

available in real-time would 

give engineers the tools to optimise 

their process and maintain more consistent 

product quality. 

Labor intensive manual sampling 

Manual sampling of products for laboratory 

testing is labour-intensive. Operators 

must travel from the laboratory 

to the site, take the sample wearing 

the appropriate safety equipment, and 

then return to the laboratory for testing. 

This cumbersome process could 

take anything from 10 to 20 minutes per 

sample or even longer. Converting this 

time to a labour cost illustrates the operating 

expenses associated with a manual 

test approach compared to inline 

process measurement. For example, a 

daily ten-hour production run, which requires 

samples every hour, can consume 

up to 600 lab technician hours per 

year based on a ten-minute sampling 

time. This time could be spent doing 


21

Processing 

more value-adding work – like analysing 

the quality data to determine what process 

changes to make. 

Product losses and waste 

The Food & Beverage Industry strives 

for

Processing 

raw materials as well as the impact on 

production when a material is no longer 

available. 

Storage inflows and outflows must be 

accurately monitored to ensure meeting 

the recipe requirements and to 

ensure a mass balance over the plant. 

A facility needs to have accurate and up 

to date level measurement of material 

in any tank so that production schedules 

can be optimized to avoid running 

out of inventory space or running out of 

product for customers. 

Mixing and Blending 

Mixing and blending operations have 

become more complex over time with 

the advent of products like sports 

drinks, protein smoothies, organic 

health beverages, energy drinks, new 

sodas, and artificial sweeteners. However, 

Food & Beverage companies must 

still maintain accurate and repeatable 

control over the additive blending process 

and adherence to the recipe. Their 

performance is closely monitored by 

consumers who demand consistent 

product quality in order to maintain 

their brand loyalty. 

As the recipes for Food & Beverage 

products grow more complex, there are 

more variables for operators to focus 

on, which increases the risk of an incident. 

Overfilling or accidental drainage 

events can result in significant product 

losses. At the same time, raw materials 

are costly. Adding more than the minimum 

requirement for any material will 

add unnecessary cost to the finished 

product. A more comprehensive approach 

to inline process measurement 

can help mitigate this risk by making information 

available to operators continuously 

with alerts to warn them of conditions 

that could lead to an incident. 

Cleaning in Place (CIP) 

Access to real-time information about 

the status of liquid in the line during CIP 

can help manufacturers optimise their 

process, reducing their resource use 

and the CIP process time. For example, 

the CIP cycle can be immediately stopped 

upon identifying a phase change 

without waiting for confirmation from 

a laboratory sample. This would bring 

the production unit back into service 

quicker and increase the throughput 

capacity of the plant. Temperature control 

is another factor affecting CIP efficiency. 

When the temperature is too low, 

the process takes longer and consumes 

more chemicals. When the temperature 

is too high, there is a waste of energy. 

Without continuous temperature measurement 

and control, it is impossible 

to balance these factors optimally. 

Some facilities have experienced time 

savings of 25 -30% in their CIP cycle 

resulting in chemical savings of 30%. 

Food & Beverage manufacturers also 

report a reduction in water usage of up 

to 15% as a result of phase separation 

monitoring and control. 

Conclusion 

Food & Beverage manufacturing processes 

have improved over the years 

from manual systems that relied on 

an experienced operator to manage 

production to recipe and time-based 

systems commonly used today. However, 

inline process measurement offers 

even greater benefits that take the 

guesswork out of plant optimization by 

providing real-time information to Food 

& Beverage engineers and operations. 

These benefits enable engineers to 

reduce variability in product quality as 

shown in the illustration below, while 

also reducing waste and losses, and increasing 

throughput. 

fmt 

The Author 

Marion Fünfgeld, Industry Communication Manager 

Food & Beverage, Endress+Hauser Group 

Services AG 


www.endress.com 

CIP processes can be optimized in many ways and small changes can have a big impact. 


23

Processing 

Food Producer Opts for Sustainable 

Constructive Explosion Protection 

There is a risk of a dust explosion in 

many food technology applications in 

which bulk goods are dried, sieved, conveyed 

or stored. Even today, many plant 

operators still rely on the good fortune of 

never being confronted with such a dust 

explosion, or at least getting off lightly. 

In most cases, however, this hope is 

abruptly dashed when, as a result of an 

explosion and the subsequent ingress of 

air into the plant, entire parts of the plant 

burn out, the entire material is contaminated 

and a long shutdown of the plant 

for essential cleaning and repair work becomes 

a reality. 

To avoid such a scenario, the German 

company Thorwesten Vent has developed 

a special pressure relief flap that has 

recently been convincing in use. 

In summer 2023, a well-known manufacturer 

successfully commissioned a total 

of 72 of these automatically reclosing, 

reusable explosion vents on four drying 

lines at its food production facility in Eastern 

Europe. The explosion protection 

specialists in Beckum, Germany received 

the order at the beginning of 2021, 

but the calculations, design and installation 

of the vents had been repeatedly 

delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

A total of 72 automatically self-reclosing, 

reusable explosion vents have been installed on 

four drying lines at a food production facility in 

Eastern Europe. 

The special feature of the new type of 

vents, compared to conventional pressure 

relief devices (e.g. bursting discs), 

is the automatic, airtight resealing after 

pressure relief. This effectively prevents 

the permanent entry of atmospheric 

oxygen and the burning of the material 

or entire product lines. The flaps are 

designed in such a way that they do not 

need to be replaced after an explosion 

and they can be reused after a visual inspection. 

This technology therefore minimizes 

damages to the system components 

and significantly reduces or even avoids 

downtimes. In addition, the explosion 

vents have a low heat transfer coefficient, 

which contributes to better thermal 

insulation and minimizes condensation 

inside the plant. 

The recently completed order included 

equipping two wheat starch flash dryers 

as well as two gluten ring dryers, including 

the process filters and a central dust 

extraction filter, with explosion flaps. The 

relief surfaces of these components had 

been calculated by Thorwesten Vent in 

compliance with current standards and 

in consultation with the client. All vents 

are also equipped with trace heating to 

ensure that the pressure relief systems 

function perfectly at all times, even in 

snow and ice. 

As part of the current project, the Thorwesten 

Vent flaps were prepared for heating 

operation, but a decision on whether 

to switch on the heating will be made 

after the operating experiences gained 

have been analyzed. Should the need 

to heat the explosion vents arise at a later 

time, the customer can convert to a 

complete heating function by preparing 

the flaps for heating operation through 

the quick and easy installation of control 

modules. 

″The latest project in Eastern Europe represents 

an important step for Thorwesten 

Vent in opening up the market in the 

food sector, after decades of success 

with our products in other areas world- 

The new pressure relief flaps by Thorwesten 

Vent effectively prevent the burning of the material 

or entire product lines through automatic, 

airtight resealing after a dust explosion. 

wide. Our high quality standards, coupled 

with our experience in constructive 

explosion protection, also predestine us 

for equipping systems in this sector. We 

therefore have good reason to hope that 

a new safety awareness will prevail in 

the food industry in the future. Because 

anyone who continues to focus only on 

the minimum requirements for explosion 

protection today will probably have to 

live with the consequences tomorrow,″ 

commented Berthold Bussieweke, Sales 

Manager at Thorwesten Vent, on the 

successful conclusion of the order. 

The use of pressure relief flaps offers 

significant advantages, especially in the 

food industry, where an explosion can 

have particularly serious consequences. 

Whereas in other areas, contamination 

of the material plays a minor role, contamination 

of foodstuffs or raw materials 

for their production often results in a financial 

desaster. 

fmt 


www.thorwesten.com 


Processing 

TOMRA 5C BSI for IQF Sorting 

Experience unparallel precision in 

IQF sorting with TOMRA 

Learn more 

Every Resource Counts TM 

Transforming global food production 

with sensor-based sorting machines and 

integrated post-harvest solutions, maximizing 

food safety and minimizing food loss. 


25

Processing 

New Method for Analyzing the 

Crystallization Behavior of Chocolate 

The method for determining the crystallization behavior of chocolate under shear allows detailed analysis 

and evaluation of the crystallization curve for a better understanding of the crystallization process 

by Matthias Mayser and Nicole Kuska 

Chocolate, pralines or chocolate biscuits: 

Chocolate confectionery is one of 

the most popular snacks. The main ingredients 

are cocoa mass, cocoa butter, 

sugar, sometimes milk powder and added 

flavorings such as vanilla, as well as 

additives in the form of emulsifiers like 

soya lecithin to improve consistency. 

The crystallization behavior of chocolate 

raw materials, such as cocoa butter 

or filling fats, significantly influences 

the flavor and aroma of the chocolate. 

