The 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) kicked off on January 30 for a three-day run through February 1 in Atlanta. Space for more than 1,295 exhibitors sold for this year’s trade fair surpassed 600,800 square feet, which makes it the largest trade show floor in IPPE’s history, covering all four halls of the Georgia World Congress Center.
The event, sponsored by the US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and the Meat Institute, provides attendees with a full week of education programs, innovative technology, engaging activities and enhanced networking opportunities with industry leaders from the animal food, meat, and poultry and egg industries. The vast trade show floor is showcasing the latest technology, equipment and services used in the production and processing.
Among many exhibitors of interest to frozen food processors is Air Products. The Allentown, Pennsylvania-headquartered company is promoting its Freshline Smart Technology, which allows customers to control and monitor food manufacturing processes remotely. Sensors and wireless technology is used to optimize processes and track key parameters. Self-monitoring analysis allows customers to see data in real time, which can help maximize efficiency, productivity and sustainability.
In addition, Air Products is showcase its Freshline IQF+ Tunnel Freezer, which provides a highly efficient design that allows processors to produce consistent, high quality individually quick frozen (IQF) products in larger throughputs than standard spray-freezing cryogenic IQF freezers.
Also in the spotlight is the Freshline Bottom Injection Cooling System that hygienically injects liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide (CO2) into product during the mixing, blending or grinding process. Combined with the company’s proprietary clean-in-place and analytics platforms, producers will be well equipped to maximize production safety and efficiency for the long term.
Air Products is inviting IPPE attendees to visit its booth (#C15151) to speak with knowledgeable food specialists about the specific challenges in their day-to-day operations. The company offers a range of cryogenic freezing and chilling solutions using nitrogen or CO2 that can provide meat and poultry processors faster freezing times, increased throughput and improved product quality.
For more than a half-century, Air Products’ liquid nitrogen and CO2 have been used to chill products to the ideal forming temperature.
In the food industry, liquid nitrogen and CO2 are commonly employed in tunnel and spiral freezers for the final preservation of product before it is packaged and shipped. These freezers offer customers smaller footprints and lower cost compared to mechanical systems. Also offered are gaseous solutions including controlled atmosphere stunning, wastewater treatment, modified atmosphere packaging, and inerting.
In business for more than 80 years, Air Products operates food laboratories in the United States, Europe and Asia, where it can test a customer’s product on commercial-scale equipment to determine the feasibility of using cryogenic freezing or chilling for their specific process, and also quantify the cost benefits of using cryogenics. The company, which has a current market capitalization of about $60 billion, also provides engineering services, as well as on-site testing capability and processing audits to reduce cryogen consumption.
Sales to clients in approximately 50 countries last year amounted in to $12.6 billion. from operations in approximately 50 countries.
