Lauren R. Hartman, editor-in-chief, and Marina Mayer, executive editor
You could spend weeks at a show like the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) 2010, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center Sept. 26-29, 2010, and never see it all. No doubt, the show was an unprecedented success. Nearly 20,000 attendees gathered, ready to take their baking businesses to the next level.
A variety of companies baked products in live competitions or demonstrated new ingredients and equipment on the show floor, some with an added focus on sustainability and environmental friendliness. The show also experienced a more retail influence, courtesy of the partnership of the Retail Bakers Association (RBA) with BEMA and the American Bakers Association (ABA).
That’s why the editors atSnack Food & Wholesale Bakeryare sharing their choices of hot, new items from IBIE 2010, ranging from wholesome, fresh, better-for-you ingredients to compact, flexible and efficient equipment.
To learn more about these and other exhibiting companies, go to www.bakingexpo.org.
Just 'Nosh 'em
Caravan Ingredients introduced a new bakery base to make Nosh’ems, an innovative bakery snack that allows consumers to get wholesome goodness on the run in a portable and tasty way.“The Nosh’em hits on a number of key consumer trends: Portability; convenience; health; and wellness and allows our customers to offer the consumer a product that fits their changing lifestyle,” says Kerrie Medlicott, vice president of marketing for the Lenexa, Kan.-based company.
Hand-held and convenient, Nosh’ems are single-serve, yeast-raised bakery snacks that contain a chewy, moist texture and are an excellent source of vitamin D, calcium and fiber. Nosh’ems can be created by using Invisible Goodness Natural Base, a 35% base.
“The Nosh’em is a new way to snack so it needed a new name,” Medlicott says. “It’s not quite a bar, not quite a muffin, not quite a scone. It’s a tasty, better-for-you snack. You don’t need to feel guilty about enjoying them, so just ‘Nosh’em.’”
Squeezably fresh 10 days after baking
Danisco USA launched a new line of bakery enzyme products in the North American market. The enzymes with G+ technology maintain oven-fresh softness, taste and texture in bread for at least 10 days after baking, says the company (which has a corporate location in Copenhagen). Unlike one-type-fits-all enzymes, newPOWERFreshbread andPOWERFreshSpecial with G+ technology can be tailored to specific bread applications, including regional specialties, such as ovals, Panettone and brioche.“POWERFreshbread with G+ makes good on the promise of bakery enzymes like never before,” says Simon Walley, regional director for Danisco Food Enzymes. “Bread manufacturers can have the best-ever combination of longer-lasting product freshness, resiliency, consistency and cost-effectiveness.POWERFreshis raising the bar.”
The longer, fresher shelf life means less waste, fewer product returns, broader distribution opportunities and an enhanced brand image. The patented also eliminates the need to compromise resilience when making bread as soft as possible, Walley explains. Commercial-scale production trials are underway, following an impressive performance of the products in pilot tests.POWERFreshis available in powder and easy-to-dose tablet formats.
Sustainable wheat solutions
EcoFlour is more of a “program” or a “system” than just flour alone, relates Niki Larson, publics relations manager at Cargill Food Ingredients and Systems, Wayzata, Minn.Launched by Horizon Milling, a joint venture between Cargill, Inc. and CHS Inc., the flour program is part of the company’s emphasis on growing leaner, greener and healthier. “[The]EcoFlour program combines unique ingredients, origination and supply chain capabilities,” Larson says. “It’s basically a customizable program to grow wheat more sustainably utilizing precision agriculture, thereby producing a more sustainable end product.”
The sustainability ingredient program is designed to appeal to eco-conscious bakery consumers with ways precision agriculture can help use fertilizer more efficiently, reducing energy inputs and improving yields. “This [precision agriculture] combines satellite imagery and soil samples to identify the best use of fertilizer on the farmer’s field,” Larson says. “The farmer uses this information to apply nutrients to the crop with precision and only where it is needed. Studies show precision agriculture uses less fertilizer than conventional agriculture, uses less energy and reduces emissions while increasing the amount of wheat grown on the land.”
