Food & Beverage Asia December/January 2024

PROCESSING AND PACKAGING
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For breweries, BOGE’s
Bluekat converter
assures a reliable
supply of and pure
compressed air supply
date, microwaves have been tested
on liquid and semi-liquid products,
which tend to be homogeneous, packaged,
or closed. It is expected the technology will
be used for other food products soon.
ULTRA-RAPID DETECTION OF
MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION
For dairy and beverage manufacturing, rapid
and accurate detection of microbiological
contaminants in products is crucial to safety.
Traditional methods for microbial testing can
take days to weeks and require several manual
processes, increasing the risk of human error.
Hygiena has developed a new rapid microbial
screening kit for beverage testing, using the
Innovate System. The RapiScreen Beverage Kit
is designed to neutralise complex, high-acid
content found in fruit juices. The kit has also
been validated on a broad range of matrices,
including teas, energy drinks, smoothie mixes
and ketchup. For rapid microbial results, the
Innovate System can detect contamination
faster than traditional methods. Results
can be obtained in less than 30 minutes
after a 48-hour incubation period, with the
capability to accommodate 96 samples at
a time. This is possible with a technology
that eliminates somatic cell (non-microbial)
adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and allows
product testing with a wide range of pH values.
By shortening time to results, facilities can
reduce inventory requirements, warehouse
space and safety stock, resulting in savings.
CONTAMINANT-FREE AIR FOR
BREWING PROCESS
Compressed air is an essential part of
practically all commercial manufacturing,
Hygiena's Innovate System detects
contamination in beverages faster than
traditional methods
including the brewing industry. For brewers,
air compressors are used to power the
machinery used in bottling, canning and
kegging. As there is close contact between
compressed air and the product in the
fermentation and aeration process, the
beer or ale is susceptible to contamination
with water, dirt, and microorganisms.
Oil contamination is particularly unwelcome
in beer brewing as it kills the yeast and, in
the process, affects the frothing properties.
While oil levels in the atmosphere may be
very low, once the air is taken into the system
and compressed, they become much more
concentrated. The same can be said for
water vapour and anything suspended in
the ambient air. A purification system to
remove oil and other contaminants is needed
even if an oil-free compressor is used.
BOGE has developed the Bluekat catalytic
converter BC 110 with an oil-flooded screw
compressor. The downstream converter breaks
down long-chain hydrocarbons into water
and carbon dioxide, and coverts silicone into
silicate, thus reducing carbon dioxide levels,
spores and viruses. Dirt and impurities are
also effectively removed to produce class
0 oil-free compressed air which complies
with the standard ISO 8573-1 and can be
delivered without the need for an oil-free
compressor. For breweries, the Bluekat
converter assures a reliable and pure supply of
compressed air supply, free from contaminants
and expensive product recall risks.
THE FUTURE WITH AI AND ROBOTICS
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a game changer
for the food and beverage industry. AIenabled
sensors can be used to detect
food contaminants such as bacteria and
viruses. This information can then be used
to recall contaminated food products quickly
and prevent further contamination.
AI is also being used to develop new methods
of food processing that are more efficient
and less likely to cause contamination. In
production facilities, AI can be programmed to
follow very specific instructions which means
that they are less likely to make mistakes
that could lead to contamination. AI-enabled
robots are likely to become even more
common in food production facilities, which
could lead to lower food production costs.
“No doubt, AI will continue to have a big
impact on the food and beverage industry.
AI-enabled products and processes are
already starting to make a difference in the
industry and this is only going to become
more pronounced as the technology becomes
more sophisticated,” Amunugama said. FBA
FOOD & BEVERAGE ASIA DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024