Five Ways to Put the IQ in IGF Packaging

Co-packing is a growing trend in the food industry, with many manufacturers hiring third-party packagers instead of investing in the equipment to do it themselves. Image courtesy of Matrix.

Efficient Packaging Systems Keep Food Cold and Profits Hot

By Richard Carlton, Regional Sales Manager for Matrix

Individual quick freezing (IQF) is a common practice in the food processing industry. As the name suggests, this process involves small, individual pieces of food being frozen as separate units, which is faster and less destructive to the product than block freezing. Like with any category, packaging IQF products requires equipment built to their specific needs. These five factors are important considerations for any food manufacturer working with IQF products.

1: Temperature

The most obvious difference between IQF packaging and packaging non-frozen items is the temperature. Keeping the packaging area at or under 32° F for the short time that the products pass through is generally not necessary, but it does need to be around 40° F to preserve the integrity of the freeze. Packaging equipment must be able to operate at these low temperatures without compromising long-term functionality.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, sanitizing the equipment is generally done using hot water between 80° F and 90° F. This temperature change is brought on suddenly as the equipment is sprayed down, and the machine must be able to handle the up to 50° difference.

2: Sanitation

In addition to the temperature jump, sanitation can have other impacts on packaging machinery. While frozen products require less robust sanitation measures than raw meats or fresh produce, a machine that handles food of any kind will require cleaning. Easy access to all parts of the machine is important, as food particles or water can get trapped in nooks, crannies or other inaccessible areas, causing contamination to grow. Any machine that packages food products should be engineered to give cleaners a clear path to any surfaces needing washing and keep food and water from any unreachable crevices.

Building a sanitary machine is also dependent on the materials used. Packaging equipment made of stainless steel or other easily cleaned metals is important in achieving the right level of sanitation. Not only can this withstand repeated wash downs with water, but it can also handle the chemicals used for deeper cleanings. With the right materials, machines will avoid rust and corrosion, preserving longevity for years of effective usage.

Form, fill, and seal equipment is rarely, if ever, a standalone in producing and packaging IQF products. The food needs to be made, frozen, conveyed, weighed, packaged, boxed, palletized and shipped, with equipment to support each part of the operation. Image courtesy of Matrix.

3: Changeovers

Co-packing is a growing trend in the food industry, with many manufacturers hiring third-party packagers instead of investing in the equipment to do it themselves. This leads to a high variety of products running on the same machine, necessitating quick changeovers between stock-keeping units (SKU) to maintain efficiency. Companies that do their IQF packaging in-house may not have as many different SKUs, but most have at least some variations in size and shape of the products and packages.

Machines poorly designed for changeovers are a significant source of slowdowns and equipment malfunctions, which can make a big difference to a company’s bottom line. Investing in a machine with faster changeovers always pays off.

Achieving this efficiency can be done in a couple of ways. Like with sanitation, easy access to the machine is important for changeovers. Employees should be able to adjust between SKUs without disassembling major components. Some packaging machines will also mark the change points with clear labels to assist in the process. These labels may even include pictographs to help all workers who are more visual learners or those who can’t read English identify machine components easily. Especially now, when many businesses are struggling with staffing shortages, this allows employees to learn the machine quickly and change it over effectively.

4: Personalization

Packaging equipment is not one-size fits all. While there is a machine out there for every operation, manufacturers need to fully review and analyze important factors with their vendor to find it. In IQF lines, the size and shape of the product can impact how they are fed into the pouches. Whether the line processes one product type or multiple SKUs, the machine needs to accommodate the unique characteristics of what it’s running.

The requirements of the packaging itself can also play a role. Bags may need to have specific lengths and widths to fit into secondary packaging. Direct-to-shelf operations may also want to incorporate a stand-up pouch to catch customers’ attention. Both needs can impact how a machine interacts with the pouches, making them imperative details to consider in the initial consultation.

5: Turn-Key Solutions

Form, fill, and seal equipment is rarely, if ever, a standalone in producing and packaging IQF products. The food needs to be made, frozen, conveyed, weighed, packaged, boxed, palletized and shipped, with equipment to support each part of the operation. That’s not even to mention preparation of the packaging itself and setting up the proper infrastructure for the workers and equipment.

Working with a machine vendor that has fostered professional relationships with other vendors all up and down the production line is critical. Not only does it ensure that the machines will be compatible with each other, but it can also save the company the time required to seek out additional contacts. Some vendors offer the capabilities of multiple brands from a single sales representative, streamlining the ordering process and simplifying installation.

The smart move for IQF packaging is to find a machine that best supports these needs in the specific operation. When all the pieces come together, the result is smooth, efficient packaging that keeps food cold and profits hot.

About the Author

Richard Carlton is a Regional Sales Manager for Matrix (https://www.matrixpm.com/). He can be reached at Richard.carlton@promachbuilt.com