The characterization of raw materials, 

with regard to this property, is therefore 

crucial for consistently high product 

quality. During the production of chocolate 

products, such as pralines or 

biscuits, the liquid chocolate is cooled 

and solidified by various forming processes: 

„The different components 

of chocolate, i.e. cocoa butter, sugar 

and fat, arrange themselves into an 

ordered structure. They crystallize,“ 

explains Matthias Mayser, head of the 

Food & Feed application laboratory 

for the Brabender product line. These 

crystals influence the chocolate‘s 

gloss, taste, crispness and melting properties, 

as well as good flavor release 

and storage stability. 

Testing in real production 

conditions 

The Brabender ViscoQuick viscometer 

determines the crystallization behavior 

of chocolate under real production 

conditions, i.e. under shear. In the manufacturing 

process, chocolate is first 

pre-crystallized under shear. „Shear 

means that the chocolate is moved 

or stirred. It is known that shear has a 

positive influence on crystallization, 

so it makes sense to study crystallization 

behavior under conditions similar 

to real production,“ says Mayser. Conventional 

methods such as cooling 

curves, differential scanning calorimetry 

(DSC) and nuclear magnetic resonance 

(NMR) record the crystallization 

behavior of chocolate under resting 

conditions. 

Using the ViscoQuick, the company 

has developed a reliable method for 

measuring the crystallization of chocolate 

under production conditions: 

„We carried out tests with molten cocoa 

mass, filling fat and cocoa butter. 

We filled the sample into the stainless-steel 

beaker of the instrument 

and cooled it under shear at a defined 

cooling rate of the beaker,“ explains 

Mayser. The results provide the food 

industry with important information 

for optimizing the production of chocolate. 

They could contribute to the 

development of new techniques and 

processes to further improve the quality 

and variety of chocolate products. 

The Brabender ViscoQuick is a digital 

torque viscometer with touch screen, 

integrated computer and temperature 

control system. Using the rapid measurement 

method, standard starch- 

ViscoQuick (Brabender_ViscoQuick 04): The ViscoQuick is the ideal instrument for quality control and product development in chocolate production. 


Processing 

based measurements can be completed 

in ten minutes at heating and 

cooling rates of +20 °C/-15 °C per minute. 

This is approximately 25 % faster 

than comparable instruments. 

Analysis of ViscoQuick 

measurement curves 

The crystallization that occurs during 

cooling forms a crystal suspension 

whose viscosity continuously increases 

during the measurement. This 

increase is recorded as an increase 

in the torque of the shear paddle and 

plotted over time. The resulting curves 

can then be analyzed using various methods. 

In the study of cocoa mass, the main 

component of chocolate, samples 

from different growing regions were 

analyzed. These included samples 

from West Africa, Ghana, Peru and 

Nicaragua. The samples from West 

Africa, Ghana and Peru did not differ 

statistically, whereas the Nicaraguan 

sample crystallized significantly slower. 

This behavior is also confirmed 

in the industrial practice of chocolate 

production with raw materials from 

these origins. 

Brabener_ViscoQuick 06): The simple and fast-measuring method of the Brabender ViscoQuick 

enables a detailed analysis and a better understanding of the crystallization process by evaluating 

the entire crystallization curve. 

Mayser. A total of six filling fats were 

tested with the ViscoQuick. These fats 

were cooled in the ViscoQuick under 

shear to a crystallization temperature 

of 18 °C. Different crystallization curves 

were obtained. The more liquid a 

fat was at 18 °C, the slower it crystallized. 

The ViscoQuick method is reliable 

All in all, the ViscoQuick is user-friendly, 

thanks to the MetaBridge software 

implemented which delivers reliable 

and highly reproducible results, even 

under production conditions. The measurement 

of the crystallization rate 

Milk fat is present in all milk chocolates 

and is therefore one of the most important 

fats in chocolate production, along 

with cocoa butter. It slows down the 

crystallization of cocoa butter, which 

can be quantified very well with the ViscoQuick. 

The dark chocolate masses 

tested included different types with 

increasing milk fat content (clarified 

butter) from 2 % to 10 %. The higher the 

milk fat content, the slower the rate of 

crystallization. There was also a phase 

in which the chocolate crystallization 

remained stable and no further significant 

changes occurred. The amount 

of clarified butter therefore influences 

the rate and stability of crystallization, 

and therefore the texture and consistency 

of the chocolate. 

More edgy 

shapes wanted? 

THIS AND OTHER TRENDSETTERS 

CAN BE PRODUCED WITH 

SCHAAF TECHNOLOGY 

„Filling fats are also of enormous importance 

in the chocolate industry as 

the basis for a wide variety of fat fillings. 

Their crystallization behavior is just as 

important as that of the chocolate in 

order to be able to produce shelf-stable 

and tasty products,“ emphasizes 

19-20 JUNE 24 

BOOTH 545 

SCHAAF TECHNOLOGIE GMBH 

www.foodextrusion.de 


27

Processing 

Schokoladenpaddel (JUL01875): During chocolate 

production, the ViscoQuick analyses raw 

materials such as cocoa mass, cocoa butter, 

chocolate mass and filling fats. 

under shear is a good approximation of 

the behavior during the tempering process 

in production. The method is extremely 

versatile for all relevant fat-containing 

raw materials and semi-finished 

products such as cocoa butter, cocoa 

mass, chocolate mass, fillings and 

filling fats. It is easy to adapt to your 

own raw materials and semi-finished 

products. When evaluating new batches, 

comparison with your own validated 

measurements provides full data 

transparency. With a relative standard 

deviation of around 2 %, the method is 

highly reproducible and shows a strong 

correlation with the results of DSC 

measurements and recipe variations. 

In addition to the ViscoQuick, Anton 

Paar offers other product solutions 

for quality control and product development 

in the manufacture of chocolate 

products. In August 2008, Anton 

Paar acquired Brabender, bringing the 

two companies under one roof. Since 

then, customers have benefited from 

an expanded product range of extru- 

ders, rheometers and viscometers, as 

well as access to Anton Paar‘s global 

service and sales network. Other products 

include the MCR series of rheometers 

for measuring the viscosity of 

chocolate and fillings in baked goods 

and snacks on a laboratory scale. The 

two compact rheometers, MCR 72 and 

MCR 92, are suitable for determining 

the texture and consistency of foods 

such as melted chocolate, pudding and 

biscuits. The Brabender Convimeter 

II can also be used for viscosity measurement 

and process control in the 

production and development of liquids 

and pastes. In the chocolate industry, 

the instrument can be used to characterize 

liquid or pasty raw materials and 

intermediate products. 

fmt 


www.anton-paar.com 

Authors: Matthias Mayser and Nicole Kuska, 

Brabender GmbH & Co. KG/A brand of Anton 

Paar, Duisburg/Germany. 

About Anton Paar 

Founded in 1922 in Graz (Austria) by Anton Paar, the company is the world market leader in the measurement of density and 

concentration, the determination of dissolved carbon dioxide, and in the fields of rheometry and viscometry. Anton Paar’s 

customers include most of the major beer and soft drink manufacturers worldwide, companies active in the food, chemicals, 

petroleum, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as leading academic groups. 

For many decades, Anton Paar has combined precise mechanical production with the latest achievements in the fields of 

research and development. In recent years, the Anton Paar GmbH invested up to 20 % of its annual turnover in research and 

development. The company offers analytical solutions that are produced within the 11 producing sites (in Europe and USA). 

Additionally, there is a soccer simulator: in the so-called skills.lab professionals, amateurs and youth players can perfect 

their skills under real conditions. 

Anton Paar is active in more than 110 countries with 37 sales subsidiaries. Meanwhile, more than 4,400 employees in a 

worldwide network of research and development, production, sales, and support are responsible for the quality, reliability, 

and service of products made by Anton Paar. Since 2003, the Charitable Santner Foundation has been the owner of Anton 

Paar. It is dedicated exclusively and directly to charitable purposes. In 2022, the company generated net sales revenue of 

545.6 million Euro. 

Besides focusing on research and development, Anton Paar’s growth is also based on strategic acquisitions. In 2007, the 

company acquired Dr. Kernchen GmbH near Hannover (Germany, special field optical metrology, Anton Paar OptoTec) followed 

by Petrotest Group (Germany, special field measurement technology for the petroleum industry, Anton Paar ProveTec) 

in 2012, and the addition of CSM Instruments SA in Switzerland in 2014 (special field surface analysis, Anton Paar TriTec). 

In 2016, Anton Paar acquired a product line of Raman benchtop devices from BaySpec Inc. (USA, CA) and licensed the 

technology for Raman handheld instruments from SciAps Inc. (USA, MA). In 2017, Anton Paar integrated technology for 

particle size analysis bought from Cilas (France) into the product portfolio. With the acquisition of Quantachrome Instruments 

(USA) in February 2018 and AXO Dresden in February 2019, Anton Paar further expanded its range of measurement 

technology in the characterization of pores and porous materials and X-Ray optics. With the purchase of the Brabender 

GmbH & Co. KG (Germany, 2023, Anton Paar TorqueTec), the portfolio was expanded with special measuring solutions for 

the characterization of kneading properties and lab extrusion. 


