Types of Food Processing Equipment
Food processing isn’t just a term involving the processing of food products. It is an umbrella accumulating different components of the processing channel. These components include not only processing machines but also various others involving handling, preparing, cooking, storing, and packaging machines for food products. Here, with this idea, we can talk about all the machines involves in food processing, handling, packaging, storing, and transportation purpose. Let’s talk about them in detail and have a better understanding.
Food processing equipment might be of several groups and numbers. But we classify them here into five groups. Let’s make this division possible.
Preparing the raw materials
The first one involves food processing equipment, which focuses on preparing the raw materials for upcoming processes. These processes might involve mechanical or chemical processing, either by separating material from the low quality, substandard, or undesirable material. This way, it will teach the manufacturers to ensure the production of uniform and quality-oriented food products that are free from foreign matter and contaminants which might result in degradation or damage of the food products.
Mechanical processing
The next equipment involves Mechanical processing equipment that involves the application of heat to reduce, enlarge, or change the physical form of solid and liquid food product or matter. With such alteration of the food products or food matter, there come formations to facilitate and increase the efficiency of the processes, revitalize the quality of the material and enhance edibility of the food matter, and allow a greater range to be produced. The mechanical processing involves size reduction, size enlargement, as well as, cutting, forming, and grinding of the food materials.
Heat processing equipment
The next type involves Heat processing equipment which is used to tackle the heat of the food matter, undergo physical, chemical, and biological changes in the food material. With such changes, the food products are transformed to energize the overall quality of the products. This way, their flavor, and taste are enhanced, preserved by destroying the bacteria which cause destruction.
Preservation equipment
The next type involves preservation equipment for the food industry that is aimed at preventing the food matter from spoilage and increase the shelf life of those food products. There are a large number of preservation methods available that can work for the preservation of your food products. These methods vary from refrigeration to irradiation, all acting with the principle of destroying microorganisms within the food material ad making your food product more hygienic and favorable.
Food material packaging equipment
The last step involves food material packaging equipment that is part of the post-processing steps. These steps involve producing the final version of the food product and completing the food processing process. This food packaging might come in several forms like boxes, jars, bottles, cans, etc. Your packaging formation may vary concerning the use of the final product. The packaging might also differ due to the type and form of food product you’re about to store, handle, distribute, and deliver.