instore - June 2017 - COM12

Technology:

Data management in
ingredient handling
by Charlotte Atchley

nformation is power in every part of
a production facility. Gathering data
at the mixing bowl, oven and packaging can all give bakers vital information
about their process and product. The
same is true of gathering data and managing recipes on an automated ingredient handling system. Now, under the
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA),
the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) emphasizes data management as
a way of prevention as well as accountability when it comes to food safety.

I

"Data management is a two-way street,"
says Kevin Pecha, sales manager, AZO.
"It provides a level of protection to
the baker as well as consumers. The
baker has the ability to stop the release
of contaminated product by knowing
which specific batches are affected,
and the customer can see the level of
commitment by the baker should a recall occur."
Better overall data management can
assist bakers in complying with the

new law in a variety of ways. This
includes preventive controls such as
process, food allergen and sanitation
controls, as well as supply chain controls and a recall plan, according to
Ed Ryon, manager, systems software,
and project manager, Zeppelin Systems USA. Data management can also
go beyond prevention, he says, and
aid in monitoring, documenting corrective action and verifying that the
preventive controls are always implemented. All of this is made possible
with better technology.
"Recipe and data management has
improved greatly over the years with
advances in processes and technology," Ryon says. "Paper-driven bill-ofmaterials lists with basic comments
about manual steps evolved into
spreadsheets with which data could
be analyzed and on to the current
specialized relational-database applications that present data to users and
to automation platforms in a variety
of ways."

"From a data management
perspective, we're able to get
more data in automatically,
and then we're able to do
something with that data that
adds value to the customer,"
John Hunter, sales account manager,
bakery and ingredient handling, Buhler

PHOTO: ZEPPELIN
ZEPPELIN USES SYSTEM INTEGRATION AND SOPHISTICATED DATA COLLECTION.

12 * JUNE 2017

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commissary INSIDER

Today, demand for data is up, and the
sophistication of that data and recipe
control continues evolving to keep up
with demand. "It begins with improvements in automation, with more cost-effective servos, measuring devices, scale
technology and other systems that allow more precise control of production
machinery and systems," says Michael
Palmer, manager, ingredient systems
applications and services, Gemini Bakery Equipment/KB Systems. "Couple
that with computer and software technology growing so fast that your new
cell phone is obsolete in six months,
and the stage is set for much more
cost-effective, user-intuitive and readily
available recipe and data management
in the modern factory."
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - June 2017