PROCESS TECHNOLOGY&COMPONENTS 

© Aerzen 

The cross-sectoral media platform 

for suppliers and users in two languages: 

German and English 

Exclusive information around the pump 

and compressor industry as well as 

systems and components 

Developments and trends 

First-hand future technology 

Targeted at international trade 

shows for 2024 

New since 2022: 

„Green Efficient Technologies“ 

is published 4 times a year 


29 

Dr. Harnisch Verlags GmbH · Eschenstr. 25 · 90441 Nuremberg · Tel.: +49 (0) 911 - 2018 0 · info@harnisch.com · www.harnisch.com

Processing 

Neon is A New Solution that Adds 

Value and Ease to Machine-Harvested 

Blueberries 

The new TOMRA Neon is a new blueberry pre-grader with sophisticated AI technology, brings overall value 

to the blueberry business model. Joshua Miers-Jones, Director Business Deveploment Blueberries at TOMRA 

Food, explains. and Nick Hall Global Segment Director - Blueberries & Processed Fruit goes into more detail. 

The global trend towards the machine 

harvesting of blueberries has brought 

challenges. Although machine harvesters 

are faster and less costly than 

manual picking, they also harvest debris 

and fruit clusters which cause disruption 

on packhouse production lines. 

Machines also harvest unwanted 

green and red berries which unnecessarily 

reduce pack-out from grading 

lines. The new TOMRA Neon allows 

Blueberry growers to automatically 

process machine harvested blueberries 

for the fresh market. 

TOMRA Neon pre-grades machineharvested 

blueberries before transferring 

the fruit directly onto TOMRA’s 

KATO260 optical sorter and sizer. By 

employing artificial intelligence modelling, 

TOMRA Neon detects clusters 

with unrivalled accuracy. Because it is 

compact, durable, and easy to clean, it 

fits perfectly into any processing and 

packing line 

Recognizing the challenge 

Manual blueberry harvesting is laborintensive 

and requires pickers to spend 

long hours in the field. This is exactly the 

kind of tediously repetitive, physically tiring 

work that people no longer want to 

do. As a consequence, it is becoming increasingly 

difficult for growers to recruit 

and retain seasonal harvesting staff, 

which has accelerated the adoption of 

automated harvesting. 

Another good reason for harvesting mechanically 

is the need for speed. Machines 

work much more rapidly than people. 

But machines cannot see or judge 

blueberries on the bushes in the same 

way that people can. As well as harvesting 

good fruit, machines also pick fruit 

that’s unripe or grouped in clusters. By 

working closely with blueberry growers 

and packhouses, TOMRA Food recognized 

the need to help customers move 

to machine harvesting, adding value by 

reducing labor requirements, while still 

delivering the highest quality product to 

the consumer. 

TOMRA Food’s knowledge of blueberry 

sorting, grading and packing goes 

back well over 20 years as it includes 

the specialized knowledge possessed 

by the New Zealand-based businesses 

Compac and BBC Technologies, which 

TOMRA acquired in 2016 and 2018. Detailed 

conversations with customers 

led to TOMRA setting itself the task of 

designing and developing a blueberry 

pre-grader that is technically sophisticated, 

robust, easy to maintain, easy to 

clean, and yet also price sensitive. 

To achieve the necessary technical sophistication, 

TOMRA’s engineers drew 

extensively on their experience developing 

the company’s LUCAi AI technology, 

an optional add-on for the KATO260 


Processing 

which classifies and grades fruit with 

unrivalled accuracy. LUCAi employs 

Deep Learning, which uses pre-trained 

models to teach computers how to process 

data, such as complex patterns in 

photos – a principal which TOMRA will 

extend to other applications. 

Impressive results 

TOMRA Neon was tested and validated 

over two-and-a-half years in varied 

machine-harvested conditions in 

North America and New Zealand. These 

trials culminated in the controlled, 

early release and sale of 10 machines 

during the 2023 season to TOMRA 

customers. This made it possible to 

fine-tune TOMRA Neon’s software, 

AI algorithms, and mechanical set-up 

based on millions of kilos of machineharvested 

blueberries in commercial 

environments. 

ned to keep the KATO260 running at 

full capacity. 

TOMRA Neon was launched to market 

in October 2023. Its introduction means 

there is now turnkey integration 

between TOMRA’s Harvest Cleaner, 

Small Fruit Eliminator, TOMRA Neon, 

and KATO260 – a suite of solutions 

that empowers packhouses to process 

machine-harvested blueberries easily 

and effectively to the highest level. fmt 


www.Tomra.com/food 

Joshua Miers-Jones, Director Business 

Deveploment Blueberries 

These extensive validation tests have 

shown that TOMRA Neon optimizes 

optical grader efficiency by removing 

more than 95% of clusters and more 

than 90% of green and red berries. And 

thanks to its unique ejection manifold, 

TOMRA Neon runs with a throughput 

capacity of up to 500 berries per second. 

Even when fruit removal is as 

high as 40%, an output speed of up to 

280 berries per second can be maintai- 


31

Processing 

Ian Healey met up with Nick Hall, TOMRA Food Global Segment Director - 

Blueberries & Processed Fruit to find out more about the new Neon machine. 

Q: Blueberries are arguably the most popular fruit in many European countries at the moment. Is there an explanation 

for this? 

Nick Hall: In fact this is not limited to Europe. Blueberries are grown and consumed everywhere. For Europe there are 

new regions of cultivation, more fruit and higher quality. This makes the end product better, more plentiful and ultimately 

more affordable. Blueberries are extremely healthy, taste great and bring an element of fun. 

Q: TOMRA Neon is a new and relatively small piece of equipment. Why will it be a game changer for fruit processors? 

Nick Hall: Neon came out of a need which many harvesters asked about. It is a pre-grader which improves quality of 

blueberries and saves time further down the line, for example with TOMRA‘s KATO 260 machine. 

Q: Where is Neon used? 

Nick Hall: Blueberries are increasingly harvested automatically and by special machinery. This is faster and less costly 

than using manual labor, which is not always available. TOMRA’s Neon is the first stage in the processing factory after 

the fruit is delivered. Machines tend to be less selective when collecting leaves, twigs and other debris, as well as unripe 

or overripe berries. Neon takes away this unwanted material. 

Q: How does it work? 

Nick Hall: Neon uses artificial intelligence to identify, remove and pre-sort good and bad product. Our engineers have 

used our LUCAi AI software to train the machine over time to grade and sort the incoming clusters of fruit. This is an 

ongoing process, so the machine will continually get more accurate. The scrap material is ejected and resorted before 

being transferred to the KATO 260 optical sorter and sizer down the line. 

Q: How long has the Neon been on the market? 

Nick Hall: In fact TOMRA’s Neon has been extensively tested by selected clients in North America and Europe. We are 

confident that the machine now on the market will indeed be a game changer for the growing markets for blueberries 

everywhere. 

Q: What are the future plans? Will Neon be used for other fruits? 

Nick Hall: Until now, we have concentrated 

on the needs of blueberry 

growers. This will continue since new 

varieties are continually being cultivated. 

In the future it is likely that the 

technology could be applied to other 

products. 

Q: Thanks for taking the time to talk 

to us and share these insights with 

our readers. Good luck in the future! 


Processing 

Contract Drying Specialist Launches New 

Plant for the Spray Drying of Infant Food 

Components 

Uelzena eG's newly built "Tower 12" spray drying plant has been in regular operation for several months 

now. The plant is primarily designed for the production of ingredients for infant food under high-care 

conditions. With the new plant, the contract dryer from northern Germany, which specializes in food and 

infant food, intends to further expand its leading position in this product segment. A total of four spray 

towers of different sizes and configurations are now available for drying infant food components at the 

central production site in Uelzen (Lower Saxony). 

″The requirements for product safety 

of ingredients for infant food, such 

as minerals or vitamins on carrier 

materials, have risen continuously in 

recent years. With this in mind and 

with the intention of further expanding 

existing partnerships with baby food 

manufacturers, the construction of 

a new high-care spray drying plant 

was a logical and logical step for us. In 

this way, we are ideally positioned to 

continue supporting our customers in 

the food and infant food industry as a 

preferred and sought-after specialist in 

the future.″ Bern Gewecke, Managing 

Director of Ingredients and Contract 

Manufacturing, explains the decision to 

build a new spray drying plant. 

