Hygienic depositor is here

A hygienic, quick change depositor has been developed which could transform the way food companies operate.

The new kit should soon be available, following a deal signed between the Food Processing Faraday, which developed the prototype, and Sapcote Engineering (SEL), which will further develop and manufacture it.

The depositor's design uses a 'milking principle', where only the interchangeable hopper and tube are in contact with food. In contrast, most depositors use a rotary valve and piston system to deposit products. This requires complete strip-down between production runs, which makes changeovers lengthy and complex.

Improved efficiency is achieved with the new design by reducing change-overs. Cleaning is simpler and more hygienic.

David Walklate, Faraday innovation consultant, said: "This exciting development has been made possible by the Faraday identifying a gap in the market for a new product and designing a unique solution for a highly prevalent problem in the industry."

The Food Processing Faraday provides services to food firms to turn research knowledge into viable solutions for business.