Linde will showcase two new advanced chilling solutions at the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, 31 January–2 February.
The solutions can help processors improve temperature control while meeting goals for improvements in hygiene and food safety.
Hygienically-designed LIXSHOOTER injectors for chilling mixers and blenders from the bottom with liquid nitrogen (LIN) or carbon dioxide (CO2).
The ACCU-CHILL automated box chiller that chills food in boxes, on demand, with CO2 snow, and can eliminate the use of dry ice pellets.
The patented hygienic injectors are designed to seal out wet products and food particles. The self-sealing injectors mount flush with the internal surface of the mixer to eliminate or minimize areas that could harbor moisture or foodborne pathogens.
"The LIXSHOOTER injector is a quantum step-change for injector hygiene, and a dual-cryogen option gives processors greater freedom and production flexibility,” said Mark DiMaggio, head of food and beverage, Linde Americas
The new state-of-the-art bottom injectors conform to the hygienic design principles of the North American Meat Institute, and can be used with almost any existing mixer, blender or kettle. The dual-cryogen option makes it possible to switch between LIN and CO2 in a matter of minutes, rather than hours or days.
The ACCU-CHILL automated box chilling system can quickly chill meat, poultry, seafood and other perishable foods directly in their packing boxes with CO2 snow, produced on demand. Designed and built to meet USDA requirements, the ACCU-CHILL system chills with high process repeatability from box to box.
The automated system is the ideal upgrade for operations that manually pack boxes with CO2 dry ice pellets, which can present contamination risks, and where over- or under-filling creates temperature inconsistencies.
"Our new ACCU-CHILL automated box chiller makes CO2 snow on demand, and deposits precise amounts into boxes. It eliminates safety risks, as well as all the storage and labor costs, associated with handling dry ice," DiMaggio said.
Also at the IPPE, Linde will highlight its in-line crust freezers that can chill with nitrogen (N2) -- and offer both productivity and hygienic advantages. Foremost among these is the Linde impingement freezer which can freeze 300 percent more than a standard cryogenic tunnel freezer of similar length.
Under new Food Safety Management Act (FSMA) requirements, food-grade gases must be managed as any other food ingredient both during food processing and throughout the supply chain. This includes new Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) procedures to identify potential vectors for contamination as well as preventative control measures.
Linde LLC supports the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and the advancement of food safety. Linde has a Food Safety Management System in place for all bulk carbon dioxide (CO2) plants and air separation facilities supplying the food & beverage industry in North America.
In June 2012, Linde became the first supplier to certify all of its CO2 plants to a benchmarked GFSI scheme, FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification).
