Benchtop spectrophotometers for food process analysis

The Agtron Abridged Spectrophotometers are designed specifically for high resolution analysis of the degree of roast, bake or fry, of fruit maturity, and of colour/appearance variations of a variety of food products in order to control quality. The M-Series spectrophotomers are bench-top units that are accurate, repeatable and easy to use for process analysis. Performing product analysis by using very specific wavelengths of light to illuminate the sample surface and measure the reflected energy, the results of the analysis are displayed as a single “Agtron” number. Many products require little or no sample preparation before being tested, making it easy for multiple users to achieve consistent results.
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Bench-top incubators with temperature control

Bench-top incubators
A range of compact, space-saving benchtop incubators, which provide excellent choice and flexibility for the laboratory scientist, are now available. These incubators, or hybridisation units, provide a chamber temperature from ambient temperature to 85ºC and are ideal for many laboratory tasks, such as cell and tissue culture applications. The range includes 21 models, all of which feature microprocessor control of temperature in precise 0.1ºC increments, as well as a continuous and programmable timer function which is easily viewed on the LCD screen. Accuracy is maintained to within ±0.2ºC. The standard incubator is supplied with stainless steel mesh shelves, and other options are available with specialist vortex, orbital, rocking or reciprocal shaking platforms. All of the incubators (except the standard model), can be supplied with hybridisation rotisseries for enhanced function. The incubators are compact and stackable, and thus have only a small footprint, ensuring maximum space-saving and multi-tasking for the busy, modern laboratory.
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Belting for the confectionery industry

A range of high duty processing belts is available, which feature a high-quality food grade silicone coating, applied in a vulcanisation process on proven one ply or two ply carcasses. The coating fulfils the highest needs concerning abrasion resistance, release properties and service life. The belts withstand temperatures up to 180°C, allowing a wide area of application, e.g. food processing lines with sticky products like caramel, toffee and licorice. The adhesive silicone surface facilitates an excellent product indexing and allows steep incline and decline applications. The improved joint strength reduces premature belt failure, and thus maintenance costs.
Innovative plastic modular belts are also available. The HabasitLINK Micropitch features an exceptionally small pitch, especially designed for the tightest and smoothest transfers to ensure stability of tall and small footprint products, such as biscuits, croissants or processed dough, as well as other food products before and after processing.

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Beer stabilisation product

Beer stabilisation product
Brewers Clarex is a highly successful enzymatic concept for beer stabilisation, which enables brewers to effectively stabilise beer, whilst increasing production capacity, and reducing their energy costs and carbon footprint. The product effectively prevents chill haze formation, while enabling brewers to significantly reduce or completely remove the costly, time-consuming and environmentally damaging sub-zero temperature stabilisation stage from their brewing processes. It is easy to use and requires no capital investment unlike current stabilising agents, thus simplifying brewing operations. It also enables sustainable production without generating disposal waste – resulting in a up to 8% reduction in the environmental impact of beer stabilisation when compared to the use of classical powder stabilisers, such as silica gel and PVPP (polyvinylpolypyrrolidone). In addition, Brewers Clarex is compatible with cross-flow membrane filtration technology, for a completely powder-free beer manufacturing process.

DSM Food Specialties
Delft, The Netherlands
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Batch weighing system

K-Tron P100 / K-Tron KT20
A complete batch weighing system features a Coperion K-Tron P100 Batch Weigh Receiver combined with a Coperion K-Tron KT20 loss-inweight twin screw feeder, all in food grade finish. Coperion K-Tron receivers and feeders are ideal for handling a wide variety of bulk materials in the pharmaceutical, chemical, food and pet food industries. The P100 Batch Weigh Receiver combines a vacuum receiver with a reliable weighing system. The resulting combination allows multiple ingredients to be conveyed and weighed so that accurate batching of ingredients can take place on either a cumulative or sequential basis. As a multi material batch weigher the unit accumulates an exact amount by weight of several ingredients (generally max. eight) to form a batch prior to loading a mixer. As a totalizing weigher the unit continuously monitors the throughput of a single material in a process or accurately fills a bulk container.
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Baking enzyme for improved white bread

