One of the largest industries in the U.S., food processing involves converting fresh ingredients into finished goods. Regardless of economic conditions, people need and want to eat. They do it for basic survival, for medicinal purposes, for the pure enjoyment and for everything in between.
Food processing helps make the appearance and taste of the product more universally consistent; increases the seasonal availability of many foods; makes food preparation less time-consuming; and provides access to these foods to a much larger population. It also extends a food’s shelf life to aid in long-distance transportation as well as in long-time storage, and removes toxins from foods that would otherwise be unsafe to eat.
More than ever before, one of the most difficult tasks food processors face is information. Whether it’s a dietary, health or personal restriction, the more consumers learn, the more food “rules” we have. We want to know what ingredients are in it, where they came from and how they got there, why they are necessary and how they will affect us. Some may want organic, need nut free or prefer less sugar. Is the cow grass fed? Is the tuna wild caught? Are the eggs free range? Is it sustainable? Is the food full of additives or stripped of nutrients? Was it grown with pesticides or herbicides? What kind? Is the packaging BPA free? All valid questions when it comes to maintaining or improving our health and/or keeping to our beliefs. But whether it’s avoiding gluten, GMOs, aspartame and corn syrup or seeking to increase our protein, potassium and omega-3s, it all means more work for the industry.
Food can make you sick or help cure you, make you gain weight or help you lose weight, give you a headache or help prevent one, and generally improve your health or make it worse. No wonder it’s a topic of increased discussion and debate. Whether you’re a high-powered food executive, a factory employee, the truck driver transporting the goods or a consumer, food is your lifeline. What better reason to ask questions?
We can visit the Internet, farm or food store to find these foods that taste good and also meet our standards. And considering the fact that consumers do have so many food options, industry professionals that cater to what we want will be better off. Forthcoming companies that care about people as much as they care about profit will most likely make more of it in the end. Because regardless of what we are, or are not being told about what is or is not in our food, our bodies don’t lie. And the truth we’d like them to tell is that we feel and look great—with a clean bill of health.
Some food processing companies may bring new products to the table that meet this criteria or improve upon or alter existing products to meet expectation, demand or price point. But these are only some of the factors the industry has to consider. Companies are continuously looking for ways to cut production expenses, employ effective manufacturing techniques, reduce energy usage and optimize automation to lower labor costs. They also must consider their proximity to raw materials and their final destination. In the end, everything from where a food originates, how it is packaged and what it is packaged in, all the way to ease of its preparation plays a part in a food’s success story.
From the farms, canneries and packing plants to the butchers, bakers and supermarkets, the back end of the food industry operation has a lot to consider.
Maybe the first on the list is what equipment needed for the project and how many units per minute It needs. Never make the mistake of cutting corners and buy machines that are made outside the U.S
Your tray sealing machine or your cup or tub fillers and sealers are your best employees, infect they are your employee of the month every month, make sure they are american made packaging machines, no matter how simple your application may seem to be you know what you get when it is U.S Made.
There are more then a few world leading automated packaging companies in The US, one of the is Orics Industries. Specializing in engineering and Fabricating automated tray, cup, and tub filling and sealing machines, manual, In Line and Rotary Machines from 30 per minutes and up as needed.
Visit their site at: http://orics.com
