Clean air and high indoor air quality are key components to successful food and beverage production and processing. It’s important to keep outdoor contaminants from entering the building and protect your products, equipment, and people from air particles that can harm them.
All sectors of the food and beverage processing industry rely on custom air filters to maintain pristine air quality and prevent contamination. Each piece of equipment or unique HVAC system could require its own custom filter for maximum efficiency, whether standard, ULPA, antimicrobial, carbon, or HEPA.
APC designs, engineers, tests, and manufactures custom filters for all equipment and stages of food and beverage processing for various industries. So where exactly are these air filters used?
Dairy Processing
All types of dairy processing involve complicated steps to ensure consumers receive a product free from bacteria and spoiling. Milk, cheese, yogurt, whey protein, infant formula, and other dairy products come with their own production risks that need to be mitigated before they’re safe for the public. Because of their natural bacteria, they are also at further risk of expiring too soon or developing particles that are more harmful to consumers.
An important step in dairy processing is the air filtration in the facility. Airborne impurities like yeast, mould, fungus, and bacteria can cause severe problems for packaged and bottled dairy. Multi-stage HEPA filters and antimicrobial filters are key in filtration systems as well as the equipment itself to remove these particles from the air and meet the strict regulations the dairy industry must adhere to.
Controlling the temperature, humidity levels, and pressure drops in dairy processing facilities is also of the utmost importance, or else bacteria, fungus, and mould could easily proliferate. To maintain these, having multi-stage filters and reliable back-ups is key. You need to trust your air filter manufacturer to be providing the highest quality filters!
Beverage Production
Everyone at some point has had the unpleasant experience of opening a bottle of water or carbonated drink and it tasting stale – whether it’s flat, tastes like plastic, or otherwise “off”. To avoid this and to give beverages a longer shelf life, facilities are required to adhere to strict regulations and air filtration.
Beverage processing includes everything from bottled water, to pop, to fruity drinks, to energy drinks, to alcohol and brewing. In these processes, a sterile product is filled into sterilized containers, finishing with a sterilized closure. All of these steps need to be completed in an environment completely free from microorganisms. No bacteria can be present in any of these steps or containers.
Proper air filtration in the beverage production process, including HEPA filters and antimicrobial filters, prevent the contamination by bacteria in the bottling process. It also reduces the risk to employees, who are working in facilities with various types of equipment, liquids, filters, and plastics all producing their own byproducts in the air.
Food Processing
There are many types of areas in food processing that require specific types of filtration to prevent contamination and employee and consumer safety. Low care areas, high care areas, and high hygiene areas each have specific equipment dedicated to them to ensure the food is handled in the safest way.
For things like ready-made meals, meat, baked goods, sweets, fruits, and vegetables, a facility needs to meet strict regulations to prevent contamination, illnesses, and recalls. Air filters and cleanroom solutions help facilities to comply with these tough food hygiene and safety regulations.
Custom air filters in equipment for food processing work to limit all microbiological cross-contamination from harmful particles like mould, bacteria, viruses, fine dusts, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Utilizing an activated carbon filter in relevant machinery will also help minimize odors, making your workplace healthier for employees.
An air filter removing these harmful particles from the air also has the added benefit of ensuring processing equipment is more resistant to corrosion and has a longer life. When the air is free from these particles or from dust from ingredients, they won’t settle on the machines. This means a facility’s machines stay cleaner, longer, and work optimally.
Filters for the Food and Beverage Industry
APC has worked with many food and beverage processing equipment manufacturers across North America to design custom air filters to suit their unique needs. Whatever the manufacturer’s requirements, we are able to design filters that can be used in their food processing facilities around the world. Our efficient RFQ program allows our clients to meet their cost and timeline requirements without sacrificing quality!
For more information about APC’s custom air filters for the food and beverage industry, get in touch with us today.
