POTATOBUSINESSDOSSIER

1/2019

Changes the Face of the Industry

PB1/2019 DOSSIER

03

06 SORTINGThe Expanded Roleof Digital Sorters –The State of theIndustry in 2019

10 SORTINGPotato SortingEquipment andProcessing ina Nutshell

14 CONVEYING How InnovationHas Transformedthe Product HandlingMarket

20 CONVEYING The Most PopularOptions

24 CUTTINGThe Importance ofProficient CuttingEquipment

28 CUTTINGThe Role of CuttingEquipment in ReducingAcrylamide Formation

34 PACKAGINGSnack Trends NeedPackaging Efficiency

ISSUE 1 - 2019

content

POTATOBUSINESSDOSSIER

1/2019

Changes the Face of the Industry

This project is supported by

As your partner in productivity, Urschel works with you

to share new cutting technology, and discover profi table

size reduction solutions that fi t your end-goals.

Sanitary, stainless steel design, every machine is crafted

to Urschel quality standards; backed by service and

support for the life of your machine.

Operation at a push of a button – simplifi es time and labor

costs. Machines designed for continuous, uninterrupted

production to promote the highest outputs. Urschel works

OutCut Your CompetitionExplore Urschel Cutting Edge Advantages

with you as your partner in productivity for the long-term

with dedicated service and parts when you need them.

Different types of changeable cutting components,

allow your machine to adjust and grow with your

product line. Contact Urschel to discover how

we can assist you with your operation.

® Set-up a free test-cut of your product:

info@urschel.com | www.urschel.com

® Urschel, Urschel logo symbol, and The Global Leader in Food Cutting Technology are registered trademarks of Urschel Laboratories, Inc. U.S.A.

AMPLIFY YOUR PRODUCTION WITH THE NEW

MicroAdjustable 14 Cutting Station Head (SL-14) For the Model CC Slicer

PBDOSSIER 1/2019

24

Traveling in and out of potato processingplants around the world, several trends

emerge. The industry continues to grow.Expansions. Modernizations. Increases in

efficiency and sanitation. Time savingsequates to cost savings. Robust and timely

replacement parts. Quick changeovers.New processing methods. Expedientsanitation with greater accessibility.

Increased competition. Niche markets.

by Mike Jacko,vice president of Applications

& New Product Innovation, Urschel

The Importanceof Proficient CuttingEquipment

CUTTING

e are seeingexpansions,modernization of lines,new potato French fry,and dicing plants.Versatility in processingruns the gamut.

INCREASED HEALTHY EATINGPOTATO FRENCH FRY OPTIONSFrench fry coating technology thatoffers fast crispness and heat retentionwhen baking. Dicing, shredding, andflaking plants are all doing well. Someold plants are condensing into ‘super’larger plants. As new plants continue toemerge and modernization continues,older equipment is being replaced.Growth in two and three-dimensionalcutting is on the rise and new dicershave been designed to fulfill newrequirements. Stainless steel, sanitarydesign is, of course, standard. Surfaceson machinery are sloped. Hinged panelsprovide full access to simplifymaintenance and sanitation. Cuttingzone and mechanical zones arecompletely separate to facilitatewashdowns and routine maintenance.

DEMANDING CUSTOMERSCustomers are demanding more in adesign than ever before. Cuttingprinciples are more precise to producetighter, increased in-spec results,dedicated to increasing usable product.Components are constructed with easeof use elements, such as built-inhandles, while also being able towithstand rugged productionenvironments. Tools that accompanymachines are also designed to expediteroutine procedures. It all relates to timeand cost savings. There are expansionsfocusing on lattice cuts and battercoated products. New Pulse ElectricField technology is being incorporatedto condition potatoes prior toslicing/dicing. Other plants are lessspecialized, cutting a bit of everything,while being more specialized in cutting

certain SKUs. Today’s cuttingequipment is designed with greaterflexibility. Oftentimes, one machine hasthe capability to deliver one-, two-, orthree-dimensional cutting. This way, ascustomer SKUs increase, a customercan simply purchase additional parts foran existing machine, expanding thespectrum of cutting abilities. In North America, large facilities areemerging in the Pacific Northwest, Mid-North, and Northeast. Because ofexpanding franchises, lattice/wafflefries are showing consistent growth.The unique look and texture, from ourModel CCL, continues to be popularamong consumers, both on fries andchips. Research and development isongoing within the potato industry asniche markets and high volumeproduction accelerate.

NICHE AND TRADITIONAL As niche markets continue to rise, thepotato also brings with it nostalgia andtradition. Mashed potatoes, a long-timecomfort food, returns to the forefront onrefrigerated shelves in retail stores. Thistime it is packaged in single-servecontainers by Bob Evans as part of theirrefrigerated sides collection. Othernostalgic potato products like tator tots,often shortened to 'tots' in popularculture, have also experienced a re-emergence. Restaurants around NorthAmerica are introducing nacho options,such as loaded tator tot nachos, alsocalled 'Totchos'. Among other places,these are a favorite at Disneyland and atRuby Tuesday restaurants. Cheese, tatortots, and other toppings are meldedtogether and served piping hot. Smallflake cuts comprise each tator tot and arespecially formed into the shape desired ofthe final product. Flake cutting can beproduced via Comitrol line using cuttingheads, or by using a grating screen on theModel CC. Flake cut particles can bedesigned to be uniform in consistency, orpurposefully non-uniform, depending onthe desired end-goal.

W

Withimprovementsover theyears like thedouble ring,doubleadjustmenthead, the CCcontinues tobe the go-tochoice of thepotatochip/crispindustry.