Horizon Milling develops sustainable ingredients to boost product sales, distinguish brands and preserve a brand’s identity by linking the technology to the brand. “We help customers innovate around sustainability,” notes Kyle Marinkovich, marketing manager at Horizon Milling. “With newEcoFloursustainability solutions, we design customize programs that link the technology and the supply chain from the farmer to the bakery to help customers execute against their sustainability focus areas.”
The system was recognized at IBIE 2010 with a B.E.S.T. in Baking award for its contribution to environmental sustainability (check outSnack Food & Wholesale Bakery’s August 2010 IBIE show supplement).
Topping glaze
International Foods & Ingredients developedJelfix, a high-quality topping glaze created for fast, high-quality glazing of jams, pastries and fruit fillings.Jelfix glazes dry instantly, are fully air-tight and do not penetrate the pastry confection. Plus, they maintain a soft structure, making them ideal for machine or manual application.“Jelfix is a high-quality, pectin-based topping glaze,” says Shelly Kreml, director of marketing for the Gurnee, Ill.-based company. “Our customers chooseJelfixbecause it’s fast, easy to use and has a nice, clean taste. When applyingJelfix to a fruit tart, it never masks the taste of the fruit, instead it helps bring out the sweetness of them.”
Natural cocoa replacers, malt extract
Briess Malt & Ingredients’ expanded line of natural cocoa replacements include one that can replace up to 25% of the natural cocoa in cakes and brownie products. A new black cocoa replacer called Briess Black Wheat Flour joins a portfolio of the Chilton, Wis.-based company’s Black Cocoa Replacers, which is currently in a variety of foods as a successful partial replacer for black cocoa. The two ingredients function at the same replacement rates, up to 25% of the black cocoa in devil’s food cake products, and offer options in label declarations: malted wheat or malted barley.Briess Malt’s caramel-flavored malt extract, for instance, not only helps improve fermentation and browning in raised doughs, but it also offers a special boost of caramel flavor and a hint of color to enhance breads even more. TheCBW Sparkling Amberis 100% pure malt extract blends specialty bakery malts, such as Caramel Malt and Munich Malt. Caramel Malt has a sweet, caramel/toffee flavor and Munich Malt has what Briess describes as an intense, malty flavor.
Available in liquid and powder forms, the resulting extract delivers all of the functionality of a standard malt extract and is recommended for use at low percentages, from 1-2%, in yeast-raised dough systems.CBW Sparkling Amber benefits breads and dinner rolls as well as pizza crusts, so fewer toppings are needed for flavor enhancement.
Not just plain, old vanilla
Pure vanilla extracts, such as Madagascar Bourbon and Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste, Powder, Beans and Sugar were showcased by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas International, Waukegan, Ill. Producing the world’s best vanilla is an intricate task, according to Craig Nielsen, chief executive officer. It means extracting the true flavor, aroma and functionality of what nature intended. Nielsen-Massey captures the flavors of nature through its cold-extraction process, which takes three to five weeks to perform.The process gently draws delicate and distinctive flavor from the vanilla beans instead of speeding up the process using heat or pressure. The creamy, sweet, velvety flavor of the Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract is suitable for a wide range of foods ranging from baked goods to sauces and dressings. The bean paste is pure vanilla with natural vanilla bean seeds in a convenient paste form that adds a gourmet touch to various recipes. The powder can be used in dry mixes and liquid or color-sensitive products and as a flavoring for baked goods. Adding a rich, mellow flavor and essence to recipes, Madagasacar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar can be included in products where a hint of vanilla and sweetness are desired.
Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract is a creamy, spicy flavor that carries a special affinity for dishes containing chocolate, cinnamon and other warm flavors. Mexican Vanilla Beans are of prime gourmet quality, which bring a deep, tangy character that complements chocolate, cloves and other warm spices. Talking about all of the extracts, which are easy to use in a variety of applications, Nielsen says, “First, it’s purity. Second, it’s user-friendly, as opposed to using essential oil that can be volatile and inconsistent. Third, it comes with our guarantee that it is the best pure flavor on the market today.”
