The company says food manufacturers can reduce salt levels by 25 to 50 per cent in various applications without sacrificing taste.

Soda-Lo Salt Microspheres work by turning standard salt crystals into free-flowing crystalline microspheres. These smaller, lower-density crystals can efficiently deliver salty taste by maximizing surface area relative to volume.

SODA-LO makes it possible to enjoy the same salt taste while consuming lower levels of salt. Because SODA-LO is made from real salt, it has none of the bitter aftertaste or off-flavours associated with some other salt compounds or substitutes.

SODA-LO Salt Microspheres has been shown to work well in a wide variety of foods including baked goods, breading and coatings and salty snacks.

In other news, Eminate, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nottingham University, has secured a patent in the U.S. for SODA-LO. The ingredient is licensed to Tate & Lyle by Eminate.

www.tateandlyle.com

The company also found that the combination maintain the meat’s red colour and that the typical odour associated with conventional nylon-polyethylene film packaging was prevented from forming.

A van den Broek BV says the benefits are the result of combining the gentle vacuum skin packaging technology with the meat adhesion of Surlyn, which can also reduce the undesired release of meat juice.

Compared with commonly used PE sealant layers of similar efficiency, Surlyn also helps to save raw materials and energy by supporting both thinner film structures and lower heat-sealing temperatures without compromising on sealing performance.

Hibassk high-barrier skin film offers low-oxygen permeability of just 2 cm³/m²/day, which can support a long storage life of the packed meat.

Also, vacuum skin packaging typically involves less under-pressure and a shorter vacuum application cycle than conventional vacuum packaging. The meat pores are not sealed off quite as tightly, so that some – albeit restricted – interaction with the environment can still take place.

Further benefits of the Surlyn sealant layer include its excellent sealing efficiency; its very high puncture resistance, which is of particular importance when it comes to packaging meat with sharp bones; as well as its crystal-clear transparency, which enhances the product’s retail shelf appeal.

www.dupont.com
www.a-vdbroek.nl

The company says the new conveyor offers lower total cost of ownership, a drastically lower noise level and an innovative design.

FlexLink says it developed the new conveyor by using input from end users and OEMs.

The X65 offers twice the strength, which helps extend its service life and maintenance intervals. In addition, the layouts can be made simpler as fewer drives and transfers are required for a given layout.

The X65 is also designed for low friction, low power consumption and a long service life. And it’s capable of the double speed compared to previous conveyor generations.

www.flexlink.com

The company says the new system can provide a fast, accurate, easy-to-use and cost-effective method for detecting dangerous foodborne pathogens, allowing the food processing industry to better respond to pathogens that can shut down businesses and threaten public health. The pathogens include Salmonella, E.coli O157 and Listeria spp.

The assay test kit for Salmonella received Health Canada’s approval in April 2013, and approval of the Listeria spp. assay test kit is currently pending.

The 3M Molecular Detection System is made up of a combination of unique technologies – isothermal DNA amplification and bioluminescence detection. It is a compact and robust system that is easy to use and maintain without compromising accuracy and reliability.

The 3M Molecular Detection System is sleek and compact – it has a smaller footprint than a laptop computer – making it highly portable and adaptable.

In operation, the system targets and amplifies nucleic acid in enriched samples to deliver highly sensitive results. The automated technology can evaluate produce, meats, processed foods, pet food and food processing-related environmental samples.

The 3M Molecular Detection System platform uses three individual, pathogen-specific assays, or procedural tests, that are sold as test kits: Salmonella (which is now accepted in the compendium of analytical methods), E.coli O157 (including H7), and Listeria Spp. Each assay test kit uses the same software interface and DNA extraction protocol, and can test between one and 96 samples per run.

www.3m.com/3mfoodsafety

Sized to fit battery enclosures from a broad range of manufacturers, the Lift Pack 250Ahe-24V—the first in its product line—is based on soft-packed, electrolyte-starved LifePO4 rechargeable pouch cell technology.

“The Lift Pack product line lasts much longer than a typical lead-acid battery, which means fewer battery replacements are needed over the life of the equipment, resulting in a much reduced cost of ownership for our customers,” said Chris Anthony, chief executive officer of Flux Power.

It also requires less maintenance than their lead-acid counterparts.

“Our battery pack is also equipped with a dripless sealed cell technology that eliminates acid exposure and the threat of damage to the facility, the equipment and the staff. As a result, watering batteries is a thing of the past…The time once spent servicing batteries can be redirected to other critical tasks, increasing our customer’s productivity and reducing maintenance costs,” he added.