Stand-alone spray drying plant for 

high-care productions 

Alongside the main spray tower, the 

plant also includes other central 

areas such as a high-performance wet 

mixing area with various technologies 

for preparing different recipes, fully 

automated packaging lines and 

various technical and social rooms. 

Everything is embedded in a completely 

self-contained spray-drying plant 

that is state-of-the-art in terms of 

hygiene, technology and efficiency. 

The construction time, including the 

technical installations, was just over two 

years. 

The centerpiece of the new plant is the 

15 m high spray tower with a flexible 

nozzle spraying system and a capacity 

of 650 - 750 kg of powder per hour. 

From the concentrate production up to 

the ready-packed powder in aluminum 

bags, the entire manufacturing process 

is recipe-controlled. 

″With the new spray drying plant, 

we can offer our customers stateof-the-art 

services in terms of 

technology, sustainable production 

and environmental protection. We 

are particularly proud of the very high 

hygiene level of the new plant,″ explains 

Simone Oeder, Sales Manager for 

Contract Drying. ″Latest technology, 

a high degree of automation and a 

sophisticated hygiene concept ensure 

particularly safe production conditions 


33

Processing 

for spray drying these sensitive product 

groups,″ continues Simone Oeder. 

Optimized hygiene concept 

A strict hygiene concept has been 

implemented throughout the entire 

plant. This includes four different 

hygiene zones with product and staff 

airlocks to separate the different 

production areas, containment systems 

on the active ingredient dosing and 

filling systems, elaborated cleaning 

concepts with separate washing 

and drying rooms for the cleaning of 

plant components as well as efficient 

ventilation and filter systems for fresh 

and exhaust air. Parts of the plant are 

certified in accordance with the strict 

EHEDG standard for hygienic plant 

design. 

Sustainable and resource-saving 

production 

In addition to the functional aspects, the 

plant is also at the cutting edge in terms 

of a sustainable and resource-saving 

production thanks to its energy-efficient 

concept. For example, the spray tower 

is encased and insulated to reduce heat 

loss and save energy. Heat exchangers 

in the ventilation systems ensure 

effective supply air preheating for the 

spray tower by recovering heat from the 

exhaust air. Wherever it is possible, the 

process heat is recovered and losses 

are minimised. All cleaning processes 

are optimised to save resources and are 

also reduced to a minimum thanks to 

various measures. 

fmt 


www.ingredients.uelzena.com 

About Uelzena Group: 

Founded in 1952 and headquartered in Uelzen, Lower Saxony, Uelzena eG is a co-operative dairy company. The group of 

companies employs over 800 people and includes various subsidiaries and joint ventures with production and sales locations 

mainly in northern Germany. 

826,834 tonnes of milk raw materials were processed in 2022. With the main product groups milk fats, milk powder, cheese, 

sweetened condensed milk, instant beverages, health products and contract drying, the Group generated a turnover of EUR 

1,077 million. 

The company focuses on doing business with international customers from the industry. The Uelzena Group has been supplying 

many international manufacturers of well-known brands for many years now. In Germany, the group is the leading 

supplier of concentrated butter to food retailers and of butter and butterfat to the bakery trade. 


Processing 

Separation Premiere: The Bone Cannon ® 

that Increases Profit by Recovering 

Usable Raw Materials 

Provisur is a leading industrial food processing equipment manufacturer headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, 

with a global network of sales and service locations as well as Innovation Centers. At Anuga FoodTec 

Provisur presented an exciting range of Separation systems highlighting versatility, innovation, and 

reliability. The Separation machines on display included the world premiere of the redesigned Bone Cannon ® , 

the STS 2000 and the SME 1830. 

Provisur Separation equipment is designed 

to increase yield and offers sustainable 

solutions for the client. The company has 

industry-leading technologies in its STS 

(soft tissue separation) portfolio. Focusing 

on sustainability and new innovations, 

ensures that Provisur can match a 

customer’s exact need for output texture 

and quality, as well as providing the most 

cost-efficient recovery of raw materials. 

More raw material, more profit: 

the Bone Cannon ® 

The Bone Cannon ® celebrated the world 

premiere of its new design at Anuga 

FoodTec 2024. Bones retain valuable 

amounts of meat even after trimming - 

the Bone Cannon ® separates this meat 

from the bones, ensuring that producers 

get the highest possible return on their 

raw material investment. The new design 

offers even greater meat recovery to keep 

valuable protein out of the waste stream 

and meet today’s demands for affordable 

proteins in applications such as meatballs, 

sausages and more. In addition, the new 

design reduces water consumption to an 

absolute minimum, and, with the new 

motor, energy consumption is also reduced. 

There is a noticeable reduction in noise 

and the maintenance concept has been 

redesigned to make it even more userfriendly. 

Ease of use and excellent yield 

combine to make the new Bone Cannon ® 

a standout in hygiene and sustainability. 

for depacking when, for example, the 

reprocessing of defective articles becomes 

necessary, or when the best-before date 

has passed. It cleanly separates product 

and packaging for products such as 

potatoes and fish, or even Kebabs on a 

wooden stick. 

According to Olivier Kerdiles, VP of 

Separation, “Our STS 2000 separator is 

ideal for operations that require highquality 

outputs. One of the biggest 

challenges for operations that involve 

soft-tissue products is the removal of bone 

fragments while maintaining the quality of 

the meat and fish. With the STS, higher 

yields and higher quality end products go 

hand in hand.” 

Small footprint, high return of 

investment: the SME 1830 

Innovative separation technology with the 

smallest footprint – the SME 1830 is an 

excellent entry-level machine to recover 

meat on bones and prevent valuable 

protein from entering the waste stream. 

The machine is compact and lean and 

nevertheless handles a wide range of 

applications. It is ideal for MDM and MSM 

from beef, pork, poultry, and delivers the 

material for sausages and nuggets. In 

addition, it can handle fish and fruit. It 

is designed for simplicity and ease of use 

without compromising on versatility. 

Separation systems with 

sustainability in their DNA 

Provisur is the only supplier to offer 

customers all three separation processes 

- rotary, belt and press technology. This 

allows processors to choose a technology in 

line with their exact requirements - perfect 

texture and quality go hand in hand with 

the cost-efficient recovery of meat, poultry, 

fish, and other raw materials (potatoes, 

fruit, or vegetables). Highlighting the 

concept of system solutions from a single 

source, Provisur demonstrates its expertise 

in production lines with separators of 

different performance. They all have 

one thing in common: higher yield and 

reduction of waste lead to greater profit 

and greater sustainability. 

Olivier Kerdiles explains, “All of our 

Separation systems at Provisur boost 

sustainability. We design machines that 

recover as much protein as possible, 

delivering more food and therefore making 

food more affordable. The durability of our 

Separation systems makes them a sound 

investment for our customers.” 


www.provisur.com 

fmt 

High-quality separation, higher 

yields: the STS 2000 

The Soft Tissue Separator STS 2000 

enables efficient separation of beef, 

pork, and poultry. It eliminates tendons, 

cartilage, bone fragments, sinew and more, 

while preserving the integrity and structure 

of the food. It can also be used for the 

clean separation of components in other 

products such as avocadoes destined for 

use in Guacamole. In addition, it is suitable 


35

Processing 

Trends in the Growing Frozen Pizza Sector 

By Mike Jacko, Vice President of Applications & Product Development at Urschel 

The frozen food market, including pizza, 

continues to be one of the fastest growing 

market sectors in food processing. 

Advances in freezing methods intersect 

with consumer trends. Consumers are 

seeking healthier, convenient options. 

These trends include increased choices 

of vegetables and plant-based proteins. 

Traditional toppings remain popular 

while niche pizza toppings and styles of 

crusts are ever expanding. Research and 

development teams continue to build on 

new flavors and toppings. 

Brussel sprouts, beets, arugula, spinach, 

zucchini, and yellow squash are 

just a few on-trend toppings. Cauliflower 

crusts are also at the forefront. Alternative 

textured plant proteins take center 

stage and appear on pizzas as shreds, 

crumbles, or dices in place of traditional 

meat selections. The category of cheese 

toppings is ever growing including goat 

cheese, feta, and non-dairy, plant-based 

options. 

When considering the purchase of new 

capital equipment, processors need 

to identify the flow of their current system. 

If creating a new line, make sure 

each station will work seamlessly with 

the next. Safety and flow should be fully 

analyzed. Working with a line company 

offers an additional amount of security. 

Urschel technology delivers precision 

and expertise to pizza manufacturers. 

With the extensive ability to effectively 

cut a gamut of shapes to provide precision 

cuts within the targeted specifications. 

Many ingredients go into creating 

different styles of frozen pizza and 

ingredients vary depending on product 

characteristics. For toppings, fruits and 

vegetables rely on gentle cutting methods, 

whereas alternative proteins require 

more aggressive cutting methods. 

