Side-driven conveyors safely handle fresh produce
Processing and packaging fresh produce requires establishing and following sanitary practices as the U.S. FDA’s guidance suggests,
“Operations with poor sanitation in the packing environment can significantly increase the risk of contaminating fresh produce and water used on produce. Pathogenic microorganisms may be found on the floors and in the drains in the packing facility and on the surfaces of sorting, grading, and packing equipment. Without good sanitary practices, any of these surfaces that come in contact with fresh produce could be a potential source of microbial contamination.”*
SideDrive conveyors are designed with food safety in mind. SideDrive’s side-driven, plastic belting can help keep your fresh produce safe.
Source: U.S. DHHS FDA CFSAN. Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. United States Department of Health and Human Services Food & Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 2018.
Unique conveyor configurations for your fresh produce
Processing different types of produce with different facility layouts requires customizable configurations. Modular by design, SideDrive’s unique conveyor configurations allow you to optimize your production space based on your individual needs. Whether you need to retrofit an existing configuration or build one from scratch, SideDrive can design and configure a custom solution that you’ve only dreamt of, until now. The possibilities are endless!
Conveyors for various fresh produce applications
SideDrive sanitary conveyors are ideal for fresh produce such as:
- Raw produce such as bunches of bananas, heads of lettuce and cobs of corn
- Primary packaged products such as pulp containers of berries, rigid containers of vegetable noodles and cut fruits, plastic baskets of tomatoes, salad kits, bags of potatoes or lemons (plastic, paper, mesh), shrink-wrapped pears and wirebound crates of fruits and vegetables such as cantaloupe, corn, beets and cauliflower
- Secondary packaged products such as wrapped corrugated trays and boxes of pomegranates, case of clamshells of apples
Prevent bruising and damage while keeping your fresh produce food-safe
Damage and contamination are avoidable when gentle, hygienically designed conveyors are part of your robust food safety plan. SideDrive conveyors help fresh produce processors ensure the integrity of their products while keeping them food-safe.
SideDrive conveyors are made with food-safe materials that help protect your product from hazardous contamination. Transferless and spiral conveyors safely handle fresh produce and prevent bruising and damage. The reliably smooth and gentle motion of the side-drive edge-driven conveyor belting keeps your products from moving around, therefore mitigating costly and unsightly product damage and loss while maintaining your product’s integrity. Additionally, plastic belting prevents damage or marks caused by its rigid metal counterpart and helps reduce product loss due to adhesion—an especially important feature for purveyors of fresh produce.
Ability for thorough washdown bolsters fresh produce food safety
Properly cleaning your equipment is just as vital as properly cleaning your fresh produce. The FDA points out that “Several studies have shown that cross-contamination of products can occur from processing equipment and the processing environment. Eisenberg and Cichowicz (1977) noted that tomato and pineapple products can become contaminated with the mold Geotrichum candidum Link, which builds upon food contact equipment in processing plants. The authors stated that the occurrence of this mold in products can be directly related to in-plant sanitation.”*
SideDrive conveyors are hygienically designed to be compatible with food-safe fresh produce production lines and are washdown-ready in order to keep them sanitary. With an open, drumless design, unique food-safe edge-driven belt technology and a number of other sanitary features, SideDrive spiral conveyors are the most hygienic on the market.
The small footprint of SideDrive spiral conveyors is beneficial for easy accessibility, cleaning and sanitation. Hygienic features and plastic belting make washdown more effective. These features include:
- Food-safe materials
- Sloped surfaces for easy run-off
- Cantilevered, stainless, open-frame design
- Plate frame structure easy for cleaning
- Hygienic feet
- Continuous welds to prevent harborage of bacteria
- Welded standoffs that separate parallel surfaces
- Solid UHMW wearstrips
Source: *U.S. FDA. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP): Potential for Infiltration, Survival, and Growth of Human pathogens within Fruits and Vegetables. United States Food & Drug Administration.