“Inspiring Food Solutions” has been the theme for GEA’s stand at IPPE in Atlanta (Georgia, USA)

 One new product, several major redesigns, and a selection of additional key machines have inspired visitors at the show. The launches include an entry-level model of the
GEA PowerPak thermoformer as well as re-designs of the GEA MultiDrum and GEA MultiJector. These are joined by the latest developments of the GEA CookStar three-phase spiral oven and an introduction of separation processes for by-products. All these products aim to help customers to keep pace with industry trends and consumer demands – by combining cutting-edge technology with the little “homestyle” extra to industrial food processing:

Entry-level thermoformer

One of the two headliners from packaging activity is a new GEA PowerPak configuration especially developed as a basic machine with limited functionality –the  GEA DeltaPak. . The whole GEA PowerPak range has been re-defined to make it easier for customers to specify a thermoformer for a specific application. This makes packaging solutions more cost-effective by omitting functions that are not required. The latest addition is an entry-level configuration that gives smaller-scale packaging operations access to the quality and reliability of the GEA PowerPak platform.

Beating the drum for homestyle breading

Homestyle breading is a fast-growing trend for coating poultry products, and the GEA MultiDrum can authentically reproduce this coating technique in an automated industrial environment. The recently introduced machine was met with enthusiasm by poultry processors looking for an integrated line solution that gives the true homestyle look, feel, and taste in a cost-effective way. The newest version of the GEA MultiDrum – developed for the American market with a larger belt width and more robust features overall – is quickly becoming the standard for homestyle breading.

Evolving the marination process

Marination is represented on the stand by an innovative continuous in-line injection solution. Developed to boost the yield of bone-in and skin-on poultry products such as chicken wings, drumsticks, thighs, legs, and whole or half birds, the
GEA MultiJector  combines controlled brine injection with short massaging to optimize brine distribution. The multi-purpose brine injector does not compromise on the accuracy or performance you can get from an application-specific machine. It sets new standards for hygiene, food safety, and cleanability. It is a flexible solution for injecting bone-in, boneless, and delicate products, and is packed with cutting-edge technology that adds value to your products and processes.

Three-phase spiral oven

The latest developments in the third-generation GEA CookStar spiral oven are also highlighted on the stand. This machine has evolved into the only three-phase cooking concept in a double-spiral configuration – thanks to its active booster zone that forms a bridge between two large spiral zones. Its ability to use steam, hot air, roasting, smoking, and drying in any combination makes the GEA CookStar the most flexible solution available for industrial cooking.

There is more to an animal than the meat

Animal oils, fats, and high-value proteins – but also skin, bones, blood, etc. – are valuable raw materials, and their production and processing make a major contribution to profitability in the meat industry. GEA supports edible and inedible rendering, gelatin production, as well as the recovery of valuable food-grade proteins such as protein hydrolysate and proteins from blood plasma. Sanitary design, highest yields, and top quality of the end products – these are only some of the benefits that GEA decanters, disc-stack centrifuges, and process lines offer to processors of animal by-products.