Gluten-free flour
American Key Food Products rolled out its gluten-free King Lion Premium Cassava Flour, which yields a unique natural ingredient that’s an effective, simple replacement for wheat flour in pastries, cakes, cookies, pizza crust, tortillas, foccaccia, burger buns and bread.Derived from cassava root, which is naturally gluten-free, the flour contains superior moisture-retention properties with baking performance characteristics that closely mimic wheat flour in structure, texture and taste of the finished baked goods. Because the flour is the only ingredient needed to replace wheat flour, it greatly simplifies the formulations, production processes, ingredient inventories and ingredient lists.
“Bakers can now create high-quality, gluten-free baked goods without complex combinations of flours, starches and hydrocolloids, while presenting a greatly simplified, consumer-friendly ingredient statement on their label,” says Mel Festejo, chief operating officer for the Closter, N.J., company. “This versatile flour delivers excellent taste, texture and moistness in a wide range of mainstream baked products. AKFP also announced the application for a patent for King Lion Premium Cassava Flour and the proprietary manufacturing process developed by the company.”
The skinny on shortenings
Reducing saturated fats is on many consumers’ minds. That’s whySansTrans RS39, a reduced-saturated fat shortening from the IOI Group of Loders Croklaan, Channnahon, Ill., offers bakeries the same functionality as traditional shortening, with 30% less saturated fat compared with typical trans-free shortenings, the company reports.Based on its performance,SansTrans RS39all-purpose shortening avoids problems such as oil migration, excessive spread and weak cookie structure. Available in quantities including 50-lb. cartons and 1,945-lb. bulk totes, the shortening boasts superior eating qualities and can allow for an improved Nutritional Facts label panel and a clean label.
“SansTrans RS39helps reduce saturated fat in baked goods and snack foods,” explains Gerald McNeill, vice president of R&D. “It is blend of palm oil and canola oil and is approximately 35% lower saturated fat that typical palm oil shortenings. It acts as a drop-in solution for saturated fat reduction, retaining all the functionality of regular shortening.”
TheSansTrans DF Select Seriesis another new trans-free donut frying shortening that McNeill says is non-hydrogenated and highly stable with a long shelf life. “SansTrans DF Selectdonut frying fat is also a palm oil-based shortening that’s designed to prevent oil migration and to improve mouthfeel in donuts,” he says. A similar product,SansTrans DF Select 55, contains added soybean oil, and was developed to give the palm oil shortening an odor similar to traditional hydrogenated soybean oil fat, while maintaining high quality and avoiding damage to chocolate and sugar coatings.
More gluten-free flour
ConAgra Mills, Omaha, Neb., introducedEagle Mills gluten-free, all-purpose multigrain flour. “Eagle Millssets a new standard for gluten-free ingredients, combining outstanding nutrition, all-purpose functionality and mainstream appeal,” says Mike Veal, vice president of marketing. “Made with a proprietary blend of seven different whole grains, including rice and tapioca flours and corn starch, one serving of this flour provides 24% of the daily recommended value of fiber and whole grain nutrition while delivering the functionality that manufacturers need and the finished product taste, texture and appearance that gluten-sensitive consumers crave.”This flour also is made with a blend of whole ancient grains, including amaranth, quinoa, sorghum, millet and teff, this whole grain, and is designed for sandwich breads, pizza, tortillas, muffins, snacks and coatings. In addition,Eagle Millsflour is certified by the Gluten-free Certification Organization.
“A 32 g. slice of bread made withEagle Millsgluten-free, all-purpose multigrain flour blend has the same fiber as a slice of 100% whole wheat bread, which is 12% of the recommended daily value of fiber,” says Elizabeth Arndt, director of research and development. “This means that product developers can fill the need for better-tasting gluten-free foods with the nutritional benefits and label claims consumers are looking for.”
Grain-based line
Bay State Milling created an extensive array of solutions, developed to satisfy a wide variety of grain-based food ingredients.For example,BakingEssentialsincludes Bay State Milling’s traditional flour brands and classic mixes, bases and concentrates to support customers’ conventional grain-based and gluten-free food needs, while itsGrainEssentialsline offers a host of flours, mixes, bases and concentrates to help customers develop whole grain products.
OrganicEssentialsprovides customers with organically certified flours, mixes, bases and concentrates, andEthnicEssentials consists of flour, mixes, bases and concentrates that help customers develop grain-based food products for a variety of ethnic markets.
