If you own a food manufacturing company, you may want to become part of the Clean Label Project. Consumers are becoming more informed when it comes to food processing, which has caused a demand for clean products in recent years.
In order to stay competitive and stand out from other commercial food companies, the best way to do that is with the Clean Label Project.
In this article, we will discuss what the Clean Label Project is, how it applies to manufacturing, and the role of food manufacturing equipment in clean labeling. Specifically, we will touch on how dry ingredient applicators can help and impact the overall manufacturing process.
What Does Clean Label Mean?
If you are unfamiliar with the Clean Label Project, you may be a bit confused about what this entails. Specifically speaking, the Clean Label Project tests products to determine how clean and safe they are. This is a bit different from basic clean labeled, which is a broader term that entails healthier and more natural products.
There are no specific legal regulations defining what qualifies as a clean product. However, the term generally covers several aspects that consumers are often interested in, such as:
- Chemicals: The clean label movement, led by the Clean Label Project, evaluates products to determine their safety. They test for potentially harmful chemicals that may have been introduced during the manufacturing process, such as pesticide residues, plasticizers, and heavy metals. These substances are usually non-food chemicals that are considered harmful, especially in certain amounts.
- Additives: General food label standards will look at products to determine whether or not they have potentially harmful additives. Consumers consider additives to be anything that is an artificial ingredient, chemical, or preservative.
- Harmful Ingredients: Because there are no set clean food standards, opinions on which ingredients are harmful vary widely.However, most consumers consider things like artificial sweeteners, synthetic food dyes, and unnatural flavorings to be harmful.
The Role of Food Manufacturing Equipment in Food Safety
You may be wondering how manufacturing equipment helps with food safety and maintaining clean labeling standards. After all, most people assume that clean labeling standards start with the ingredients. And although this is generally correct, the manufacturing process also has an impact.
For example, using the right equipment can help reduce the risk of harmful chemicals and contaminants entering food products.. This is especially true when it comes to reducing exposure to heavy metals, plasticizers, pesticide residues, and similar substances.
The right equipment helps to keep ingredients more sanitary and reduces the risk of cross-contamination. Keep in mind that cross-contamination isn’t just between different food ingredients; it can also come from the food being handled by employees.
At Quantum, we offer different types of equipment that have a sanitary design and are easy to clean.
Food Processing: Benefits of Applicators For Dry Ingredients
Now that you know how food manufacturing equipment can help you maintain food safety and clean labeling standards, how exactly do dry ingredient applicators help with this? Depending on the types of products you create, you most likely use a variety of equipment. If you don’t already use a dry ingredient applicator, it could be a worthwhile investment.
At Quantum, we offer a variety of applicators, including two models of dry/granular ingredient applicators. Not only can these handle a variety of dry ingredients, but they also feature a cantilevered design that allows users to integrate this equipment with their current system.
Below are some of the main benefits of using applicators for dry ingredients.
Faster Production
When you upgrade to automated applicators for dry food ingredients, you are guaranteed faster production. At Quantum, our dry and granular ingredient applicators feature adjustable speed settings, so you can easily adapt to changing demand.You will also have more room for growth since you won’t necessarily have to invest in new equipment as your company expands.
Reduced Waste
Ingredient waste is a significant issue in food manufacturing and can result in major costs. This is especially true if you are still relying on outdated equipment or manual labor.
Dry food ingredient applicators help to reduce waste by automating the application process as products move down the conveyor system. You can find equipment with specific features, such as a waterfall application or a targeted application to reduce waste.
At Quantum, we also offer a variety of conveying systems with reclaim abilities, allowing you to reclaim excess ingredients and reuse them.
High Quality Results
Unlike manual labor, applicators are reliable and can help improve quality and create consistent results. When used for targeted applications, they ensure that every product looks and tastes the same, enhancing the consumer’s experience.
Less Human Error
Manual labor comes with a variety of downsides and bottlenecks, especially when it comes to maintaining consistency and quality. By investing in automated ingredient applicators, you can bypass many of these issues to create better results. This will help you avoid costly downtime and waste, and allow you to expand your company.
Ingredient Versatility
Depending on your food manufacturing company, you may be using a variety of equipment. If that is the case, you may be hesitant to invest in additional equipment.
However, one of the benefits of applicators for dry food ingredients is their versatility. This equipment can handle a variety of ingredients, including granules, seeds, salt, Parmesan cheese, and spices. These are ingredients that other types of applicators may not be able to dispense consistently.
Achieve Clean Label Manufacturing With Quantum Technology
At Quantum, we have designed a variety of automated food manufacturing equipment specifically designed to streamline all of your food processing steps. Our equipment can help you maintain efficiency, speed, reproducibility, and quality. Contact our team today to learn more about the types of equipment we provide and how they can be customized to fit the needs of your company.