Food processing industries move a variety of products – grain, sugar, flour, dairy, cocoa, cereal, spices and many more. Depending on the application, there may be concern with cross contamination, sanitary regulations, and/or food handling regulations. Donaldson® Torit® has a wide variety of dust collectors that can be applied in the food processing industry ranging from small bin vents to large baghouses customized to meet the specific needs for each type of food product.
Dust collectors or “material separators” in the food industry keep the product in the process stream through use of a bin vent collector such as the PowerCore® CP unit, preventing the loss of valuable ingredients and removing a potential waste stream. PowerCore filters represent the latest technology in dust collection and outperform baghouse collectors in a smaller space.
With a baghouse, the addition of Dura-Life™ filter bags helps solve some challenging food processing problems. Made with a unique hydroentanglement process, Dura-Life filter bags provide higher airflow capacity and higher filtration efficiency. The results are often lower pressure drop, less downtime, and cleaner plant air. Tough, sticky food processes can also benefit from the use of Dura-Life filter bags.
Processes Involving Food Dust
Food processing applications produce dusts on both the upstream and downstream sides of the process. Upstream nuisance, pre-process, and out of plant sources can require dust collection. While downstream the production processes, and other internal process plant sources drive the need for dust collectors. The types of processes found in the food industry may include:
| Mixing |
Conveying |
Screening |
Packaging |
| Drying |
Blending |
Extruding |
Weighing |
 |
Special considerations for Food dust
Many food dusts are combustible and those operations generating or handling food dusts can require special mitigation efforts to minimize fire and explosion risks. Standards such as NFPA 654 can provide guidance for those who generate and handle these types of dusts.
See the Donaldson Dust Collectors and Combustible Dust Strategies brochure
Although generally free flowing when dry, many dried food powders and additives are highly moisture sensitive or hygroscopic. Oils and fats also produce sticky, cohesive dust cakes with nodules adhering to the media surface. These dusts can have a tendency to pack and bridge between filter bags and inside element pleats, so special consideration when designing a dust collector is required to ensure the best type of filter media.
Designing ducting for easy and regular inspection, maintenance and cleaning with inspection doors and easy to dismantle joints.
Depending on the industry and type of food process, there may be additional specifications/guidelines covering the design of the dust collector. Types of standards that could be in place include:
- 3A sanitary standards
- Baking Industry Sanitation Standards
- FDA/USDA
- NSF/3A 14159 or ISO 14159
- Company specific sanitary design standards
Equipment Options
- Stainless steel contact surfaces
- Wash down/clean out designs
- FDA approved paint
LEGISLATION (OTHER FEDERAL AND LOCAL LEGISLATION MAY APPLY)
US EPA
Particulate Matter (PM):
- PM 2.5 = 15 µg/m3 (annual), and 35 µg/m3 (24-hour)
- PM 10 = 150 µg/m3 (24-hour)
- National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants includes specific food processing sector related topics on Manufacturing of Nutritional Yeast
OSHA Regulations
- 29 CFR 1910.1000 - Air Contaminants
NOTE: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this industry or may have different enforcement policies.
- Directive CPL 03-00-005: National Emphasis Program – Microwave Popcorn Processing Plants. Jul 27, 2007
REFERENCES
Industrial Ventilation Manual
NIOSH Publication No. 76-179
WAC 296-818-500