The company says the battery’s efficiency is a result of an embedded monitoring tool dubbed the Battery Management System, which continuously keeps tabs on cell voltage, temperature and balance. It enables the battery to deliver more than 2,000 cycles at 80 per cent depth of discharge.

The Lift Pack is slated to be tested in units at a food and beverage distribution centre.

The company says TicaPAN Quick Crunch can produce harder, more durable and crunchier shells for coated chewing gum, candy, nuts and other panned confections. TicaPAN Quick Crunch can also offer significant cost savings when compared to gum arabic.

By reducing the overall shell thickness and maintaining product quality with TicaPAN Quick Crunch, manufacturers can reduce the number of layers (shell thickness) by as much as 10 per cent. This in turn can reduce manufacturing time and the total amount of raw materials needed in the coating formulation.

The company says it developed the TicaPAN Coating System to provide a solution for the sometimes unstable gum arabic market. While very functional and useful, gum arabic is one of the most difficult gums to source in the world.

The TicaPAN Coating System is an innovative solution for binding and strengthening the sugar and sugar alcohol shells in panned confections. This line also works well enrobing nuts, malt balls, chocolate candies and other products with oil containing centres.

www.ticgums.com

The company says consumer interest in cutting back on meat is listed among many lists of the top trend predictions for 2013.

Comax Flavors ingredients can replace and enhance the flavours of meats while still meeting the needs of consumers who are non-meat eaters.

Its meatless flavour options include: chicken, roasted pork, Italian sausage, bacon, hot dog, Mexican sausage, turkey, among many others.  These flavours can work in standard meatless products as well as in broths, sauces and marinades; and are available in both natural and artificially flavoured formulations, as well as in oil soluble, water soluble, liquid and powdered versions.  All are kosher.

Image from EzineMark.com

www.ComaxFlavors.com

The company says the new lamps offer the benefit of 25 per cent to 30 per cent reduced energy consumption and extended long life compared to traditional general service lamps. The new lamps are direct replacements for their respective wattages, producing equivalent light output.

These Halogen A19 lamps can offer the added protection of Shat-R-Shield’s crystal clear, skin-tight plastic coating, which ensures that virtually all glass and lamp particles are safely contained in the event of accidental breakage. The shatter-resistant coating will withstand temperatures up to 400ºF and has a warranty for the rated life of the lamp.

www.shatrshield.com

Handtmann says the system can deliver hygienic, accurate performance with exact product-by-product weights and transparent data tracking at up to 120 units/minute.

The system offers one-gram accuracy, reliability and operational flexibility. It can also offer reliable continuous production solution with two drives creating clear cuts and a premium product appearance with minimal temperature increase and perfect colour.

The company says even the bone collector improves product quality to help ground meat processors meet today’s production requirements and be ready for tomorrow’s consumer demands.

The Handtmann Ground Meat Divider portions with a Handtmann VF 600 series filler, with the exact model determined by specific conditions and processing requirements.

Handtmann VF 600 fillers set the standard for vacuum filling with pioneering technology in three key areas that are vital to ground meat success:
• Gentle feeding to an adjustable vane cell system
• Precise volumetric control technology
• Ergonomic design for easy loading and continuous processing.

The Handtmann VF 600 series ensures reliability and precision with a long service life, low maintenance costs and very low wear. The VF 600 models, designed for economical production, are also versatile and flexible with impressive cost optimization characteristics while allowing for expansion and capacity changes.

www.handtmann.ca

Almagine HL whole algalin flour is a pure whole food ingredient that is derived from microalgae.

The company says it has a lipid profile that is similar to healthy olive oil and can offer formulators a healthy lipid alternative for reducing fat and calories. At the same time it can improve overall nutritional profiles.

It also contains protein, carbohydrates, emulsifiers and numerous micronutrients such as lutein.

As a multi-component ingredient, Almagine HL allows product developers to formulate with less fat and/or less egg and egg yolk.

The company says it also offers an alternative to traditional cream and milk, making it suitable for frozen dessert applications.

www.srnutritionals.com

The Emsland Group products can provide outstanding functional value in the food sector.