“There are 112 years of quality and experience behind our products,” says Donna Reiser, marketing specialist for the Quincy, Mass., company. “OurBakingEssentials line includes not only the flour brands that are the core of our business, but also our latest gluten-free offerings.GrainEssentials products address the growing demand for whole grains, including white whole wheat extra fine flour. Customers trust that ourOrganicEssentialsproducts are the result of strict adherence to organic standards and close farmer relationships, and we embrace the demand of changing demographics and taste trends withEthnicEssentials. This is a very passionate group, dedicated to helping our partners prosper through our flour and grain blend Essentials offerings.”
Simplifying the baker's process
Bakers’ Best Vital-Gfrom Chesterfield, Mo.-based AB Mauri Fleischmann’s is a unique blend of wheat gluten and enzymes designed to provide strength to bread, rolls, buns and other yeast-raised goods. It reduces total wheat gluten use in bread and roll formulas, providing significant cost savings, ensuring processing tolerance and increasing finished volume of bakery products.Vital-Gis formulated for ease of scaling and to ensure consistent delivery of active ingredients, and should be added to the dough side in a sponge and dough or liquid sponge process, the company says.
“TheBakers’ Best portfolio from AB Mauri Fleischmann’s is a line of functional ingredients designed to simplify the baker’s process through an efficient and economical single source,” says Greg Strauss, vice president of sales and marketing. “Vital-G is an example of howBakers’ Best is a true solution for all bakers, especially retail bakers.Vital-Gis an all-natural, advanced enzyme-enhanced gluten for bread and bun applications. It reduces gluten usage by up to 50% and its concentrated usage reduces scaling time.”
In-line sifter
Great Western Manufacturing’s QA36 In-Line sifter is an HACCP solution for operations with moderate- to high-production volumes. Designed with a high net screening area, the QA36 is manufactured with a high level of sanitation in mind and provides easy maintenance using light weight components and form-fitting, snap-on neoprene gaskets.“The QA Series represents our latest thinking in sanitary sifters for process sifting (removal of oversize, particle grading or fines removal) as well as final product quality control sifting. Although we initially developed the QA series sifters for in-line applications (direct insertion in a pressure or vacuum conveying system), the many sanitary features that were incorporated in the design like all stainless-steel contact parts with fewer weldments, lighter weight components and the use of snap-on neoprene gaskets, made the concept ideal for gravity flow sifters as well,” says Bob Ricklefs, sales manager for the Leavenworth, Kan., manufacturer.
The sifter may be inserted directly into a vacuum or pressure-dilute phase pneumatic conveying system.
Tying bread bags
Bedford’s new PolyTwist offers a re-engineered wireless solution to closing up bread bags. These twist ties come in 8- and 10-in. precision-wound spools and pre-cut lengths for hand application, are biodegradable and microwavable and come in a variety of colors.“PolyTwist material incorporates Bedford’s new PolyWire technology and works on both Burford and Plas-Ties HD equipment; no wireless conversion kits are required," says Robert Tims, product development and outside sales manager. "Market interest has been strong for applications currently using non-twist tie closures. Bedford [based in Worthington, Minn.] is willing to visit bakery locations that have interest in converting their current closure method to the new PolyTwist product.”
Data logger for ovens
Controlling the internal temperature of food products is key to obtaining the degree of safety required in today’s marketplace. Regardless what oven or thermal system you use, theScorpion 2 data logger profiling system from Reading Thermal Systems, coupled with a temperature array, provides a precise picture of applied temperatures.TheScorpion 2gathers critical line information and analyzes specific situations to spot problems, maximize quality and jumpstart line and oven efficiencies. Employing advanced, proprietary SV7 software, the service measures thermal process parameters, air velocity, heat flux, humidity and temperature under full product load, using fixed sensors located at the actual product level. It then profiles, analyzes and compares data collected to maximize performance and solve production problems.
The Robesonia, Pa., manufacturer explains that the system is the second iteration (with upgrades) of the originalScorpiondeveloped in the United Kingdom, and brings with it more than two years of R&D effort.
