Page 19 - Vol.40-No.4 issue

Food Products and Processing Equipment
choice for manufacturers looking to combat rising manufacturing ume production environments. Both conveyors can be fully inte-
costs quickly. grated with the M30 R-Series metal detectors, which are designed,
supplied and serviced by Mettler-Toledo, providing customers with
In addition to the EC Series conveyors, Mettler-Toledo also o#ers a single point of contact and a seamless experience from purchase
the GC Series conveyors, suitable for larger products and high-vol- to maintenance. Circle 23 on enquiry card
designing production systems and scientists pushing boundar-
GEA has begun
ies through research and development. Our technology center
construction of its will help develop this future workforce by educating students
technology center for and young professionals about the underlying biology and bio-
processes. We are excited to work with community colleges and
alternative proteins in universities to build these competencies in the region.”
Janesville, WI (USA) Pioneering project aligned with
sustainability goals
GEA has begun construction of its technology center for alterna-
tive proteins in Janesville, WI (USA). Scheduled to open in 2025, the All of the energy needed for the 1,200-square-meter building will
center will scale up the production of novel plant-based, microbial, be obtained from renewable sources. For instance, heat pumps and
and cell-based foods. Here, GEA aims to support manufacturers in systems powered by electricity will replace the natural gas conven-
meeting the demand for complementary proteins and ingredients to tionally used for building technology and process equipment. A
traditional animal-based products. ground-mounted photovoltaic system is to generate 290 MWh of
“This investment underscores our commitment to innovation and electricity per year, exceeding the energy requirement by at least a
sustainability in the food industry,” said Arpad Csay, who leads GEA’s quarter. The surplus energy will be fed into the grid. This photovol-
new food activities in North America, at the groundbreaking ceremo- taic system is expandable, so that green energy can continue to be
ny on May 8, 2024. The center will house pilot lines for cell cultivation generated when process demands increase in the future. This setup
and precision fermentation, bridging the gap between benchtop and underscores GEA’s strategy to become a net-zero operation by 2040.
commercial production of alternative proteins. “The technology cen- 2QJRLQJ FRPPLWPHQW WR UHVRXUFH HIÀFLHQW
ter will o#er foodtech businesses a platform to develop and derisk food tech
their processes to ensure technological and commercial viability.
The new plant, which will complement an existing production
Educational cluster for food technology and the facility in Janesville, underscores GEA’s commitment to innovative,
local economy sustainable technologies. It is slated to be fully operational in 2025.
Senior GEA representatives have emphasized the importance of By diversifying the industries based locally, the center is expected to
this project as an engine for future growth and innovation in the Mid- strengthen the grassroots economy as well as enhance the region’s
west, a region with a strong agricultural tradition. Arpad Csay: “Novel attractiveness for collaborative research projects and other services.
food production methods are going to gain prominence in the com- As a scaling partner for market players in this !eld, GEA will contrib-
ing decades. This development will require a diverse pool of skilled ute to reducing the environmental impact of food production and
professionals from operators in the plants to bioprocessing engineers improving food security. Circle 24 on enquiry card
SIG launches spouted pouch

system featuring innovative in-line
pouch sterilization

SIG announced the launch of their new asep- He continued: “This new !lling system o#ers
tic spouted pouch !lling system, the SIG Prime technological progress by transferring SIG's ex-
55 In-Line Aseptic. This innovative !lling equip- pertise in aseptic !lling technology with in-line
ment for pre-made spouted pouch features in- sterilization, which has been successfully in use
line pouch sterilization, removing the need for for decades in the !eld of carton packs, to spout-
third-party pre-sterilization of spouted pouches. ed pouches. The breakthrough here is a new
The resulting system reduces supply chain com- and unique way of sterilizing spouted pouches
plexity and improves the overall costs to pro- in-line, ensuring sterilant $ow and coverage of
duce aseptically packaged products in spouted the packaging while it’s in the !lling tunnel. By
pouches. eliminating the need for pre-sterilization of the
The new !lling system has reached commer- pouches, we’re able to give producers full con- tional value,” explained Massimo Annaratone,
cialization and was featured in conversations at trol and $exibility of their production. This is Global Business Line Director of Spouted Pouch
the 2024 Anuga FoodTec exhibition in Cologne, an exciting time for SIG and an important step
Germany. forward in our journey to enable brands to pro- at SIG. “With the SIG Prime 55 In-Line Aseptic,
we have further advanced the potential reach
Christoph Wegener, Chief Markets O"cer at duce more nutritious foods for better We are ex- of better nutrition through a system that com-
SIG, celebrated the system release: “SIG has a tremely proud that we will soon be trialing the
considerable history in development of leading system with recycle-ready SIG pouches. They bines quality, SIG-produced spouted pouches
technology for aseptic packaging. Customers will be a world !rst in our industry.” with proven in-line sterilization technology de-
around the world look to SIG for the latest in- “Aseptically packaged food and beverages livering >log 5 reduction in production. The con-
novations to propel their brands into the future retain their high quality and can be stored for a version from retorted and hot-!lled products in
and the SIG Prime 55 In-Line Aseptic pre-made long period without refrigeration or preserva- cans, plastic bottles, and glass to convenient
spouted pouch system is the next in a long line tives. Resulting products like fruit puree, sauces, aseptic spouted pouches has never been more
of those innovations.” and baby food taste great and maintain nutri- compelling.” Circle 25 on enquiry card
Vol. 40 No. 4 17