In addition, reduction of ingredients for 

sauces and crusts down to micro-dimensions 

is necessary to produce the ideal 

frozen pizza. 

As a powerhouse developer of cutting 

solutions, Urschel identifies the proper 

machine to pair with the desired outcome. 

With slicers, dicers, milling equipment, 

and all types of cuts, Urschel offers 

boundless reduction opportunities 

to frozen pizza processors. This may 

translate into a new beet sauce or cauliflower 

flour crust. Urschel size reduction 

equipment paves the way for processing 

capabilities. 

Urschel partners with customers to optimize 

their productivity. Test lab technicians 

identify new cuts that bring true 

benefits to the processors that work 

with Urschel. From half-moon zucchini 

slices to bow-tie beet cuts, unique looks 

abound to help processors standout in 

the competitive frozen pizza industry. 

Some of the key issues processors are 

facing include adequate labor and staffing 

and require more in a machine design. 

By engineering and manufacturing 

improved technology in a machine, the 

processor saves time, reduces staffing 

requirements, and improves capacity 

and quality of product output. 

Customers are demanding more in a 

design than ever before. Cutting principles 

are more precise to produce tighter, 

increased in-spec results, dedicated 

to increasing usable product. Components 

are constructed with ease-of-use 

elements, such as built-in handles, while 

also being able to withstand rugged 

production environments. Tools that accompany 

machines are also designed to 

expedite routine procedures. It all relates 

to time savings and cost savings. 

Customers are looking for a machine 

with components that work with their 

fast-paced line. Small and large companies 

want a robust machine that will 

hold precision slice tolerances throughout 

production runs with guarantees of 

parts and service when they need them. 

The ability to make changes ‘on the fly’ to 

be responsive to the needs of their environment. 

Urschel incorporates sanitation, cleanability, 

and durability which are of great 

importance in today‘s designs. Stainless 

steel surfaces assist in sanitation 

practices. Hinged panels prevent sheet 

metal from being rested on the floor, 

while providing full access for cleaning. 

The cutting zone is completely separate 

from the mechanical zone to negate 

cross contamination. Durability of knives 

and components is essential. Removable 

spindle carriages aid in sanitation. 

Higher cleanability saves time with washdowns 

and assists in profitability. 

Urschel‘s significant ongoing investment 

in the global infrastructure of our company 

has resulted in clients receiving expedited 

parts and peace of mind knowing 

their local office is there for complete 

support in terms of maintenance and 

training for the long life of their cutting 

equipment. Urschel speaks the language 

of food processing AND the local language, 

so important details in customer 

expectations are met. 

Urschel supplies an extensive range of equipment for cutting and processing requirements 


Processing 

New for the emerging alternative protein market, 

the DiversaCut® series and M6 offer aggressive 

cutting parts and feeding spindles created to 

overcome products that are normally difficult to 

process. These cutting methods also effectively 

reduce traditional cooked meats. Also new in meat 

processing, the Affinity large dicer with built-in log 

precutter for an all-in-one log dicing solution. 

For cheese shredding, the MicroAdjustable® CC 

series Shred Head (SH-14) offers expedited knife 

changeovers. Urschel machinery maintains more 

precise control of the shred thickness, so processors 

use less cheese per ounce while maintaining 

a full coverage appearance. This relates to better 

control in cheese melting and cost savings for the 

processor. The MicroAdjustable head, sanitary in 

design, is USDA accepted. Other USDA accepted 

offerings include the CCX-D cheese shredder and 

the large Affinity® Dicer along with the smaller footprint 

of the Affinity Integra-D. Whether shredding 

or dicing cheese or plant-based ‘cheese’, Urschel 

cutting solutions are ever evolving to meet the flexible 

needs of production lines. 

Thousands of cutting applications exist that Urschel 

size reduction machinery is actively involved. 

The Comitrol® Processor line of machinery 

is unique to our company. As with all reduction 

machinery we engineer and manufacture, all key 

components are crafted, constructed, and assembled 

under one roof, so strict quality standards are 

enforced. The size reduction heads employed in 

the Comitrol line achieve particles down to microdimensions. 

Potential applications include sauces, 

pastes, slurries, granulations, rice cuts, crumbles, 

powders, and flours. Comitrol reductions continue 

to be a sought-after resource for the frozen food 

industry. 

The E TranSlicer® Cutter (ETRS-C), DiversaCut 

2110A® (2110A) and Sprint 2® Dicers feature builtin 

discharge conveyors to facilitate dispensing cut 

product into totes. The built-in conveyors assist in 

effectively capturing slivered, small cuts of fruit and 

vegetable products such as leeks, onions, tomatoes, 

or peppers to promote gentle and complete discharge 

from each machine. In addition to the new 

conveyor discharge option, the E TranSlicer may 

also be equipped with a bias slicing option. 

Customers are encouraged to take part in a freeof-charge 

test cut of their product to determine the 

optimum machine for their cutting application. This 

beneficial service may be scheduled on request. fmt 


www.urschel.com 


37

Packaging 

Tomorrow’s Flexible 

Packagingis Starting Now 

Sappi Europe’s innovative barrier coating machine is driving the 

development of next-generation functional papers 

As a global leader in paper-based packaging solutions and always at the 

forefront of innovation, paper manufacturer Sappi Europe continues to 

pioneer the shift towards sustainability. The company is offering the 

industry’s most extensive portfolio of functional packaging papers with 

a focus on compelling alternatives to multi-layer material and plastic 

packaging. Sappi supports its partners – brand owners, converters and 

printers – by ensuring product safety and compliance with stringent 

packaging regulations, while promoting the circular economy. As a 

result of Sappi Europe’s investment in a new barrier coating machine at 

its Alfeld site in central Germany, the manufacturer’s next-generation 

functional papers are now ready to meet rigorous future requirements. 

René Köhler, Director Paper & Packaging Solutions 

at Sappi Europe 

• Sappi’s barrier papers are designed 

to replace non-recyclable materials 

• They guarantee product safety for 

both food and non-food products 

• Sappi’s functional papers incorporate 

over a decade of expertise in 

barrier technology 

• New barrier coating machine in Alfeld 

reflects the company’s commitment 

to innovation 

For over a decade, Sappi has been at 

the forefront of the functional papers 

market, developing effective alternatives 

to conventional multilayer and 

plastic packaging. The company’s 

extensive range of barrier papers is 

conceived to replace non-recyclable 

materials such as paper-film laminates 

and extrusion-coated papers – providing 

flexible, innovative solutions to 

address the most diverse packaging 

requirements. 

Sappi’s papers feature integrated barriers 

– depending on the application, 

with high, medium or low-barrier properties 

– against oxygen, water vapor, 

grease, aroma, mineral oil and with added 

heat-sealability. This ensures that 

the quality of food and non-food pro- 

38 

food Marketing & Technology • June 2024

Packaging 

ducts is preserved – whether they are 

packed in sachets, flow-wraps, pillow 

bags, doypacks or stand-up pouches. 

As the world pursues its search for sustainable 

packaging alternatives, Sappi 

remains dedicated to developing solutions 

that not only meet but exceed the 

evolving demands of both the market 

and the environment. “Our functional 

papers, including the Guard, AvantGuard, 

and Seal product families, reflect 

more than a decade of expertise in barrier 

technology,” confirms René Köhler, 

Director Paper & Packaging Solutions 

at Sappi Europe. “The recent addition 

of products such as Guard OHS, Guard 

ICC, Guard Twist and Seal Light illustrates 

our ongoing commitment to lead 

by innovation.” 

Leading by innovation 

“Sappi’s commitment to innovation 

and sustainability is embodied by our 

continuous investment in technology 

and product development,” adds René 

Köhler. “Our recent multi-million euro 

investment in a new barrier coating 

machine in Alfeld, Germany, not only 

boosts our production capacities, it 

also enhances our ability to introduce 

groundbreaking products to the market 

and expand our portfolio of nextgeneration 

functional papers.” 

The Alfeld mill now produces various 

barrier paper products, ranging from 

44g/m² to 120g/m², available in different 

finishes such as Natural, Silk, and 

Gloss of the printing side. This includes 

Sappi’s low, medium and high barrier 

and heat sealable papers. Many other 

products in different phases of development 

are currently in the process fmt 


www.sappi.com 

About Sappi 

Sappi is a leading global provider of everyday materials made from woodfibre-based renewable resources. As a diversified, 

innovative and trusted leader focused on sustainable processes and products, Sappi is building a more circular economy by 

making what it should, not just what it can. Its raw materials offerings (including dissolving pulp, wood pulp and biomaterials) 

and end-use products (packaging papers, specialty papers, graphic papers, casting and release papers, forestry products) 

are manufactured from woodfibre sourced from sustainably managed forests and plantations. Many of Sappi’s production 

facilities use internally generated bioenergy, enabling many of its operations to be energy self-sufficient. 