Physically sent through an oven on a conveyor belt, just alike a pan of bread or rolls, the portable system features Smart Sensor Technology, which the company defines as easy-to-use advancements to increase the resolution of the baking profile. The unit also issues a comprehensive, detailed performance/inspection report with a duplicate backup copy kept at Reading Thermal Systems, and maps out solutions to problems, such as uneven bakers, low production capacity, moisture retention and inconsistent quality. Able to perform benchmark profiles of an oven, the system can be used with both sold and open-mesh conveyors.
Conveying powders
The newly redesigned K-Tron Premier P30 sanitary receiver conveys difficult powders in applications that require a high level of sanitary design and frequent cleaning. A modular design accommodates various discharge options, quick disassembly for cleaning, volume extensions and jet filter cleaning. The modular P30 now includes extension modules to increase the receiving volume of bulk materials. The new design also allows ease of disassembly and cleaning, offers a new sealing and earthing feature and is more user-friendly.“The sanitary design of the K-Tron Premier P series receivers make them ideal conveying solutions for difficult flowing snack food ingredients, such as spices, cheese powders and high-fat coatings,” says Sharon Nowak, global business development manager, foods and pharmaceuticals for K-Tron America, headquartered in Pitman, N.J. “When combining the use of these conveying systems with the added expertise of the K-Tron Process Group, the overall material handling solution for your snack food and bakery process is sure to include cost-effective design with an emphasis on improvement of overall product quality.”
Powder on demand
Powder On Demand (POD) from Hayward, Calif.-based Heat and Control is a compact system that transfers powders and granules to seasoning applicators, mixers, storage bins and elevated equipment, eliminating the need for ladders, heavy lifting and potential physical injury. POD uses energy-efficient dense phase conveying to transfer products, and powders are transferred without spills, cross contamination or dust pollution. Plus, there are no moving parts or expensive, high-maintenance augers, dust socks or vacuum pumps.“Hazardous lifting of heavy bags, operators standing on small footstools, reaching to fill seasoning hoppers, messy spills and dust--unacceptable as they are, these issues have always seemed to be tolerated as part of the seasoning application process,” says Blake Svejkovsky, manager of product handling systems. “Heat and Control developed POD to eliminate the risk and mess and to elevate powder transfer to the efficiency level of modern seasoning applicators.”
Belt tracking
Berndorf Band Engineering introduced thebernmatic BTRV belt-tracking roller, designed to improve product quality and provide precise belt tracking for precision right down the line. An inductive sensor checks belt speed while an optical or mechanical belt edge sensor checks the actual belt edge position. The belt-tracking roller comes with a touch panel that controls the functions while displaying the tracking history of the belt. It also includes leading automation components, which ensure that the bernmatic system can be linked to a super-ordinate control and visualization system within the plant. Recorded data and messages are displayed on the monitor and integrated into the system.“The newbernmaticBTRV belt-tracking roller, from Berndorf Band Engineering GmbH, offers precise belt tracking due to continuous belt monitoring. Some advantages of thenew bernmaticBTRV belt -tracking roller include easy integration into existing systems, a compact design, belt tracking independent of speed and reduced downtime from optimal belt guidance. ThebernmaticBTRV belt-tracking roller increases the overall life of your belt and allows your belt to run perfectly for perfect product quality,” says Daniela Weiszhar, marketing manager for Berndorf Belt Technology USA in Elgin, Ill.
A world of washing systems
Located in Byron, Ill., JEROS USA has more than 40 year’s experience in the manufacture of service washers.The JEROS line of tray cleaners, utensil and tunnel washers feature smart, compact yet high-performance designs and efficient operation. Three sizes of tunnel washers were exhibited at IBIE, including the 6015 tray cleaner. Handling trays with up to two edges, the machine can be used for flat and perforated trays and can be set up to clean two different tray sizes as long as the thicknesses are the same. The inlet and output driving rollers are a large diameter, so they apply even pressure to all of the trays. The labor-saving unit can cut hours of cleaning time and the system also greases 100 trays within 6-8 min.
JEROS says that the cleaning brushes can last as long as six to eight years while the machine itself has an average lifetime of 15-20 years. The system helps keep trays moving through production, as fewer trays are needed due to clean trays always being available. The stacked trays require a minimum of storage space.
