Food processing is the transformation of raw ingredients, by physical or chemical means into food, or of food into other forms. Food processing combines raw food ingredients to produce marketable food products that can be easily prepared and served by the consumer. Food processing typically involves activities such as mincing and macerating, liquefaction, emulsification, and cooking (such as boiling, broiling, frying, or grilling); pickling, pasteurization, and many other kinds of preservation; and canning or other packaging. Plastics are used extensively in equipment used for processing various food products including vegetables, fruit, pasta, rice, meat, fish, dairy products, and other foods. Recent innovations in this market include the introduction of X-Ray Detectable UHMW and Acetal products. Repeated handling, cleaning and normal wear and tear of plastic component parts on food and beverage machinery increases the risk of a fragment breaking off and contaminating the product during processing. The need for traceable plastics, especially machined parts for filling, sorting and packaging machinery is critical due to strict FDA regulations regarding foreign materials and contaminants. These unique products continue be an effective solution for plastic parts used in open product zone applications. Since 1984’, Professional Plastics has supplied a full range of FDA, NSF, USDA and 3A Dairy approved materials in Sheets, Rods, Tubes, Films and Finished Parts used in the processing, handling &conveying of finished and unfinished food stocks and byproducts.
