The plant allows processors to test out the company’s freeze-drying technology.
GEA, Düsseldorf, Germany, said it launched its new nitrogen freezing pilot plant for bacteria, giving dairy and other food processors the opportunity to try out the new technology in their own plants before investing in production-scale equipment. By freezing bacteria into pellets before drying, GEA is now able to provide processors with greater flexibility, a higher active cell count and reduced costs through better utilization of their fermentation lines and freeze dryers.
Many dairy and other food processors, as well as suppliers of probiotic products, use live bacteria as part of their production process (e.g., in making yogurt or cheese). Traditionally, processors have kept their own strains of bacteria and transferred them from one batch to the next. However, as more specialized strains of bacteria have emerged, there is a need to distribute them more widely. This is typically done by freezing the strains to -50 degrees Celsius and then storing them under temperature-controlled conditions.