The company’s 200XL tunnel washer includes four rotating arms in the wash zone, a tunnel width and height of 25.5 x 18.5 in., a stainless steel conveyor, a 31.5-in. washing section and a 57-gallon wash tank capacity.
Robotic wrapping goes with the flow
Formost Fuji Corp., Woodinville, Wash., and FANUC Robotics, Lake Forest, Calif., collaborated on some of their IBIE packaging machinery introductions. Formost Fuji showcased its latest horizontal form/fill/seal flow wrapper, theAlpha VI, which provides tight, neat packages and strong seals, in combination with Fanuc’s food-grade M-3iA/6S intelligent, parallel-link robot, designed to maximize speed and flexibility for picking applications.The food-grade, four-axis robot is equipped withiRVisionvisual tracking, which picks randomly-placed product from an infeed conveyor, orients the products and places them into the infeed of theAlpha VI’s conveyor to be wrapped.
Also equipped with a servo motor, a cantilevered frame, positive product control and a touchscreen user interface, the Alpha VI features as an adjustable forming box that can be accessed for calibration of repeatable settings and fast changeovers. The controller stores product data to assure exact machine settings for easily repeatable product setup. Rotary and end-seal machine models or a box-motion end-seal configuration are available, and depending on the model, reach speeds from 10 to 300 packages per minute.
Slicing and slabbing
FoodTools introduced a single-blade, top-drive slabbing machine, built to precisely and efficiently cut cakes, biscuits, muffins and other bread products into horizontal slabs from 0.3- to 3.5-in. thick. The top drive allows for high-speed slicing by holding the tops and bottoms in place as buns and rounds are sliced top and bottom halves. This machine removes cutting knives and blades from human hands and perfectly portions each layer every time.“The CS-8AW-1 had been a valuable tool in make cake production lines for years, and now it can also be used in bread production,” says Chris Clemens, marketing manager for the Santa Barbara, Calif., company. “The 18-in. wide conveyor allows bakers to cut up to 18 in. of product at a time. Products can be stacked across the width of the conveyor and can also be continuously placed in rows to increase the slicing capacity of the machine.”
Dough lines
Automating artisan production is the name of the game at Fritsch USA, Cedar Grove, N.J.The Multitwist for twisted baked goods has an expanding range of tool sets and innovative upgrades. With production cord lengths from 250 to 600 mm, the machine moves beyond classic brined pretzel making and produces sweet dough pretzels and ring-shaped products. Changeovers from one product to another take a matter of minutes without special tools, the company says. An intelligent tool-control system is constantly on alert to ensure the system is operating with the right combination of tools. A single module manages as many as 2,000 dough pieces per hour. With the help of a Fritsch dough sheeting unit, the Multitwist can operate around the clock for as long as six days without interruption for cleaning, the company says.
Another significant system is the Multiline dough line, suitable for a high-performance, pre-stage dough sheeter, a monocline or a sheeting system that permits bakers to work uninterrupted with dough sheets on a single line. Easy to clean, the Multiline is considered a jack-of-all trades for any bakery, and handles a variety of doughs, such as laminated puff pastry that must be processed at low temperatures to artisan breads that consist of soft, sticky, high-water content recipe types. The Multiline also handles dough sheet lines of up to 600 mm and has a production capacity of 800 kg per hour.
Divide and conquer
Reiser’sVemagline of dough makeup and depositing equipment uses double-screw technology to provide versatility, flexibility and accuracy. Not exactly new to the industry, theVemagtechnology is all about the customer, says company president Roger Reiser. Based in Canton, Mass., the family-owned company’s first bakery applications came in the late 1970s when a customer bought several of its cookie double chub fillers.At the heart of the systems lies a patented double-screw pumping system. With positive displacement, it assures gentle and consistent product handling without overworking the product and exact weight portions.
“OurVemagequipment offers a broad range of solutions to produce cookies, scones, breads, rolls (soft and hard), English muffins, bagels, pretzels, batters for brownies and cakes, pie shells and coextruded items, among many others,” says John McIsaac, vice president.
