IDM | Packaging The benefits of weight filling Filling of sauces and dressings Three main technologies are currently used in order to fill viscous products such as sauces and dressings into containers: volumetric filling, flow metering and weight filling. Although not new, weight filling has received a renewed interest from sauces and dressings manufacturers over the past few years. The main reason for this success is that weight filling offers the consumer the important benefits they seek, such as lighter, healthier and more varied products. 18 · 4-5 2016 | international-dairy.com Weight filling maintains a superior texture Beyond taste, manufacturers pay particular attention to texture and appearance as they are key elements for a satisfied consumer experience. However, maintaining the original state of the product throughout the packaging process can sometimes be a technical challenge due to the specific rheology of sauces. This is particularly true for low-fat emulsions (mayonnaise or others), which are more delicate than traditional recipes. The crucial point that is true for any emulsified sauce is that dynamic forces applied to the product must be reduced to a minimum. This is where weight filling offers true benefits. The weight filling technology is based mainly on gravity or assisted by a light overpressure for highly viscous products. The sauce is not strongly forced into the filling unit, as is the case with volumetric filling where the product suffers a double intake and down stroke to get in and out of the dosing chamber, or with flow metering where it has to be pressurized to pass through a flow meter and the narrow tubes. To the contrary, weight filling uses a gravimetric tank, where the product load is maintained at a constant level, ensuring a linear and regular flow which reduces viscosity loss. The product circuit is also much simpler with weight filling than with volumetric filling. The sauce is piped out of the process into a small buffer tank and then poured into the container, all this with no dynamic seal and very few moving parts. It thus generates almost no turbulence in the product. Naturally clean Weight filling is a naturally clean technology. This is one of the unique selling points which is clearly demonstrated when looking at the filling nozzles: fully opening and 100% self-draining, they remain perfectly clean throughout the filling process. Moreover and unlike volumetric filling, the filling valves never touch any container, which avoids any contamination. Taking a closer look at a typical weight filling unit proposed by Serac, one can see that the whole product circuit is designed with easy cleaning in mind. It involves no joints or gaskets that are hard to clean and subject to wear, but employs metal to metal valves with extremely clean closure and very few mechanical parts in direct contact with the product. It is very easy to clean, especially with efficient CIP equipment. Those proposed by Serac work in a closed sanitation circuit and make use of multidirectional sanitary s Weight filling assisted by overpressure for highly viscous products pray balls for a higher impact of the
IDM_04_05_2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above