#White Papers
Permanent food safety by using the right compressed air treatment
How to avoid loss of quality in food production
Sterile compressed air is indispensable for safe foodstuff
Producing companies in the foodstuff industry must always ensure that they comply with the specified limiting values for safe production at every point in their production process - otherwise they risk economic damage for their company and health consequences for the consumer. An important parameter as an influencing variable, which foodstuff producers are often unaware of, is the compressed air medium.
Compressed air as an influencing variable
Compressed air is an application which is utilised in almost every production process and thereby often comes into direct contact with the foodstuff, for example as transport air, when conveying powdery substances or when forming packaging into which the product is subsequently filled. If the compressed air is contaminated with bacteria, oil aerosols, oil vapour or water vapour, then this can have a considerable effect on the quality of the end product and pose a risk for the consumer. Sources of impurities or contamination are often already located in the intake air or are inherent in the system (e.g. older, contaminated pipes). An oil-free compressor does not therefore solely provide sufficient safety for production.
Compressed air monitoring for an intelligent quality management system
In order to produce flawless foodstuff, companies in the foodstuff industry must respond with intelligent quality management and establish an operational preventive programme (oPRP) as a safety net within the framework of the HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control points) quality tool. This should also include 24/7 online monitoring of the compressed air to always ensure compliance with the clean compressed air limits at every point in the production process.
Controlled process by utilising METPOINT measuring technology
The METPOINT measuring technology from BEKO TECHNOLOGIES enables producers to have instruments at their disposal which provide them with a database for monitoring and evaluating the decisive compressed air parameters such as residual oil vapour content, volume flow rate, pressure, relative humidity and dew point, permanently and in real time.
For the detection of residual oil vapor in compressed air, the online measuring system METPOINT OCV compact provides the highest-possible measuring accuracy via utilising reference gas generation by utilising a catalytic converter. This ensures that the reference gas is absolutely oil-free and the compressed air is sterile (“zero air”). Alterations in the compressed air process are recorded quickly and peaks are immediately detected. All the important data are collected for precise documentation for the next audit pursuant to HACCP and the operative preventive programme.
Specific solutions for compressed air treatment
If the limiting values are exceeded, then additional measures can be implemented, such as compressed air filtration, compressed air drying or treatment utilising a catalytic converter. Producers will receive dry, oil-free and germ-free compressed air of the highest quality with requirement-specific solutions for compressed air treatment. This therefore guarantees safety with regard to food safety.
BEKO TECHNOLOGIES as your partner for safe compressed air
Die BEKO TECHNOLOGIES GmbH advises production companies as well as foodstuff inspectors with regard to safety measures for compressed air applications in the foodstuff industry. The Neuss-based compressed air specialist develops solutions and concepts for an appropriate treatment and monitoring system for compressed air in a wide variety of industrial processes and provides tailor-made consulting services for the foodstuff industry on a regular basis. BEKO TECHNOLOGIES is familiar with the requirements and challenges created within the foodstuff industry and assists foodstuff producers to find the most efficient and safest solution for their compressed air system through cooperation with the regional associations and the Federal Association for Foodstuff Inspectors as well as the Training Institute for Foodstuff Technicians KIN e.V .