The newProcessCheck checkweigher in the line is for bakery lines, pizza dough production and more. Changing product over the course of a batch or batches can result in weight variations.ProcessCheckautomatically monitors weights and adjusts the divider without operator intervention. Add a simple-to-operate, compact design and automatic monitoring and you get uniform weights, reduced giveaway and full control of the product. An optional rejection system that gets rid of off-weights is available. The system is adjustable from 10 to 300 portions per minute, depending on the product and portion sizes being run and has a weight range from 1 to 3,000 g.
Also new at Reiser is its customer center in Canton. The 6,600-sq.-ft. addition to its headquarters includes an 800-sq.-ft. conference center, several types of mixers, dry storage, a walk-in cooler and freezer areas and a rack oven to produce products and test dough processing capabilities.
A steaming we will go
AmeriVap Systems, Dawsonville, Ga., showcased Xtreme Steam, a vapor system that uses electricity to heat the water in the tank, creating steam under pressure.When the temperature of the steam reaches 365°F and the pressure reaches about 150 psi, the moisture content drops to about 5%. In addition, the eco-friendly, economical and easy-to-use machine comes with a variety of brushes and other accessories that allow the steam to reach dirty surfaces while the brushing action releases and removes dirt and stain particles.
“Xtreme Steam produces culinary grade, super heated, saturated dry steam vapor, which cleans and sanitizes most any surface even in the hardest-to-reach area,” says Dolly Diercks, vice president of marketing and sales. “AmeriVap Systems introduced dry steam vapor cleaning to the United States in 1990 and we continue to develop products and applications that save time and money for our customers, combined with a deep respect for the environment.”
Baking on the show floor
WP Bakery, Shelton, Conn., showcased live baking demonstrations at their exhibit in combination with King Arthur Flour Co., Norwich Vt., which provided high-quality flour and additional baking expertise. WP featured several of its newest machines and systems.For example, theQuadro Filiusproduces a wide variety of rolls in a short amount of time and can be integrated into many production environments. The machine operates at rates of 4,000 pieces per hour and is easy to clean.
TheEcospiral mixer operates with 30 to 125 kg of flour and is based on theKemperthree-zone mixing principle. ThePresidentspiral mixer line includes six mixers with flour processing capacities (used in craft and industrial applications) of 75, 100, 125, 150, 200 and 250 kg. The systems process in three shift operations and are designed to be highly durable modules. The mixers also feature easily movable and dockable constructions for light bowl handling, easily maneuverable bowls, stainless steel flour dust protection covers with plastic slip rings, automatic operating cycles and a “hydraulic” head lifting/lowering unit.
TheTitanmixer features a double-with-double three-zone mixing principle for up to 240 kg of dough for high quality at high capacity, short batch-cycle times, a programmable controlled touch panel, stainless-steel panels and mixing tools and a stainless-steel bowl and bowl carriage. It also has a flour capacity of approximately 150 kg and can handle four to six batches per hour.
TheMagicline is a new laminating plant concept from Werner & Pfleiderer that makes it possible to assemble a production line for a multitude of dough types and recipes. With a new modular structure, the user can assemble the desired individual configuration from a range of functional modules. The user also defines the requirements.
Distribution and warehouse management
Paperless order dispatching, order fulfillment and picking solutions for the baking industry were the focus for Pcdata, Inc., East Granby, Conn. Among the company’s many software and system specialties especially designed for supply chains are customizable order prioritization solutions that work with light or voice technology and shipping and warehouse services designed to improve warehouse manpower efficiency and productivity by up to 50%.Pcdata says the software and solutions can dramatically reduce order fulfillment errors, reduce “unaccounted for” items, significantly reduce administration needs and provide track-and-trace abilities and real time inventory visibility. The easy-to-use systems include the modular concept,Distrib. The performance manager software suite can maximize productivity by tracking performance in real time across the warehouse by period, shift, section or individual versus standards that should be met.
DistribBakery WMS(warehouse management system) helps provide the transparency bakers need to cope with balancing control costs and the need to increase service levels and higher expectations. The company reports that the application can be integrated into the entire supply chain through multiple inventory and equipment tracking and shipment data captured at the enterprise level, finished goods confirmation, bulk and route dispatch and automatic tray picking and truck load validation at the plant level, pick-and-put to light, dynamic floor allocation, cross docking and order dispatch at the distribution center level and custom picking, shortage handling, small-volume handling and consolidation at the depot/warehouse level.
