Food processing is a complex undertaking. At every stage of production, processors need to follow rigorous safety standards to ensure that their products remain free of contaminants. At the same time, they need to heat, blend, and store every ingredient according to exact specifications to ensure the quality of the finished product. With so many variables to manage, it’s not surprising that food processors sometimes see inefficiencies creep into their operations despite their best efforts to avoid them.
Highland Equipment’s Continuous Protein Process System (CPP) was designed to eliminate those inefficiencies. Based on unique patent-pending technology, the CPP makes food production a completely continuous process, preventing many of the delays and overruns that lower a product’s quality and inflate operating costs. With the CPP in place, food processors can expect a consistent stream of high-quality products and significant savings in nearly every aspect of production.
How It Works
The CPP is designed for any cheese that needs to be heated and acidified, as well as various tofu and food-grade casein products. It’s compatible with any cheese with a ratio of whey to milk between 100% milk and 100% whey, as well as any cheese with a 50%-50% ratio of whey protein concentrate to ordinary whey.
The CPP begins by blending the ingredients in a balance tank and neutralizing the mixture. After it’s subjected to multi-step heating, the mixture is pasteurized in an HTST holding tube and placed in another holding tube to denature the whey protein. The mixture can then be injected with an acid to stimulate coagulation. As soon as the curds have formed, they can be removed from the deproteinated whey and pressed for drainage on a conveyor belt.
Designed with productivity in mind, the CPP comes with a wide capacity range and a number of prestigious safety standards. Our three available models have a capacity range between 2,500 and 10,000 liters (or 660 and 2,640 gallons) per hour, making them well-suited to food processors of every size. Completely CIP cleanable, it’s compatible with any packaging system and meets the safety standards set by the USDA and Dairy 3A.
Benefits
The CPP is a revolutionary solution to the typical challenges faced by the food industry. Dairy companies are particularly poised to reap its benefits. Our internal reviews found that it reduces energy costs by nearly 70%, labor costs by greater than 60%, and steam costs by 50% in comparison to a traditional open vat process, all while prolonging the shelf life of products by four to six weeks.
The CPP had a similarly significant effect on productivity. After installing the CPP, users saw their product yields rise by nearly 10%, largely because they were able to recapture 95% of the proteins and fats that are lost in most dairy processing methods. The average return on investment fell between 1 and 1.6 years based on an 8-hour production run, a considerably shorter time frame than most traditional approaches can offer.
Partnering with Highland Equipment
Since 1974, Highland Equipment has specialized in supplying stainless steel process equipment to the food and dairy industries. Backed by the creativity and determination of our designers and engineers, we’re confident that the CPP marks our latest advance in food processing technology, offering unprecedented efficiency without undermining the safety and quality of your products.
If you’d like to explore the CPP further, download our free eBook from our website. If you’re interested in installing the CPP or simply in working with Highland Equipment, you can contact us today.