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caps immediately for aseptic applications. On the Sources Alma line where BluStream operates, paracetic acid is still used to decontaminate the PET bottles. Finding an alternative to chemical decontamination for caps was a key driver behind the firm’s interest in BluStream. “Serac was the only solution we could find,” says Romain Leclercq, carbonated and soft drinks division manager at Sources Alma. “It’s a real innovation in the beverage market. On the chemical preparation side, there used to be a lot of e ort involved checking the concentration of paracetic acid, and of checking the temperature, too. Now for cap decontamination we just switch on the BluStream machine and it’s ready immediately. For operators, it’s greater comfort at the work station and fewer tasks to perform.”

According to Serac, electron-beam treatment depends on only three critical parameters: voltage, current intensity, and exposure time. By comparison, hydrogen peroxide sterilization depends on at least

Dry Steam Sanitizing

The new GVC -18000 (7 ) from Goodway Technologies is designed for most manual deep cleaning and sanitizing applications in food production plants. According to the company, the low 5% moisture content lends itself to cleaning around sensitive electrical components and in dry, clean areas.

At 290°F, the dry steam melts away fats and sugars, and kills bacteria and other microorganisms on contact. The system’s multiple cleaning tools are suitable for flat surfaces as well as the cracks and crevices that are often ideal for the growth of bacteria and mold.

The CVC-18000 has a heating power of 18 kW and steam production of 50 lb/hr.

six: output, ambient temperature, temperature and time for hot air, and concentration and time for hydrogen peroxide.

“We also save on space,” says Leclercq. “And we now use a conventional cap hopper as opposed to several wet hoppers. Plus, the BluStream module is positioned above the capping machine. So it didn’t occupy additional floor space. We’ve been very satisfied in terms of performance and decontamination e ciency.” a video of the technology at pfwgo.to/7813 .

Leclercq notes that where caps are concerned, the current goal is to substitute BluStream decontamination for paracetic acid throughout the company’s operations. When asked about cost, he says that with the cost of electricity fluctuating so wildly at present, it’s di cult to make an accurate comparison. “Maybe we can do so once we’ve recovered standard prices for energy,” he adds.

Nicolas Ricard, managing director of Serac-USA, says that Serac now plans to install a BluStream module for decontamination of bottles at a customer facility in Europe. As with the system for caps, it will once again be a rotary system. And it will be suitable for either PET or HDPE bottles.

Food depositing

In Lakeside Center, Unifiller Systems demonstrated its new +Series Depositors (8), digitally controlled pneumatic depositors designed to deposit batters and other products with more ease and precision. The system brings into reach technology that often only large-scale customers have access to.

Launched in September, the +Series Depositors combine pneumatic machines with smart control. Using a smartphone or tablet connected via Bluetooth, users can control speed, volume, splash reduction, pre-charge, and deposit pressure profiling for the most accurate deposits.

The new depositors connect to Unifiller’s cloud-based Total Care App, which provides real-time data analytics. Hundreds of recipes can be stored in the Total Care App’s cloud. Any machine settings and recipe adjustments can be digitally controlled through the app.

“This is the first time we are o ering a smart-controlled depositor with built-in Bluetooth features,” comments Sonia Bal, director of

Complete Snack Food Solutions

•Potato and vegetable preparation

•Frying and oil management

•Drying and roasting

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•Conveying and product handling

•Weighing, bagmaking, and casepacking

•Foreign object and defect inspection

•Controls and information systems info@heatandcontrol.com | heatandcontrol.com global marketing for Unifiller. “It’s a very low-cost program. Usually, this kind of technology is reserved for more complex systems owned by large-scale customers. However, we’ve been able to develop it for our standard machines, as small as the Compact depositor, which means that even operators at a retail level can a ord this innovation.”

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Compared to previous depositors, the +Series can han- dle more complex applications, in part because of its connection to the Total Care App. “The +Series combined with the Total Care App allows for recipe storage, so complex recipes (deposit speeds and volumes) can be fine-tuned one time and stored for easy recipe recall in the future,” Bal explains.

The +Series Depositors are built for ease of use and cleaning. No special training is required to operate the machines, and detailed explanations and video instructions are provided for advanced functions. All electrical components are enclosed in a washdown case that will withstand tough, industrial washdown conditions, meeting IP69 standards.

This kind of connected technology is already in demand for large-volume producers, Bal notes. “We wanted to extend the same innovation to even our simplest machines. Customers have responded very well and are keen to try it out. We have already completed successful field testing,” she says. “What’s great about the Total Care App is that not only does it work with the +Series Depositors, but with a simple addon, it can actually turn previously owned manually adjusted pneumatic depositors into smart-controlled depositors.”

Another kind of food depositing technology was on display at the PACK EXPO booth of Hoosier Feeder. The company unveiled a unique product placing system (9) for various food products like chicken breasts or hamburger patties. It