Tray, case packing
Delkor Systems presents theTrayfecta RSeriesretail-ready case and tray packer.Operating at production rates up to 40 trays per minute, the newTrayfecta R Seriesmodel forms display trays in a continuous flow, producing precisely-formed trays that are properly aligned and oriented for automated product loading. Trays are ejected from the former with cup cavities pointing upwards, thereby eliminating the need for additional handling in preparation for downstream loading.
“A common problem facing many of our customers today is the need to have a case packer that is able to adapt to a variety of shipper formats, from standard cases to a range of retail-ready formats,” says Dale Anderson, president of the Circle Pines, Minn., company. “This is primarily due to the larger role the mass merchandiser is playing in defining how a product will be packaged.”
Other features include tool-less removable changeparts for easy cleaning, sanitary stainless-steel ball-end leveling feet to minimize surface contact, washdown duty motors and gear boxes with stainless-steel hardware, mating parts are mounted to welded bosses to minimize surface contact and a design that minimizes horizontal surfaces.
Palletizing proficiency
Schneider Packaging Equipment introduced the multi-line palletizer, designed for combining two or more lines into one centralized palletizing location.“Schneider multi-line robotic palletizing cells are designed for larger projects requiring multiple product lines and palletizing stations,” says Terry Zarnowksi, director of sales and marketing for the Brewerton, N.Y.-based manufacturer. “Several product lines are conveyed to one central location for palletizing prior to distribution or warehouse storage. Schneider’s palletizing equipment is programmed for simple trouble-free installation and operation that easily integrates with other equipment, such as labelers, bar code readers, elevators and lowerators, shuttle cars and stretch wrappers.”
This machine can be combined with up to 30 picks per minute to provide high throughput and works with single or multiple lines to accommodate floor space and ergonomic requirements. Plus, it features an optional over/under conveyor, which allows pallet exchange while operating for continuous product, and comes with end-of-arm tooling options, such as vacuum, mechanical or fork or with or without pallet hooks and slipsheet handling.
Tamper-evident closing
Burford, headquartered in Maysville, Okla., developed a tamper-evident closure system, designed to improve the safety and security of snack and bakery products.“This unique closure system provides a one-time tamper-evident seal that gives confidence to the consumer that their product has not been previously handled,” says Clay Miller, sales engineer. “The tamper-evident closure system is generally followed by a twist tie machine, which allows the consumer to easily remove the perforated seal and then reclose the package using the twist tie.”
It also features a non-contact sealing method and a patent-pending hot airflow system and works with existing packaging lines and materials, Miller says. The bag tail flattener aligns open bag tails, which are then perforated for easy opening.
“With its ability to handle a wide range of bag types and thickness as well as working with speeds in excess of 100 feet per minute, the TEC100 is ready to provide your product with the added security and safety that comes with the Burford tamper-evident closure system.”
Multi-level basket
Canada-based Drader Bakery Logistics helps bakers reduce costs with its Eliminator, a dual-height basket that’s compatible with existing single-height basket inventory.“The Eliminator basket has a unique feature; it is a multi-level basket that is also compatible with a bakery’s single-height inventory,” says Alisha Leveille, account representative. “This allows bakeries to get the benefits of a multi-level basket such as shipping more product per stack and reducing basket inventory and costs without the usual setback of an expensive and complicated mass replacement. This means a bakery orders baskets as they normally would, and the Eliminator would replace the single-height basket over time.”
The Eliminator is designed to eliminate hard changeovers, storage space, wasted shipping capacity and the need for multiple baskets. It also captures more product per stack and can save on shipping because it holds various bread and bun heights, all in one basket.
“We called it the Eliminator because it eliminates a lot of the headaches associated [with] baskets and trying to optimize a system,” Leveille adds. “It eliminates the need for multiple baskets and managing the associated inventory, eliminates hard changeovers and eliminates wasted shipping capacity. A multi-level basket that can also stack with existing single-height inventory allows a user to pick and choose when to use bread height versus bun height, to mix with existing or not, or do it all at once.”