Empure Clean Label Potato Starch
The Empure product range provides the label advantage of native starch with the performance of a modified starch. In comparison to native potato starch, the Empure products can provide enhanced sheer, acid, heat and freeze thaw stability. The clean label starches can be used in a variety of applications including fruit fillings, sauces and desserts. Both instant and cook up starches are available.

Emglucan – Waxy Winter Barley – Rich in Beta Glucans
Emglucan contains beta glucans and can be used to support health claims. Beta Glucans support the reduction of blood cholesterol levels, risk of colon cancer and risk of type II diabetes.
Typical application areas include bakery, soups and sauces, batters and coatings. Emglucan shows good freeze-thaw stability and improvement of fat-binding or emulsion supporting properties.

Emsland products are distributed exclusively in Canada by L.V. Lomas.

www.lvlomas.com

Just recently, the prebiotic fibre was approved by Health Canada as a dietary fibre source.

Nutraflora prebiotic fibre is a short-chain fructooligosaccharide (scFOS).

It’s derived from pure sugar cane using a bio-fermentation proprietary process and non-GMO ingredients.

It can improve calcium absorption, maintain proper digestive function and it can support immune system health.

Prebiotic fibres are non-digestible food ingredients that when consumed, provide a beneficial physiological effect by selectively stimulating the favourable growth and/or activity of a limited number of beneficial indigenous bacteria found naturally in the body’s intestines.

The company says Nutraflora’s consistent, simple molecular structure and 95 per cent concentration ensure that it is a very effective prebiotic fibre.

www.ingredion.com

Rabobank’s Q1 2013 Global Poultry Industry report finds that since corn prices have dropped in recent months and since there’s been an improvement in the supply discipline in some key producing countries, the poultry industry has experienced some relief.

In many parts of the world throughout 2012, corn prices caused the poultry industry’s margins to shrink. Now as corn prices drop and high prices continue for competitor meats such as pork and beef, consumers may opt for the cheaper poultry option.

Outlook still fragile

“Despite the positive picture, this outlook is very fragile and dependent upon risks related to feed costs and supply discipline,” explains Nan-Dirk Mulder, a Rabobank analyst.

“As grain and soybean stocks remain low, supply discipline will be a key tool for the industry to maintain margins. This has been demonstrated in Brazil, where production cutbacks have paid off in improved margins. Regions with inadequate market balance, such as South Africa and India, need to reconsider production levels in the next few months. This is also the case for producers in the EU, where performance worsened throughout 2012, although Q4 did see some improvement.”

Global poultry industry performance has been affected by the increasing feed prices and local market supply/demand balance, says Rabobank.

Local markets

Companies active in countries with a relatively good or improving local market balance have been the first to benefit from an improved market situation. Brazil, in particular, has benefited from more disciplined supply management.

The opposite, however, is still the case in South Africa, India and Thailand, where industries are still exposed by oversupply, although signs are that in Thailand and India things are improving slightly.

The best performing local industries are still in Russia and Ukraine, with ongoing high margins and a good local supply situation with growth in local demand, although prices in Russia have tended to decline recently.

Rabobank says that the performance of poultry companies in 2013 will depend, to a large extent, on how well they are able to deal with volatility from grain and oilseed prices.

Although the current outlook suggests a slowdown in feed price increases, uncertainty remains due to low stock levels and an uncertain production outlook for grains and oilseeds.

The industry should therefore be prepared for any change in input prices.

It has been proven that an optimal supply management system will be a key element here. In addition, further optimization of industry structure should become a higher priority for companies in which elements such as market power, efficiency and risk mitigation are key for 2013.

The 60 gallon plastic drum measures 61cm (24in) by 51cm (20in) by 102cm (40in). The drums are able to interlock, and put together, four of them create a pallet cube measuring 122cm (48) by 102cm (40in). Once cubed they can be stacked and stored five pallet loads high. According to Buckhorn, they offer 25 percent better cube utilization than typical 55 gallon drums.

When collapsed, 480 drums can fit into a typical 16m (53ft) trailer, offering a 3:1 return ratio.

The drums are designed for food, powder and liquid material handling and are made from recyclable materials.

They are constructed in three sections (the base, the sidewalls and the lid) with offset surfaces and interlocking flanges to eliminate cracks or gaps and smoothly surfaced interior and exterior surfaces, all to improve the ease of cleaning and reduce the possibility of contamination.

The lids are designed with two security tie holes. Drum sidewalls are hinged in the centre to permit a one-way inward fold, making them collapsible.

