Aseptic & ESL Facilities from Concept to Production

 
Our approach to aseptic & ESL facilities is to first strive to understand the objectives and challenges that our clients are facing and based on this review combine internal and external specialists to provide a team that will seamlessly support our client’s process, packaging and facility objectives.

Our teams are made up of individuals with extensive “hands on” aseptic and ESL processing and packaging experience.

Our in-house Aseptic & ESL lead  has been involved in the design, installation, validation (where applicable) and commissioning of over 100 systems involving low & high acid fluid, viscous and particulate products.

Specific areas of experience and expertise that we believe best supports our client’s objectives:

• Low and high acid process aseptic system design for fluid, viscous and particulate products
• Direct and indirect heat exchanger design, sizing and application
• Aseptic & ESL packaging systems (Consumer & Institutional)
• Aseptic surge tank design and control
• Hands on aseptic pilot plant operation and product development experience for both low and high acid products
• Product formulation experience as a result of pilot plant operation and system development
• Process line commissioning for both low and high acid aseptic systems
• FPA (Food Products Association) formerly the NFPA (National Food Processors Association) aseptic processing and packaging interface since 1978, with active membership in the organizations Aseptic Processing and Packaging Committee (Chaired the committee for 11 years) throughout this time frame
• Regulatory design compliance and systems validation assistance
• Batching and systems design to address allergen issues resulting from multiple SKU’s on a single line
• An established network of aseptic contacts including process, packaging and regulatory authorities
• Over 200 years of “combined” aseptic and ESL processing and packaging experience among our team members

There are currently three primary sets of regulatory requirements for food safety applicable to aseptic food processing and packaging operations.  Aseptic systems can fall under the regulatory jurisdiction of either the FDA or the USDA.  If a milk or milk product is involved, then the aseptic operation must also comply with the Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO).

The product itself will determine which set or sets of requirements must be met.  The manner of regulation, whether codified as Good Manufacturing Practice regulations or set forth as Aseptic Guidelines are determined by the regulatory agency with jurisdiction over the product.