N

PB1/2019 DOSSIER

25

In Europe, we have noticed somecondensing of products and companiesrunning only the most commonsize/shapes of product, and freshFrench fries for local frites shops. Local,small processors vacuum pack freshfries in 5 lb. bags. The trend is to supplywhat is most popular within themarketplace to answer consumerdemand. Demand continues in theunique lattice cut, which is produced onthe Urschel Model CC-L. The sweetpotato market continues its growthwith the crinkle style French fryproduced on the Diversacut 2110A.This is aided by the health trend that isprevalent in all countries in Europe andincreased demand in those marketsegments. Manufactures in the chipsindustry have concentrated onincreased capacity/efficiency as a resultof the new SL-14 slicing head instead ofdifferent shapes. Facing increasedcosts, many European processors areturning to fabricated chips. Pregroundpotato flakes processed intochips/crisps are less expensive toproduce than a traditional sliced potatochip. These are manufactured usingComitrol processors.

PBDOSSIER 1/2019

26

We are seeingexpansions,

modernization oflines, new potato

French fry, anddicing plants.Versatility in

processing runsthe gamut.

N

Asia continues to be an emergingmarketplace for potato processing.Here, a potato dish may be seen as amain meal, instead of an appetizer orcomplementary dish. Fast foodexpansion is on the rise, especially inSoutheast Asia and India. Potatoes arealso part of traditional religious fastingperiods. Small shreds are pan fried andeaten in limited quantities. As for themarket for crisps/chips, commerciallyprocessed potato chips/crisps haveseen a decrease in sales overall.Consumers are opting to purchase localsnack options produced by batchmethods.

FAST-PACEDJagabee products are also on the rise.Thick, flat lightly salted potato sticks.These are a cross between French friesand mashed potatoes. Another uniquepotato slab cut is part of the processinginvolves vacuum frying. The grab-and-go container is uniquely packaged to beeasily microwaved to bring out abuttery soy sauce flavor. In Brazil,potato sticks remain a popular snack.This is a slimmer stick version of thechip/crisp, and another productproduced with a Model CC Slicer, butset-up for julienne strips. Uniformcutting is essential in providingconsistent fry times to promote goldenbrown sticks.In the chipping/crisp industryworldwide, there appears to beincreased competition in salty snacks.Smaller brands are competing with thebig guys. Kettle cooked products arevery popular. Other vegetables, not justpotatoes, are being cut and put intobags. The Urschel Model CC Slicercontinues to be the mainstay in thisarena, but the E TranSlicer equippedwith a MicroSlice wheel may be a betterfit especially for the large sweet potato,cassava, taro, and parsnip type veggies.Customers are looking for a machinewith components that work with theirfast-paced line. Small and large

companies want a robust machine thatwill hold precision slice tolerancesthroughout production runs withguarantees of parts and service whenthey need them. The ability to makechanges ‘on the fly’ to be responsive tothe needs of their environment. In both the French fry and ‘salty snack’chip sectors, customers are asking fordifferent cuts. While the majority ofitems are produced on the Model CC,customers are exploring a wide range ofshapes such as thinner flat, V, or crinklestrips; nuggets or long shreds producedon the DiversaCut. We are alwaysdiscovering new shapes. Vegetable'noodle' cut alternatives appear to beever expansive. From riced cuts toslender, long strips, and even the latestthicker 'fettucine noodle' and various'bow-tie' cuts. Consumers are lookingfor healthy food that fits into their fast-paced lifestyle, and potato processorsare providing new options, transformingand adapting the every-day potato intotrendy selections. With improvements over the years likethe double ring, double adjustmenthead, the CC continues to be the go-to

In Europe,we havenoticed somecondensingof productsandcompaniesrunning onlythe mostcommonsize/shapesof product,and freshFrench friesfor localfrites shops.

N

PB1/2019 DOSSIER

27

PB

choice of the potato chip/crisp industry.Customers are always looking toimprove sanitation and timeefficiencies. The evolution of thismachine is evident with the recentMicroAdjustable SL-14 line of cuttingheads and grooved impellers.Customers are replacing their standard8-station heads with the newlydesigned 14-station heads, discoveringnearly twice the capacity. Sanitationand knife changeovers have never beenfaster and more efficient. The sanitary,stainless steel design easeswashdowns, while the knife stationswith handled knives are quicklyreplaced in minutes. Changeover ofheads is also efficiently accomplishedwith a self-locking lower ring.User- friendly, this head produces highquality slices in a robust design, whileweighing-in at only 16 kg. The ModelCC offers a wide variety of slices,julienne strips, and grating options.Sanitary, stainless steel design, theDiversaCut line by Urschel features acompact cutting zone enablingprecision cutting to increase product inyour targeted parameters. Thisdecreases waste and improves costsavings. The cutting zone is completelyseparate from the mechanical zone.New types of vegetable 'noodle' cutsare produced on this three-dimensionalline of equipment. This machine is alsowidely used for potato dices and a widerange of crinkle and flat strips for fries.Operation at the push of a button.Hinged access panels facilitate routinemaintenance and offer full access toevery zone of the machine –mechanical area and cutting path area.The DiversaCut 2110A Dicer produceshigh capacity output. Cutting stationsdefine the type of cut. A fullcomplement of slices, strips, and dicesin flat or crinkle styles is available. Thedicer accepts infeed measuring up to10" (254 mm) in any dimension,offering cost savings by eliminating theneed to precut. n

DOSSIER 1/2019

28

Photos Urschel

L3312 | JUL 2019