Biofilm can form just about anywhere in a food processing plant — even the cleanest looking surfaces can be a threat to food safety if an invisible layer of bacteria is present. Why does biofilm form and how can it be prevented? Knowing how to detect and eliminate biofilm is crucial to ensuring your food plant’s processing equipment is contaminant-free.
Coffee continues to be one of the most rapidly evolving markets in the food and beverage industry. Variety in flavor options and the growing popularity of cold brew coffee are just a few of the latest market trends.
Consumer preferences and tastes are constantly changing, and to meet market demand while remaining profitable, producers need greater control over their processing and packaging systems.
Continue Reading “3 Challenges Facing Today’s Coffee Producers (and How to Solve Them)”
The need for cold storage facilities is greater than ever. Product integrity and fresh products are in demand as Millennials become major players in the consumer market. This generation of buyers favor healthier, fresher and higher quality products that have a shorter shelf life — meaning an efficient distribution network is crucial to serve these consumers.
But how can you design your warehouse cost-effectively?
Continue Reading “5 Budget Factors to Consider When Designing Cold Storage Warehouses”
Energy costs typically account for 30 percent of a facility’s operating budget. That means nearly a third of all the money you funnel into your plant goes straight to the utility bill.
We already know about the popularity of green building and sustainable practices, but is it possible to go too green? In short, yes. You don’t want to go so overboard with efficiencies that you’re overspending on unnecessary improvements.
Continue Reading “6 Ways to Optimize Your Facility’s Energy Consumption”
Whether your food plant packages frozen orange juice or processes chicken breasts, a blast cell freezer can be used to freeze almost any product. It’s important to understand the common misconceptions, the importance of proper design and how to operate your blast cell.
Continue Reading “Food Plant Refrigeration: Everything You Need to Know About Blast Cells”
A process hazard analysis (PHA) is just one of the 14 essential process safety management (PSM) elements, but it’s also one of the most important. A PHA is extremely detailed, designed to examine and address potential hazards associated with handling highly hazardous chemicals. Do you have all of your bases covered? Continue Reading “7 Items Your Process Hazard Analysis Must Address”
The 2015 International Building Code includes a key modification, increasing the length of exit access travel distance from 250 feet to 400 feet (if it meets specific criteria) for buildings containing Group F-1 and/or S-1 occupancy. This change is significant to the design industry, building owners and occupants of large distribution and manufacturing facilities. Understanding the code’s implications for your existing and future facilities will ensure you’re properly prepared. Continue Reading “The International Building Code’s Modification to Exit Access Travel Distance”
Developing a manufacturing plan is generally the second phase in the strategic planning process. After creating a business plan and specifying your food processing plant’s sales and growth projections, a manufacturing plan will identify and assess the processes that are used to manufacture the product to meet those sales goals. Continue Reading “3 Steps to Develop a Food Processing Manufacturing Plan”
The organic food market is no longer a fringe segment, and Big Food is paying attention. Sales of organic products totaled a record $45.2 billion in 2017, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA) — and it shows no signs of slowing down.
It’s a trend food and beverage manufacturers can’t ignore, but exactly what segments are growing? And which aren’t? Let’s look at the top-selling organic products from last year.
Continue Reading “The 3 Most Popular Organic Food Categories in 2017”
While ammonia systems are a common and safe option for industrial refrigeration, they are highly regulated to protect public safety and the environment from a potential chemical release. For years, these government regulations have only applied to systems in the U.S. with 10,000+ pounds of ammonia — until now.
As of January 1, 2023, all facilities with ammonia systems, regardless of size, must comply with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. That means your average mom-and-pop cold storage distributor must now play by the same rules as the world’s largest food companies.
The problem? Smaller facilities are often unaware they are subject to new rules, which could result in hefty fines and other penalties.
Continue Reading “Thousands of Ammonia Systems Now Face New Regulations. Is Yours One of Them?”