Sappi produces 5.5 million tons of paper, 2.6 million tons of paper pulp, 1.5 million tons of dissolving pulp per year. Globally, 

it has over 12,000 employees, 400,000 ha of owned and leased sustainably managed forests in South Africa. Sappi Limited 

(JSE) is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa with manufacturing operations across three continents and sells its 

products in more than 150 countries. 

Sappi Europe is a division of Sappi Limited where its European mills hold chain of custody certifications under the Forest 

Stewardship Council (FSC C015022) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC/07-32-76) 

systems. Our papers are produced in mills accredited with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50 001 and ISO45 001 certification. We 

have EMAS registration at 5 of our 8 mills in Europe. 


Packaging 

Combating Rising Costs 

in Carton Applications 

Moreover, the timing of error detection 

significantly impacts cost. Delayed recognition 

of quality issues results in 

increased waste and higher expenses. 

When non-conforming products are 

identified late in the supply chain, the 

consequences worsen. Recalls beby 

Neil Gruettner 

Carton applications are the backbone 

of diverse industries, from the comforting 

aroma of freshly baked biscuits 

to the soothing warmth of a cup of tea, 

and the tantalizing flavors of pasta and 

bakery delights. However, with escalating 

costs and stringent regulations, 

manufacturers encounter significant 

challenges in maintaining efficiency 

and accuracy in carton packaging. In 

this article, we look at the complexities 

of carton packaging applications 

and explore how combination product 

inspection solutions can combat rising 

costs effectively. 

Cost Perspective 

The implications of errors in carton 

applications are not merely financial; 

they extend to operational efficiency, 

resource management and brand integrity. 

Operation checks, traditionally 

conducted through sample checks, are 

inherently limited and expensive. The 

more production lines a manufacturer 

operates, the higher the costs associated 

with manual checks, amplifying the 

financial burden. 

come inevitable, leading to costs in 

terms of product retrieval, rework and 

potential fines. 

Reasons for Concern 

Labelling errors and incorrect fill levels 

stem from various sources, including 

operational errors and equipment malfunctions. 

These errors not only result 

in regulatory non-compliance but also 

jeopardize product quality and consumer 

safety. 

The repercussions of non-conforming 

product entering the marketplace 

manifest most notably in recalls, but 

potentially also harming the end consumer. 

Product recalls not only incur 

direct financial expenses but also carry 

the risk of incurring substantial fines 

from retailers, often amounting to billions, 

or loss of contracts. 

Furthermore, recalls inflict severe damage 

to brand reputation. Consumer 

trust is eroded, resulting in altered 

buying behaviors and decreased turnover. 

The combination of high costs 

and brand damage creates a detrimental 

cycle, further exacerbating financial 

losses. 

In essence, the financial toll of errors in 

carton applications extends far beyond 

immediate expenses. Delayed error 

detection amplifies costs, diminishes 

brand value and erodes profitability, 

underscoring the critical importance of 

proactive quality control measures. 

Regulatory Compliance 

Filled cartons must meet stringent 

weights and measures legislation, 

such as pre-packaged goods legislation, 

for accurate measurement and labelling 

to maintain fair trade practices. 

Regulatory requirements, including 

the EU Directive 1169/2011, US Food 

& Drug Administration (FDA) regulations 

and Natasha’s Law Guidance in 

the UK, mandate precise labelling of 

product contents, nutritional information 

and allergen warnings, crucial for 

consumer safety and transparency. 

Compliance with these regulations is 

imperative to protect the consumer 

against incorrect labelling, avoid severe 

penalties, including fines and legal 

consequences, while also preserving 

brand reputation. 

Manufacturers must employ robust 

quality control measures, including 

inspection systems, to facilitate adherence 

to regulatory standards and mitigate 

risks associated with non-compliance, 

safeguarding both consumer 

safety and market competitiveness. 

Three Steps to Combat Rising 

Costs 

So, the next logical question is what 

can manufacturers do? There are three 

easy steps to combat rising costs in 

carton applications: 

1. 100% Automated Inspection: Transitioning 

from manual spot checks 

to fully automated inspection processes 

of cartons reduces costs 

significantly while enhancing accuracy 

and efficiency. 

2. Earlier Detection: Integrating inspection 

systems at an early stage 

in the production process of carton 

applications means errors are 

identified and rectified promptly, 

minimizing downstream repercussions. 

40 


Packaging 

3. Combination Inspection Solutions: 

Leveraging combination 

checkweighing and vision inspection 

systems offers a comprehensive 

approach to quality control of 

carton applications, reducing the 

total cost of ownership and enhancing 

operational efficiency. 

Gatekeeper: Combination 

Inspection System 

Putting the above into practice, manufacturers 

can implement a “gatekeeper” 

of sorts, in the form of a combination 

inspection system. This smart 

solution integrates checkweighing 

and vision inspection functionalities, 

providing 100% automated inspection 

to detect errors promptly. By serving 

as a comprehensive quality control 

checkpoint, inspecting each filled carton 

in real-time, at high production 

speeds, the combination system acts 

as a safeguard against costly errors 

and meets compliance with regulatory 

standards. 

Benefits of Combination 

Inspection 

• Streamlining: Combination inspection 

systems provide numerous 

benefits. These systems 

are designed with shared components, 

streamlining maintenance 

efforts and reducing the need for 

duplicate parts. By consolidating 

inspection functionalities into a 

single unit, manufacturers benefit 

from simplified maintenance 

procedures and decreased costs 

associated with component management. 

• Reduced space: Moreover, their 

space-saving design optimizes 

floor space within production facilities, 

addressing the challenge of 

limited workspace. This efficiency 

in layout allows for more streamlined 

operations and enhanced 

productivity across the manufacturing 

floor. 

• Increased operatory efficiency: 

Equipped with user-friendly interfaces 

and standardised operating 

procedures, these systems empower 

operators to perform tasks 

with greater ease and speed. This 

enhanced efficiency translates to 

smoother production processes 

and reduced labor costs. 

• Early detection of carton issues: 

The incorporation of light barrier 

sensors also enables early detection 

of open flaps in carton seals, 

preventing production line stoppages 

and minimizing associated 

expenses. This proactive approach 

to maintenance also protects valuable 

equipment, meaning uninterrupted 

production and minimizing 

repair costs. 

• Improved product quality: Furthermore, 

the integration of checkweighing 

and vision inspection capabilities 

means comprehensive error 

detection of individual carton applications. 

This results in minimized 

inaccuracies in product weight and 

packaging integrity, ultimately leading 

to higher product quality and 

increased consumer satisfaction. 

• Cost savings: In addition to improving 

accuracy and efficiency, 

combination inspection systems 

deliver substantial cost savings. 

By reducing errors and operational 

disruptions, manufacturers avoid 

expenses associated with rework, 

product recalls and equipment 

downtime, thereby bolstering their 

bottom line. 

fmt 

The Author: 


www.mt.com 

fmt 

Neil Gruettneris Business Development 

Manager, Vision Inspection at Mettler-Toledo 


Packaging 

Standard Robot Palletizing Cell in Leading 

European Food Group, Vandemoortele 

CKF System’s latest standard robotic 

palletizing system is now operational at 

Vandemoortele – a leading European 

food group that manufactures and sells 

high quality food products. 

The new standard palletizer is one in a 

range of Standard Palletising cells offered 

by CKF and has been installed in 

the company’s Worcester plant. CKF’s 

range of Standard Palletising cells are 

quick to install, easy to use, economic 

and flexible, offering the ability to be reconfigured 

and expanded. 

This low-cost simple palletizing system 

is based on the Yaskawa PL80 robot 

and CKF’s standard 24 Vdc ‘CRC’ case 

conveyor system. 

The robot cell has been designed so it 

can be mechanically located and installed 

with minimal interruption to production 

due to the innovative plinth 

that allows the robot and all ancillary 

elements to be installed and tied back 

to the main system structure. 

The palletizing system has been produced 

with the Yaskawa Pallet Solver 

software at its core which allows for fast 

commissioning and flexibility to introduce 

new pallet patterns as and when required 

with minimal specialist training. 

Suitably familiar operators / site engineers 

will be able to create new pallet 

patterns on the local HMI screen. 

The robot system has been installed 

with a simple, single zone vacuum gripper 

that will allow the picking and placing 

of single cases, multiple cases, sturdy 

bags or flow wrapped packs of product 

in a single movement. Designed with 

second life in mind, the CKF palletizing 

system can easily be relocated and repurposed 

with minimal modifications. 

Cases are fed to the system from the 

production floor directly above the system, 

via decline belt and spiral conveyors 

manufactured and installed by CKF. 

