FMC FoodTech Answers Almond Industry Demands for Safety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2005 MADERA, Calif. and SANDUSKY, Ohio, September 14, 2005 -

In response to an increasing awareness of food safety within the almond industry, FMC FoodTech announced today that it has developed the most advanced, continuous almond pasteurization system. With the JSP-I Jet Stream® Almond Surface Pasteurization System, processors can now be confident they are providing a safer product without altering the natural raw-like flavor and texture of a non-pasteurized product.

“As the almond industry has come of age, it has increasingly recognized its responsibility to minimize the threat of foodborne illness,” said Paul Favia, sales manager, FMC FoodTech. “We took the almond processors’ acute sensitivity to impacting the natural goodness of the almond into account when developing the JSP-I Jet Stream System.”

To specifically address these needs, FMC FoodTech developed the JSP-I Jet Stream System to pasteurize the almond surface without damaging the raw-like flavor and appearance desired by consumers and retailers. Unlike traditional pasteurization technology, the JSP-I Jet Stream system uses a thermal process in which no chemicals are applied to the product and no residue is involved. The thermal process is so gentle it allows complete germination of the processed product.

FMC FoodTech’s JSP-I Jet Stream System offers the almond industry reliable and consistent delivery of a 5-log reduction of the highly resistant PT 30 strain of Salmonella bacteria and other less robust pathogens. Additionally, the user-friendly LOG-TEC Momentum™ controller system, used to control and document the pasteurization process in the JSP-I Jet Stream System, is designed to meet the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Part 11 requirements. A recent report by the Almond Board of California’s (ABC) Technical Expert Review Panel (TERP) concluded that the JSP-I Jet Stream System is a sound solution to the almond industry’s pasteurization dilemma.

“By testing the system with the actual bacteria, under various operating conditions and variations of heat transfer mechanisms, we were able to determine the exact conditions and the right timing to lower the bacterial content for safe consumption,” said Ramesh Gunawardena, technology and process development manager, FMC FoodTech. “In developing this solution, we are substantially improving the processing criteria and helping the almond industry raise food safety standards.”

The JSP-I Jet Stream System consists of three main components: the JSP-I Jet Stream equipment itself, the LOG-TEC Momentum™ controller system, and the FMC FoodTech proprietary AlmondCAL™ software, which is designed to model the almond surface pasteurization calculation. FMC FoodTech’s proprietary pasteurization process sets the conditions at which the almonds should be subjected to eliminate any harmful bacteria.

Initially, the almonds are heated rapidly to the correct temperature using an atmospheric steam zone. The almonds then pass through an atmospheric steam-air impingement section which allows enough time to complete the pasteurization process and to dry the almonds. Finally the almonds are cooled down for packing. This unique process ensures product quality by minimizing the almonds exposure time and avoiding cumbersome, maintenance equipment like rotary airlocks and fluidized beds, which can damage the product.

“Designing this solution for the almond industry presented us with the unique challenge of developing technology that would deliver an inherently complex thermal process, while keeping it user-friendly enough for reliable operation,” said Jun Weng, research fellow, FMC FoodTech. “In the end, the solution we’ve developed monitors the critical control parameters, such as temperature and velocity, to result in a highly efficient and effective process for our customers.”