This year’s show combined the International Poultry Expo, the International Feed Expo and the American Meat Institute’s (AMI) International Meat Expo.

The main attraction was the large exhibit floor, covering more than 430,000 sq. ft. With 1,189 exhibitors presenting the latest advances in equipment, supplies and services, attendees were able to view and experience all phases of the poultry, feed, and meat industry, from live production and processing to further processing and packaging.

Food in Canada attended the show. Here’s a selection of products and innovations we came across. For more coverage, please see our March 2013 issue.

Ingredient systems
IsoAge Technologies supplies the food, dairy and pet industries with multifunctional ingredient systems. The company highlighted several products at the show including its:
• MOstatin LV1, a patented, all-natural fruit juice and vinegar-based multifunctional ingredient that inhibits the growth of a wide variety of spoilage organisms;
• MOstatin V, an all-natural vinegar-based ingredient technology that aids in the stabilization of foods; and
• INNOstatin 007, a multifunctional blend of natural flavours that enhance the functionality anti-microbial ingredient systems.

www.isoagetechnologies.com

Listeria protection
Griffith Laboratories highlighted solutions in Listeria protection. The company’s Micocin line offers two ways to protect products.
• Micocin II is a superfine powder containing a live culture that can be added to the surface of your product in a spray application prior to the product being packaged and sealed.
• Preserval is a line of customized products containing the pasteurized metabolites of Micocin II that can be directly added to product formulas before the cooking process.

Griffith says using Micocin can reduce the risk of Listeria outbreaks by inhibiting the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on processed foods. The company says it’s derived from naturally occurring elements already found in many food products.

www.griffithlaboratories.com
www.micocin.com

Wax paper source
Framarx/Waxstar manufactures packaging papers for meat, poultry, confectionery and baked products.
The company offers:
• Patty Paper for hamburgers and sandwiches, and
• Wax Paper Rolls for use for freezers.
It also offers Patty Paper sheets or rolls for tear-pin systems, roll-feed systems or vacuum-feed systems. The company also produces sustainable food service paper products. Framarx/Waxstar paper products come in different paper grades, and its paper can be converted into rolls.
The company also offers its Bacon Layout Paper, which has an aesthetically pleasing appearance and can be converted into either custom-size sheets or rolls. Its standard Bacon layout paper is a 30-pound grease resistant paper with a premium release coating.

www.framarx.com

Chill it
Air Products supplies atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, equipment and services.
The company highlighted its Freshline Liquid Nitrogen Injection Solution (LIN-IS).
The tailor-made temperature control system is ideal for coating, mixing and forming applications.
The liquid nitrogen system can reduce moisture loss, can individually quick-freeze products, and can avoid water crystal formation. It can also bring about a rapid drop in temperature and offer an efficient chilling solution. This can be used to control temperature, offer high-quality products and repeatable and reliable processes.

www.airproducts.com/food

Slice it, dice it, fill it
Carruthers/Marlen International provides innovative food processing equipment for products such as meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruit, bakery, confectionery, snacks and dairy goods.
The company highlighted its AdvantEdge AE5000 series of slicing, dicing, cubing and portioning equipment. The series includes models that are engineered for precise cutting and ease of operation. They can handle tough, fatty products and those having sinew or gristle. They can also handle fragile products. The models provide a full range of slicing/dicing from 1/8” to more than 3” on the same machine.
The company also highlighted its Pak Series of volumetric filling machines. This technology helps solve the hard to fill products problem. The technology can form volumetric shapes, can offer quick changeover times, eliminates air thru compression and offers consistent portioning into container formats.

www.carruthers.us
www.marlen.com

Parts specialist
Motion Industries provides maintenance, repair and operation replacement parts and services.
The company offers products such as Stainless Steel 700 Series Speed Reducer, Stainless Steel 700 Series Worm Gear Speed Reducers, AC Series Pumps from Ampco, Washdown Motors from Bluffton, Stainless Steel 9700 Series CinchSeal, Baldor-Dodge Mounted Ball Bearings, HydroDuty Washdown-Duty Motors, new Easy Lube Wash Thru Trolley Wheel, Triple Option Picker Hub with Encapsulated Motor, Marathon series of corrosion resistant mounted products and bearing units, Sumitomo Drive Technologies, Enviroflex L Series Hose Pumps and Reinforced Hose from Thermo Scientific, Versa-Matic Elima-Matic Pumps, and Wright Flow Technologies.

