Fargo, ND (PRWEB) February 29, 2012 Specialty Commodities Inc. (SCI), announces the launch of a new safe food ingredients division, Specialty Food Ingredients. The flagship of the new division is its GFSI-certified Lodi, California processing facility which houses a new, vacuum/steam pasteurization unit, the largest of its kind in the US. The facility and new division positions SCI as a leader in setting higher safety standards for specialty ingredients, while offering one of the most extensive specialty ingredient catalogs in the industry.
With the growing concerns of consumers and regulators regarding food safety, this timely investment in pasteurization technology positions Poindexter Nut Company at an advantage in the walnut industry. The technology supplied by Napasol AG, a Swiss company, uses saturated steam and vacuum to effectively eliminate microorganisms while protecting the natural qualities of walnuts.
The method which exposes the nuts to saturated steam in a partial vacuum is validated to eliminate salmonella while preserving the nutritional qualities of the walnuts. This investment in the natural nut pasteurization technology gives Poindexter Nut Company of Selma, California, a lead in food safety in the walnut industry.
ABSTRACT: Following several major product recalls, nuts are now increasingly viewed as high risk products. These low moisture foods do not support the growth of microorganisms, however Salmonella survives very well on nuts and may cause severe illness. Dry or moist thermal processes are already validated to pasteurize nuts, but new technologies combining steam and vacuum have improved the outcome of the process helping to preserve the raw attributes of the nuts. The vacuum allows precise control of saturated steam conditions and treatment temperature parameters. By programming profiles specific to each nut, steam and vacuum are combined optimally to protect the characteristics of each product. This batch process is available in a modular range of sizes suitable for processors large or small whether handling a large volume of a single product or a large range of products.
International Nut and Dried Fruit Foundation