42 


Packaging 

Once on the ground floor the cases are handled on CKF’s 

inhouse 24Vdc CRC conveyor system which allows the additional 

functionality of a manual feed and an ebb and flow 

buffer area. When pallets are exchanged, the robot must 

stop for safety, cases are buffered on the Zero Pressure 

Accumulation (ZPA) system. The cases are then fed back 

into the palletiser along with the cases from production, 

allowing pallets to be exchanged without affecting production. 

Vandemoortele are currently utilizing the system on their 

pastry products line where it handles a throughput of up 

to 20 cases per minute with a variety of case sizes and 

weights. 

“We are delighted with the standard end of line robotic 

palletizing cell installed by CKF which has already allowed 

us to increase throughput and streamline our operations. 

The installation was quick, smooth and to an extremely 

high standard. Our investment will serve us for many years 

as this solution can easily be repurposed if we decide 

to upgrade or change our operations. It has allowed us to 

remove repetitive manual handling and reallocate valuable 

personnel to more interesting tasks.” 

Gareth Manton, Vandemoortele 

fmt 


www.ckfinc.com 


Events 

Hot Topics in Hydrocolloids 

Food Hydrocolloid Conference 2024 – Review 

IMR’s 24th hydrocolloid conference 

has just ended in Savannah with over 

100 high level executives from some 

24 countries in attendance. A truly 

global event. As always, it was flattering 

and at the same time a great 

responsibility to host such an illustrious 

group. If you were one of those in 

attendance, you saw for yourself the 

convivial sense of camaraderie in the 

industry even amongst competitors. 

End users of hydrocolloids accounted 

for about 30-40% of all attendees, 

a high in the 24 year history of this 

conference. Unparalleled networking 

opportunities. Fourteen great speakers 

with a breadth of hydrocolloid 

coverage ranging from raw material 

suppliers to producers, distributors, 

and food formulators. Regulatory and 

consumer issues were key elements 

covered as always. 

Nesha Zalesny, partner at IMR, kicked 

off the speaker roster with an 

overview of the $15.6 billion food 

sector which is less than a third of 

the total hydrocolloid market if one 

includes oilfield and industrial applications. 

The two giant hydrocolloids 

in terms of volume and value 

remain starch and gelatin. Gelatin 

has the distinction of being the 

only animal based product derived 

from upcycling a by-product of the 

beef industry. Sowmya Balendiran, 

co-founder of Sea6Energy an Indian 

startup in seaweed farming. The 

plans of Sea6Energy are to disrupt 

the red seaweed growing industry 

through a quantum leap in seaweed 

output per farmer. Insight into the 

hydrocolloid needs of the petfood 

industry were provided by Amanda 

Dainton, product development scientist 

at Freshpet which produces 

only refrigerated petfood. Petfood 

is major user of hydrocolloids. The 

words of Sjoerd Peekstok, gelatin 

buyer at Haribo were awaited with 

bated breath by the several gelatin 

suppliers in attendance. A CO 2 

related 

example of the many challenges 

sure to face the gelatin industry was 

presented by Sjoerd. The gelatin 

suppliers’ viewpoint was presented 

by Lara Niemann and Leo Manning 

both members of the GROW association. 

(Gelatin Representatives of 

the World). “We are ready and uni- 


Events 

ted as a group to face the challenges.” 

GROW is a good example of an active 

trade organization with effective B2B 

communications. The unmistakable 

trend towards a higher involvement 

of distributors in the hydrocolloid 

world was addressed by Jamie Moritz 

general manager of IFPC a US distributor 

and Asim Syed, senior director 

at Brenntag a global distributor. 

Distributors now offer the high level 

of technical service which was previously 

offered by the hydrocolloid 

producers. Distributors are better 

placed to obtain compensation for 

the service element provided with 

a hydrocolloid sale. They must also 

navigate a potential conflict when 

supplying blends which may compete 

with those of its principles. The 

problems have shifted from the basic 

producer of hydrocolloids to their 

distributors. That guar gum is undervalued 

and often driven to unsustainable 

price levels was succinctly 

presented and substantiated by Uday 

Merchant, CEO of Lucid Colloids, one 

of the world’s largest producers of 

guar gum. Want to know which hydrocolloids 

may be involved in litigation? 

Ask Liz Presnell, a lawyer at Food Industry 

Counsel. Liz touched on a few 

on-going cases which involve hydrocolloids. 

Such cases may explain the 

drive to remove a given hydrocolloid 

from an ingredient listing. She also 

spoke of label claims that may face 

more scrutiny and therefore potential 

litigation. A speaker from the regulatory 

world is de rigueur at all IMR conferences. 

Also de rigueur, is a speaker 

to address the ever changing mind of 

consumers. The presentation by Lynn 

Dornblaser of Mintel Group highlighted 

the trends in plant based consumer 

preferences. Scott Shoemaker, 

VP of R&D at Scott Brothers presented 

on behind the scenes use of hydrocolloids. 

Scott Brothers (no relation 

with Scott the speaker) is a major 

developer for dairy and plant-based 

‘private label’ formulations using hydrocolloids. 

How a new hydrocolloid 

supplier should try to approach this 

major user of hydrocolloids was highlighted 

by the Angela Kyee Gelena, 

Global Hydrocolloid Buyer at Agrana 

Fruit Services. Angela talked about 

methods to develop a good relationship 

with procurement. She also 

spoke on the difference between an 

“approved supplier” and a “preferred 

supplier.” The supplier status is usually 

a result of good relationships. A 

problem for hydrocolloid suppliers 

is that channels are not the same at 

all companies. It’s a delicate political 

situation. Designing experimental 

methods to fine tune any given formulation 

can in an efficient way, can 

be counterintuitive. There are sophisticated 

software programs available 

to allow multi-variable adjustments 

simultaneously. Curtis Park, principal 

scientist at HP Hood has spent years 

fine tuning such software to streamline 

hydrocolloid selection(s) in formulations. 

Speaker presentation slides are 

available to all attendees. 

Some key challenges facing all hydrocolloid 

producers result from the nonscientific 

decision making process of 

many, if not the majority, of consumers. 

For example, the overused adage of “If 

you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it”, or 

“if it sounds chemical it cannot be good 

for you”. How does “Di-hydrogen oxide” 

sound to such consumers? The industry 

needs to be more united in countering 

such non-scientific, not to say irrational, 

thinking about hydrocolloids. The GROW 

(gelatin) association is a good example 

for other trade associations to try and 

follow. Marinalg, EINEC, AIPG, OFCA are 

other hydrocolloid trade associations 

with far less visibility in promoting and 

defending the hydrocolloid interests of 

its members at the consumer level. 

A potential strategy to address the negative 

perception of some hydrocolloids 

was discussed at the conference. 

There are bold claims of “No carrageenan”, 

or “No xanthan” currently made on 

some food labels, including those sold 

at a major chain such as Costco. These 

claims seem to imply that carrageenan 

and/or xanthan are bad or dangerous. A 

case could be made that such labeling 

is ‘fearmongering’ and/or ‘misleading’. 

Can legal action be taken against such 

labeling? A question to be pursued by 

IMR and all Hydrocolleagues. 

Who decided to focus on methyl cellulose 

replacement in the 20+ ingredient 

listing of a plant based meat? Opinions 

varied but no consensus was arrived 

at. IMR will conduct a survey to try and 

determine, “Why MC?”. 

Attendees in Savannah, were keen to 

know where and when the next conference 

will take place. A clear indication 

that they found the event useful and 

planned to attend the next one. If and 

when the next conference takes place, 

it will be in Europe. To be amongst the 

first to know, become a “Hydrocolleague” 

at the IMR website, www.Hydrocolloid.com. 

You will receive weekly, 

free, hydrocolloid tidbits. 

fmt 


www.hydrocolloid.com 


45

Events 

IFT FIRST Food Expo, Chicago, July 14-17 

Amazon Executive to Provide Opening Keynote on Revolutionizing Food Innovation Through AI 

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a nonprofit scientific organization with global members spanning 

academia, government, and industry, is proud to announce that Justin Honaman, Head, Worldwide Retail 

& Consumer Goods Go-To-Market at Amazon/AWS – along with Nora Khaldi, founder and CEO at biotech 

company Nuritas and Asch Harwood, Vice President of Data & Insights at ReFED – will deliver the opening 

keynote address on “Revolutionizing Food Innovation Through AI” at IFT FIRST: Annual Event and Expo, 

which is being held July 14-17, 2024, at McCormick Place in Chicago. 

Honaman, Khaldi, and Harwood will 

enlighten IFT FIRST attendees on the 

powerful synergies between AI-driven 

innovation and the global science of 

food community. The keynote, which 

will take place from 8:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. 

