Packaging machinery to avoid food allergens? Ilapack launches “ultra-hygienic” bagmaker and flow wrapper

03 Jun 2019 --- In a bid to decrease contamination risk and reduce food allergen-related complications, Ilapack has launched a new ultra-hygienic bagmaker and flow wrapper. The industrial wrapping machinery manufacturer has created Vegatronic 6000SD, which offers “dramatic” reductions in operating costs as well as increased overall equipment efficiency (OEE). In addition, the machine is compliant with the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) strict sanitation performance standards.

The company has experience in designing form, fill, seal equipment for operation in high-risk environments. This project, Ilapack says, has enabled it to identify the design principles that need to be adhered to if equipment design is to support the food industry’s increasingly rigorous approach to cross-contamination avoidance.

The development of Vegatronic 6000SD was instigated by concerns over cross-contamination on production and packaging lines, following a number of incidents linked to unlabeled allergens in food products. Food and ingredient manufacturers and packers are realizing that the stakes for undeclared allergens infiltrating supply chains are too high, particularly where free-from foods are concerned, the company notes.

Awareness has subsequently increased interest in the hygiene credentials of packaging equipment. Switching from a dairy to a dairy-free product, for example, requires complete and thorough changeover and washdown procedures to avoid even a trace of cross-contamination.

Explaining features for increased allergen safety
The Vegatronic 6000SD’s specifications towards improved allergen safety are several and all take into account contamination avoidance.

According to the company, any joints should be fully welded rather than spot welded and there should be no plates against plates or joints against joints. If it is unavoidable to have, for example, two plates next two each other, it is preferable to insert a spacer so that any product will fall straight through the machine rather than getting lodged in a crevice. An example of this might be where the guarding is bolted to the main machine frame or where there are cross members on the machine.

In addition, there shouldn’t be any threads sticking out from bolts or any blind holes. Any holes should be drilled right through so that there are no recesses where dirt can build up.

Where possible, surfaces should be sloped not flat to prevent debris from accumulating. On Ilapack’s machines, all top surfaces are inclined (so that factory personnel can’t leave objects on top of machines) and all tubes and bodywork are inclined.

All film and product contact parts should have ‘extreme’ finishing, and guarding should be constructed from materials that are highly resistant to harsh cleaning detergents. The company’s USDA compliant machines go through a passivation process after welding. This seals the porous stainless steel surface, creating a super-smooth finish.

Traditionally, form-fill-seal (FFS) machines were closed-frame in their design. This means that all electrical and mechanical components, motors and drives were housed within a box or frame. The closed frame design can lead to product or liquid getting trapped in the closed box, a breeding ground for bacteria. In 2007, Ilapack was one of the first to introduce an open frame vertical form fill seal (VFFS) and two years ago, applied this design principle to its Horizontal Form Fill Seal (HFFS) series. Essentially, on an open frame machine, the only enclosed space is the electrical cabinet. The rest of the machine is open, which means product debris falls through the machine rather than getting stuck and that accessibility is much better for cleaning.

The company’s machines also have a forming tube which is mounted on a swivel arm for easy removal, reducing changeover downtime and increasing machine efficiency. This also means that the operator can remove the forming tube out of the way of the discharge conveyor and pick it up without any tripping hazards.

Last, motors and gearboxes usually have fans on them, which creates a contamination hotspot as product can fall into the fans and collect. Ilapack, however, uses motors which are sealed to IP66 or 67, with some motors up to IP69k rating, preventing ingress of product and enabling full washdown.

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