Infographic created by
Herrmann Ultrasonics, an industrial plastic welding company
Quality is imperative for a food product to be successful. From maintaining visual appeal and taste to sustaining a long shelf life, the quality of the ingredients and meals being dished up needs to be impeccable. How can professionals in the food industry enhance the quality of the food they serve? Three words: food processing technology.
Technology is developing at unprecedented rates. Every day it seems there is a new tool or method designed to revolutionize how we do things. That extends to how food is processed, prepped, and plated. One such innovative method is ultrasonic sealing. Capable of providing 100% tight seals, this packaging solution helps manufacturers deliver a safe, appetizing product. Ways it’s being used include securing lids for yogurt containers, sealing ready-made meals, and even coating the packaging of drink cartons.
Part of what makes ultrasonic sealing sought after is that, unlike heat sealing, this technology only generates heat within the materials being welded. That way, product quality is unaffected. It’s also highly reliable and works fast with a sealing time of roughly 100 to 200 milliseconds. When combined, all the advantages of ultrasonic sealing equipment have quickly made it a vital component in maintaining the overall quality of products with finished seams.
Another example is the state-of-the-art equipment utilized in pulsed electric field processing. Using short bursts of high voltage electric fields, this modern pasteurization method treats food until it reaches the desired microbial inactivation or structure modification. It achieves this by rupturing the cell membranes of vegetative microorganisms causing intracellular contents to leak. The result is a concomitant loss of cellular metabolic activity. Put simply, it kills detrimental microbes with electricity to prolong shelf life.
These are just two food processing technologies being utilized today. For further examples of food quality-improving tech, please see the accompanying resource.