JBT takes next steps in spiral freezing.

The new freezer has a belt width of 700mm and is more compact than any of its predecessors, yet offers up to 20% increased capacity. Designed to be both sustainable and hygienic with a number of new streamlined features to further eliminate food traps and maximise food safety, the new freezer joins the GYRoCOMPACT 700mm product line which has sold over 1,700 units world-wide. The new freezer is also iOPS-ready to enable peak optimisation.

Customer feedback, combined with its pioneering of the self-stacking spiral belt, are what drive the development of the Frigoscandia brand, as Torbjörn Persson, JBTs Director of Value Stream and Global Product Line, explains:

"Customers continue to require increased food safety, combined with higher efficiency in uptime and capacity. Of course, most industrial freezers are quite large, so the need to have food-safe freezers is really important when looking at a full food production line. One key factor is that the freezing process itself doesn´t limit growth of bacteria on contaminated products, but only stops it momentarily. This is one reason why optimised hygienic design has always been our top priority. Floor joints, reduced overlapping surfaces, reduced visible threads and pop rivets are just some of the innovations.

"We've also seen a clear trend for more variation in the products our customers produce, which enforces the need for flexible production lines. For example, we can now increase the capacity for chicken nuggets from around 4000 kg/hr up to 4,800 kg/hr."

Many customers are also faced with high investment costs if they are planning to build new production facilities, says Persson, so their aim is how to put more capacity into their existing buildings.

Designed for production rates of between 1.5 and 5 tons per hour, the freezer can be utilised for existing frozen food applications, while also having benefits for plants with space constraints, as its headroom has been reduced by 600mm.

Quicker drying functions, optimised airflow, less drive forces, and savings of up to 75% in oil consumption are just some of the features JBT has introduced, with further innovations in the pipeline. JBT's iOPS system, its version of IoT (Internet of Things), analyses data in real time to maximise uptime and productivity.

"Our current developments are focused on food safety, efficiency and uptime. The Europe frozen food market is expected to reach well over 17 million metric tons* by the end of 2026. We want to be ready for that."

jbtc.com/foodtech

*Source: Kenneth Research, November 2019

Freeze quickly, with flexibility and profit

The key to success for seafood processors is getting product to market in the right condition. Because it’s so delicate, seafood needs to be handled very carefully to retain the best possible visual appearance to the consumer. It will also be damaged if it’s frozen too slowly. As a specialist in freezing technology, JBT is constantly modifying its Frigoscandia range to improve processing capabilities, efficiency and throughput. The ADVANTEC™ impingement freezer is perfect for thin, flat products, and has been designed specifically with seafood processors in mind.

The Frigoscandia ADVANTEC uses patented impingement technology to direct high velocity air jets at both the top and bottom of the products. The top jets chill the product directly, and the bottom jets chill the products indirectly through the belt. This results in extremely fast freezing times, so that premium products can get to market as quickly – and as fresh – as possible. And it’s modular, so it grows with your business. You will be able to match or exceed all the beneficial effects of cryogenic processing, at a fraction of the cost and with much greater flexibility.

JBT debuts Electric TwinDrum Spiral Oven offering new way to heat

As a global technology equipment supplier to the food processing industry, JBT has announced the launch of the new, electric version of its successful Stein TwinDrum Spiral Oven, offering a range of features including simpler maintenance and connectivity to JBT’s iOPS platform, as well as giving customers the opportunity to better meet their green commitments.

The TwinDrum Spiral Oven is the latest spiral oven cooking technology from JBT that builds on decades of oven engineering by adding a uniform temperature and excellent roasting capabilities via an efficient two-zone spiral system. The TwinDrum spiral oven’s design enables processors to increase their processing yield compared with existing ovens, while at the same time ensuring consistent cooking of food items by uniformly distributing the hot air flow across all tiers.

But with the introduction of the electric TwinDrum, JBT is offering customers a new way to heat by foregoing gas and oil-based heating systems, and plugging directly into the grid, according to Stefan Paulsson, JBT’s Director of Value Stream & Global Product Line for Cooking & Linear Freezers. “Through the electric TwinDrum, we are offering a new way to heat,” he said.

“We come in contact with a lot of new food producers in the world wanting to cook and fry alternative proteins, but often, for these small scale start-up producers, investing in a thermal fluid system can be quite expensive. Having an electrically-heated fryer and oven is a good and more affordable alternative for this group.”

Double savings

Until now, the TwinDrum was heated by an oil-based thermal fluid system that made use of either natural gas or electricity to heat air inside the oven. With the electric TwinDrum, Paulsson continued, customers are able to save twice: by having one single rather than two heat transformations, and by not having to invest in a separate boiler and piping.

“Instead of having to pay for a thermal heating system, you just have cables that go directly into the machine,” he said. “The electric heater is fixed in the machine, so it can be easily accessed for cleaning and maintenance, while having fixed wiring means better reliability. Electric heating also gives processors the ability to use renewable sources of energy that could help them to achieve their environmental goals or commitments.”

Temperature controls 

Additional features available with the electric TwinDrum include proportional control for the heating elements to achieve more accurate temperature control, plus built-in connectivity with JBT’s own IoT (Internet of Things) platform iOPS, which enables the monitoring of temperature fluctuations and energy consumption across systems, meaning areas where energy savings can be made can be easily identified.

The Stein TwinDrum adds to a growing range of electrically-heated cooking solutions from JBT, including fryers, Double D Revoband ovens and the Formcook Contact Cooker. “The TwinDrum offers all the benefits of a thermal fluid-heated system: it looks the same, it’s just electrically-heated,” Paulsson added.

Our AV-S remains to be the only HPP system crafted specifically for the seafood industry. Its vertical design and built-in safety features prevent mechanical damage. Compared to other methods of meat extraction, the AV-S increases yield in shellfish and crustacean meat separation of up to 80%. In addition to its productivity increase, we manufacture this machine to enhance the food’s chemistry, nutrition and flavor.

Setting a whole new standard in fish marination
The IMAX 600/900 P fish injector is specifically designed for all types of fish marination applications and can handle fish products varying from whole fish to parts. Like all IMAX injectors, the IMAX 600/900 P offers unparalleled injection distribution, consistency, and reliability. And since the 600/900 P has been optimized for fish marination, you will process a higher quality product with increased yields and the highest levels of production.

A higher level of versatility. 
When we set out to develop the IMAX 600/900 P, we looked at fish marination applications around the world. We combined that information with comprehensive research from leading European Universities specializing in applied fluid technologies. No detail was too small, no potential benefit was overlooked, and no compromises were made. The result is a highly flexible injector capable of processing a complete range of fish products – a solution that provides processors with the opportunity to easily expand their production line. 

Greater performance.
Every component in the IMAX 600/900 P has been optimized for fish marination. Its dynamic stripper plate features two positions – a high setting and low setting for different applications. The lower area offers four settings each of 13 mm for fine tuning. A new, research-driven manifold design delivers a uniform brine flow to all needles with a consistent needle-tip pressure and injection rate. 

A superior design for food safety. 
Like all IMAX injectors, the stainless steel 600/900 P continues to lead the way in food safety. Its external brine filtration tank is easily accessible and can be quickly removed for cleaning and inspection to ensure products are not cross-contaminated. The ability to easily remove needles is another important part of food safety. The IMAX 600/900 P has been designed so that all needles can be removed in less than 5 minutes.