The company’s Motion Institute offers product training courses for industrial maintenance professionals on bearings, power transmission, fluid power, linear motion and more.

www.motionindustries.com

The Paris-based AFNOR Certification expert committee found 3M’s assay to be as or more effective than standard methods for detecting Salmonella sub species in seafood and vegetable products, as well as in environmental samples taken from food processing sites.

To obtain NF Validation certification, the 3M Molecular Detection Assay Salmonella test kit went through a comprehensive scientific review process. The assay was tested by an expert independent laboratory against EN ISO 6579, the worldwide standard for detecting Salmonella sub species.

Next, collaborative studies were conducted by 18 other laboratories from seven different countries to ensure the test method could be effectively reproduced and repeated.

The 3M Molecular Detection System was introduced to food processors, third-party reference laboratories and other customers in 2011, along with 3M Molecular Detection Assays for E.coli (O157 including H7), Listeria and Salmonella. Leveraging isothermal DNA amplification and bioluminescence detection technologies, it can simultaneously pinpoint and amplify nucleic acid in enriched food and food process samples.

www.3m.com

The study found that muffins, focaccia bread and chicken curry could be made with Hi-Maize resistant starch, replacing a portion of the all-purpose flour normally contained in such foods without significantly altering consumer’s acceptability.

Two formulations of blueberry muffins, herbed focaccia bread and spicy chicken curry were created for the study: the control formulation contained all-purpose flour while the test formulation replaced a portion or all of the all-purpose flour with Hi-Maize resistant starch.

Participants rated the Hi-Maize-fortified muffin, for instance, higher than the control. It also appeared to be fluffier than the control muffin and the overall likeability increased by 12 per cent, (but was not statistically significant).

The participants found a denser, darker and firmer crust in the focaccia bread and found the resistant starch containing focaccia bread to be more likeable than the control bread (a result that was statistically significant). They liked the chicken curry equally as well as the control.

The authors concluded that the addition of Hi-Maize resistant starch may not significantly alter consumer’s acceptability in most food products.

www.resistantstarch.com

The company says the analyzers come with hanging weighing pans, a concept that moves the weighing pan away from the heat of the sample chamber. This can improve measurement results by eliminating adverse thermal effects on the weighing cell.

The analyzers also come with second-generation halogen heating, which can enhance performance with shorter heating/cooling cycles and precise temperature control. The company says the first measurement with a cold instrument is just as accurate as the following measurement with a warm instrument.

Also, with the new analyzers, spilled samples can no longer damage the weighing cell since it’s now located in the back of the instrument. The surface underneath the sample pan is flat and sealed, ideal for fast and easy cleaning.

They also come with the One Click Moisture user interface, which offers personalized shortcuts start tests with one click. Real-time drying curves visualize the measurement, automatic control charts per product trend the moisture content.

www.mt.com

http://us.mt.com/us/en/home/products/Laboratory_Weighing_Solutions/Moisture_Analyzer/firefox/index.html

The DynaClean line is designed and built to meet NSF, FDA, USDA and BISCC standards.

The company says DynaClean food processing conveyors are fabricated with chemical and corrosion-resistant plastic, stainless-steel and driven by Interroll’s 113 Synchronous Drum Motor.

DynaClean conveyors are also engineered for speedy assembly and disassembly that allows for conveyor reconfiguration when processing needs change.

Using the synchronous drum motors allows customers the ability to clean and sanitize in less than half the time it takes to clean a typical geared motor or conventional exposed drive.

The food conveyors include removable retaining walls that ensure quick internal access and easy cleaning without tools.

For food processors, using DynaClean food processing conveyors can increase profitability and reduce carbon emissions, water consumption and wastewater.

www.dynamicconveyor.com

Eriez says the systems can recycle any water-miscible fluid to its maximum potential, minimize or eliminate disposal and reduce usage of the fluid concentrate.

The systems range from small to large and feature low maintenance, unattended operation and can offer a fast return on investment.

Coolant Recycling System features and options include:

• Separate dirty and clean tanks
• Automatic proportioned mixer-coolant make-up and control
• Coalescer oil removal device to eliminate free-floating non-emulsified tramp oil or liquid-from-liquid high-speed centrifuge to clean coolant to 0.5% of emulsified tramp oils and two to five microns of particulate matter

Optional
• Pure water sources – reverse osmosis systems or deionization systems
• Charger tank sizes
• Clean coolant distribution pump systems

www.eriez.com