January/February 2023 - 16

FACILITY MANAGEMENT
 Various processing equipment includes pre-washers, washers, dicers, cutters, robotic arms with flexible end-of-arm tooling, weighing and drying systems.
Starting a processing line
BEFORE YOU BEGIN, PLAN, PLAN AND THEN PLAN SOME MORE
By Kristen Kazarian
Editorial Director
WASHING, SLICING, DICING, chopping
and peeling are just some terms that come
to mind when talking about frozen and
fresh produce processing. But do you
know how to start, and what you need
to do, before you chop, dice and slice?
We spoke with produce specialists from
Kronen and Steve Bain, industry segment
manager, food and packaging at Festo,
who offered some advice on how one
would start a processing line ― and eight
tips on decision-making.
Q. When starting a produce
processing line, what is the first
thing a company should do?
Kronen: Be clear for yourself on who
your customers will be/what market you
are going to serve. This should be the
starting point of your planning as it does
influence so many decisions along the
way and is the base for how your whole
setup will look.
Bain: Know what your final capabilities
will look like and work backward from
there. Produce doesn't really need to
be automated; production time is still
very manual for produce. Thinking about
making the leap - how big do you want
to do it? Plan for where you want to go.
16 JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2 023
 Sodexo provides Santander Group employees with locally prepared meals made from fresh ingredients, using
Kronen equipment. Photo: Banco Santander S.A.
Q. How about creating a floor plan or
line layout?
Kronen: When starting, and of course
this depends on future plans and at what
level they are starting, one should plan
the processing area in a way that future
expansion is easily possible. Also, it is
important to take a good and easy product
flow through the line into account. Which
means that product should flow in one
direction through the process. Separation
of a low-risk area and a high-risk area
wherever possible should be considered.
Bain: For sure have a floor plan. You
don't have to do it all at once. For instance,
you can still do manual palletizing, until
you want to automate. Then you will
have room for it.
Q. What about flooring materials -
does that matter, and why?
Kronen: Flooring materials are part
of the big puzzle that have many aspects
that need to be considered along a fresh
cut processing line. Without the right floor
material and a decent floor drains system,
a hygienic production of fresh cut is not
really possible and all other efforts along
the line will not be able to make up for this.
Bain: Floors can harbor bacteria. One
plant used to process ice cream on their
brick floor, and then it got bacteria in

January/February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January/February 2023

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