Food processing is a complex process which must meet a number of specifications. Food processing must meet requirements in terms of size, granularity, and evenness. These are dictated by consumer preferences as well as regulations. Factory equipment like food crushers, tumbling drums, and vibratory screeners is used to process food according to standards specified by the USDA and FDA. Rotary food crushers can be calibrated to reduce foods to the desired size.
How food crushers work
Food crushers are used in the food processing and recycling industries to reduce large pieces of material to the required specifications. These have mainly to do with size, and equipment can be calibrated for size reduction ratios between 10:1 and 25:1. There are several different types of food crushers used in the recycling and food processing industries.
Rotary food crushers are used for food processing. They have a spinning rotor with a shaft impactor that crushes the food. Newer models can have different sets of hammers so that the machine can be used to work on different materials. Rotary speeds vary between 85 rpm and 1,200 rpm.
Meeting USDA and FDA requirements
Food crushers can be used to process large, dry chunks of food and other materials that are soft to medium hard. They are are used to process all kinds of food including frozen foods. These include vegetables, candy, pasta, spices, chocolate, and food powders. All food processing machines such as tumblers, crumblers and food crushers must meet standards set by the USDA and FDA.
These mostly specify that all surfaces that come into contact with food must be cleanable. Safe handling of food means keeping it free from cross contamination. Food crushers must also be fitted with stainless steel surfaces and O rings which make them safe for use. Other food processing machinery, such as vibratory screeners and tumblers must also meet the same standards for cleaning.
Food processing equipment like food crushers, tumbling drums and screeners is used to reduce food to the specified size. Rotary food crushers can be calibrated to reduce the product to the specified size. They also have to meet strict regulations in terms of cleanability of all surfaces that come into contact with the food.