CDT on Monday, July 15, 2024, will reveal 

groundbreaking advancements in 

predictive analytics, precision engineering, 

biotechnology, and product development, 

all while exploring the future 

of a technology that has the power to 

revolutionize the global food system. 

• Justin Honaman 

leads the food and beverage 

segment for the 

largest online retailer 

in the world and has 

extensive experience 

in consumer 

goods and retail, including 

roles at Coca- 

Cola, Georgia Pacific, Accenture, 

and EY. Honaman’s 

experience spans supply chain, 

ecommerce, data analytics, and digital 

engagement solutions. 

• Nora Khaldi holds a 

PhD in Molecular Evolution 

and Bioinformatics 

and is the developer 

of a multitude of innovative 

research 

that is used in over 

70 countries. She is 

a mathematician and 

computer scientist who 

boasts over 60 patents and 

spearheaded the integration of 

AI into the food and beverage industry, 

revolutionizing ingredient discovery. 

Under Khaldi’s leadership, Nuritas 

built the world’s largest natural 

peptide library, discovering over 

eight million food peptides. 

• Asch Harwood 

leads 

the development 

and delivery 

of 

information 

and accompanying 

technical 

products, including 

the ReFED Insights Engine 

that will lead the industry to act 

on food waste reduction. He has 

spent over a decade working at the 

intersection of social change, data, 

design, and technology, spanning 

industries and continents at organizations 

including the Council on 

Foreign Relations and UNICEF. 

“Artificial intelligence has the power to 

massively change the way the global 

food system operates. Many recognize 

AI’s immense value but are unclear on 

how or when to incorporate it, which 

is why IFT is launching a series of preevent 

and onsite educational opportunities 

where attendees can learn 

from some of the top AI experts in the 

world, including our opening keynote 

speakers,” said IFT CEO Christie Tarantino-Dean. 

“Justin, Nora, and Asch will 

leverage their leadership experience 

at industry-disrupting organizations to 

show how companies of all sizes in the 

science of food community can use AI 

to innovate new products, quickly solve 

problems, and transform the global 

food system at large.” 

AI will be a prominent theme at IFT 

FIRST 2024 and in the months leading 

up to popular food-science event virtual 

AI workshops have taken place. Participants 

have learned how AI works on a 

technical level, mastered prompt engineering, 

discovered cutting-edge tools 

and real-world use cases, and have gained 

a deep understanding of how to use 

AI ethically and safely. 

An in-person workshop, “Exploring Artificial 

Intelligence for Next-Level Food 

Innovation,” will be held July 13-14, 2024, 

and is a precursor to IFT FIRST. The 

workshop, which will dive further into 

the world of artificial intelligence, will 

empower participants to explore advanced 

topics including large language 

models in business and food, embodied 

AI and real-world examples through movement 

and sensory inputs, as well as 

evaluating machine learning tools such 

as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. 

Registration opened earlier this month 

for IFT FIRST (Food Improved by Research, 

Science, and Technology), which 

includes the largest global food science 

and innovation expo with more than 

1,000 exhibitors offering the latest in 

ingredients, food and food tech trends, 

food tastings, and exposure to global 

innovations in food. More than 17,000 

attendees from around the world can 

also experience more than 100 Science 

FIRST sessions and multi-disciplinary 

discussions focused on groundbreaking 

scientific research and solutions in 

novel technology and innovation, health 

and nutrition, sustainability and climate, 

food safety, and consumer insights and 

education. Meanwhile, popular attractions 

such as the Startup Pavilion with 

The Pitch, The Innovation Lab, and the 

Braindate Lounge will return. 

About Institute of Food 

Technologists 

The Institute of Food Technologists 

(IFT) is a global organization of over 

11,000 individual members from more 


7/14/23 12:00 PM 

31377 

Events 

than 100 countries committed to advancing 

the science of food. Since 1939, 

IFT has brought together the brightest 

minds in food science, technology and 

related professions from academia, 

government, and industry to solve the 

world’s greatest food challenges. IFT 

works to ensure that its members have 

the resources they need to learn, grow, 

and innovate to advance the science of 

food as the population and the world 

evolve. IFT believes that science and 

innovation is essential to ensuring a global 

food supply that is sustainable, safe, 

nutritious, and accessible to all. fmt 


www.ift.org 

3/24 

Vol. 38 • 

ISSN 0932-2744 

NEW 

Come and see for yourself: 

www.harnisch.com 

Global Leader in Food Cutting Technology 

a free test-cut of your product. 



Manifesto 






Costs 

Perfectly positioned. 

The international specialist magazines from Dr. Harnisch Publications 

You can now explore our newly designed website, with a 

clear focus on responsive design and easily usable applications. 

Alongside the free-to-use digital magazine editions, you will 

fi nd bonus news coverage, events, subscription and 

general information on all our magazines. Take a look at 

www.harnisch.com for all relevant content. 

Our publications include: 

- Technology & Marketing - 


47

Events 

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 

14-17 July 

Chicago, IL, USA 

IFT FIRST 

Institute of Food Technologists 

252 W. Van Buren, 

Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60607 

Tel.: +1-312-782-8424 

Fax: +1-312-782-8348 

www.ift.org 

6-8 August 

Sao Paulo, Brazil 

Fi South America, 

Informa Markets B.V. 

WTC, Tower Ten, 7th floor, 

Strawinskylaan 763, 

1077 XX Amsterdam 

The Netherlands 

Tel: 020-4099544 

Fax: 020-3632616 

www.figlobal.com 

24-26 September 

Birmingham, UK 

PPMA Ltd. 2024 

PPMA Ltd. 

New Progress House, 

34 Stafford Road, Wallington, 

Surrey SM6 9AA 

Tel.: +44 (0)20 8773 8111 

www.ppmashow.co.uk 

24-26 September 

Nuremberg, Germany 

Fachpack 

NürnbergMesse GmbH 

Messezentrum, 90471 Nuremberg 

Tel.: +49 911 86 06 49 09 

Fax: +49 911 86 06 49 08 

www.fachpack.de 

30-31 October 

Las Vegas, NV, USA 

Fi North America 






Tel: 020-4099544 

Fax: 020-3632616 


NOVEMBER 

3-6 November 

Chicago, IL, USA 

PACK EXPO 

Pack Expo International 

1451 Dolley Madison Blvd., 

Ste 101 McLean, VA 22101 USA 

Tel.: +1 703 761 2600 

info@fpsa.org 

5-7 November 

Dubai, UAE 

Gulfood Manufacturing 

Dubai World Trade Centre, 

P.O. Box 9292, Dubai, UAE 

Tel: (+971) 4 308 6124 

info@dwtc.com 

www.gulfood.com 

13-14 November 

Stuttgart, Germany 

12th Food Extrusion Seminar 

Coperion GmbH 

Theodorstr. 10 

70469 Stuttgart 

Germany 

Tel: 0711-897-0 

www.coperion.com 


Frankfurt, Germany 

Fi Europe, 






Tel: 020-4099544 

Fax: 020-3632616 



Nuremberg, Germany 

BrauBeviale 

YONTEX GmbH & Co KG 

Lina-Ammon-Str. 3 

90471 Nuremberg 

info@yontex.com 

www.brau-beviale.de 

This list of events is accurate, to the best of our knowledge. However potential visitors are recommended to check with the organizer 

since some details are subject to change. We make no claims to be complete and are grateful for any corrections or completions. 

Please contact: food@harnisch.com 


Events 

GREEN EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES 

The independent media platform for 

energy supply, efficiency enhancement and 

alternative energy sources and storage 

Sustainable opportunities in process 

technology 

Circular economy in the industrial 

production process 

Topics H 2 

, Synthetic Fuels, Water, 

Solar & Photovoltaics, Wind Power, 

Bioenergy, Geothermal Energy, Battery 

Technology, System Integration and 

other alternative options 


49 

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Last Page 

Advertiser’s Index • June 2024 

Key No. Page Company Location 

106638 Cover 2 Endress+Hauser Group Reinach, Switzerland 

105693 17 EURASANTÉ Loos - Lille France 

102163 37 fairtrade Messe GmbH Heidelberg, Germany 

107766 Cover GEA TDS GmbH Sarstedt, Germany 

107002 Digital Gerhard Schubert GmbH Crailsheim, Germany 

104911 11 Institute of Food Technologists Chicago USA 

107896 13 Ringe + Kuhlmann GmbH & Co Hamburg, Germany 

106558 27 Schaaf Technologie GmbH Bad Camberg, Germany 

107599 23 TOMRA Sorting NV Leuven Belgium 

106855 Cover 4 URSCHEL Chesterton, IN, USA 

106754 3+4 WENGER Manufacturing, Inc. Sabetha, KS, USA 

IMPRESSUM FMT 

ISSN 0932-2744 

Publishing Company: 

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PREVIEW • AUGUST 2024 

Confectionery 

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