Bread manufacturers can now achieve improved extensibility in their white breads thanks to a unique baking enzyme, BakeZyme X-pan. Offering enhanced dough development, whiteness of crumb and increased volume, this innovative enzyme guarantees an effective way to bake better white bread. The enzyme is a fungal cellulase solution, which partially degrades non-starch polysaccharides – such as cellulose – in dough. This action helps solve common manufacturing problems in white bread-making, such as irregular crumb and reduced volume – factors that can often dissuade consumers from purchasing the product. Extensive tests have shown that product quality and texture is enhanced in a wide variety of white bread applications, including French baguettes and American sandwich bread.
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Bagger for pre-made wicketed bags

VS bagger
The VS bagger is an excellent entrylevel machine for both the baking and produce industry. Operated with manual loading or completely automatic operation, this easy-to-use bagger is versatile and affordable. For polyethylene and laminated, the VS bagger runs bags from 6” to 20” long and 6” to 14” wide. Reliable and compact, the stainless steel construction of the VS Bagger makes it easy to set-up, operate, and maintain. The VS Bagger can be easily integrated with a twist tie machine or a horizontal sealer. Several options are available including a plunging funnel, bag shaking to settle the product in the bag, bag support table for heavy bags, and foot pedal for semiautomatic operation.
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Bag-in-box filler

Astepo HS-LA
In the compact Astepo High Speed Low Acid bag-in-box filler (HS-LA), filling cycles are shortened by the use of electric servo motors controlling the aseptic filling head and bag feeder. Bags and fitment tooling can be changed quickly and easily and the machine can fill a wide range of bags and products using any commercial 1” spout type. Designed to meet market demand for a faster, even more reliable machine, the Alfa Laval Astepo HS-LA linear bag-in-box filler is suitable for high acid (pH <4.5) and low acid products (pH >4.5), such as juices, beverages, concentrated juices, purees, and dairy products like soft ice mix and flavoured UHT milk. Specially developed for the sterile filling of aseptic bags, from 3 to 25 litres (1/2-6 gallons) the filler is fully automatic in operation and gives a continuous filling process with a high level of reliability. Thanks to the implementation of brushless electric servo motor technology in the new filler, all the movements of the aseptic filling and the bag feeder are controlled and adjusted with extreme accuracy and smoothness of motion. This is what gives the machine the capability to fill up to 500 bags per hour, based on 10 litre bags. It also enables changeover of caps and volume to be achieved in minimum time. The bags are delivered pre-irradiated with gamma rays, with a wide variety of commercial caps of the flat rigid type, or dispensing caps, both thermal and non thermal resistant, with high or low fitments. In the Astepo HS-LA filler the parts in contact with the product are in stainless steel AISI 316. The filling valve has EHDGE certification and the machine is FDA compliant (USA). The filling head and all food contact surfaces are sterilized by steam, and the machine is fully C.I.P. cleanable. The caps are sterilized in the sterilizing tunnel with a monitored jet of vaporized hydrogen peroxide before being introduced into the filling head. All moving parts are protected by monitored steam barriers and the aseptic filling head is maintained sterile at a controlled temperature by overpressure of air. Integrated in the machine skid, the air group comprises two sterile micro filters and food grade electric heaters for heating the air that goes into the chamber and the tunnel at a monitored flow and temperature. The Astepo HS-LA filler is managed by a PLC with an operator interface terminal featuring a touch screen. It is equipped with autodiagnostics for product traceability and a fail-safe system for continuous control of the sterile conditions of the plant.
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Bacteriophages in the Detection and Control of Foodborne Pathogens

Book review
Edited by Parviz Sabour and Mansel Griffiths. Published by Wiley, 2010,
400 pp, €138.00

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Baby food rice starches

A new range of baby food rice starch is now available worldwide and ideal for use in fruit and vegetable based jars. Following in-depth assessment of production processes, including extensive testing, BENEO’s baby food rice starch meets and exceeds industry and regulatory requirements. The new product range also offers a wide range of nutritional and technical benefits to manufacturers. The naturally sourced texturizer qualifies for hypoallergenic, clean label, organic, as well as non-GMO products. Test trials have shown that vegetable and fruit jars with BENEO’s baby food rice starch have improved product stability in terms of viscosity, syneresis control and shelf-life. In addition, the ingredient’s small particle size creates a creamy texture without any effect on the end product’s taste or colour. Rice is furthermore highly digestible and consequently interesting for baby food applications.

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