New food belt guarantees hygiene, says supplier

11-Jul-2011 - Last updated on 12-Jul-2011 at 11:14 GMT

A new food conveyor belt increases hygiene during production with a flat, compact design that prevents cracking, according to the supplier.

Launched in response to the food industry’s growing hygiene demands, the HP Polyurethane food belts have a flat surface which means the equipment can be wiped easily when cleaned, a spokesperson for Chiorino UK Limited told FoodProductionDaily.com.

The belt’s compact, homogeneous design is achieved through a production technique called calendaring, which means there are no indentations, she said.

A special HP impregnation of the fabric in the driving surface of the belts acts as insulation and further protects against bacterial infiltration, according to the company.

“This means there is a total absence of cracking in the material, and stops the formation of bacterial colonies on the surface of the belts,” saidmanaging director Carl Johnson.

In addition, the belts do not contain any biocide additives that could migrate from the surface and contaminate products being conveyed, said the company.

As far as the company is aware no one has come up with a design like this before, said the spokesperson.

Available globally, the belts are widely used in the bakery industry for products such as biscuits and cakes. They are also used in beverage and meat production.

Other advantages

According to Chiorino, other advantages of the new belt, compared to traditional belts, include excellent resistance to hydrolysis as well as the chemical and mechanical action of washing with hot water and steam.

The belt also offers retention of its elastic properties, allowing it to be flexible, even in the presence of knife edges.

The equipment is also resistant to chemical agents, fats and aggressive oils and offers increased resistance to high and low temperatures, the company claims.

The firm also said its belts offer a Declaration of Compliance which ensures that all Chiorino materials coming into contact with foodstuffs are compliant with European Food Directives.

Chiorino HP Polyurethane belts conform to the concept of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), the FDA and 2005/79/CE regulations relating to food hygiene and safety, according to the company.