Lingwood Food Services – Lingwood Talks: Industrial Food Production
The need to meet the ever-increasing demands of the rapidly growing global population requires new methods of food production. Not only does there need to be enough food products for all, but they need to be safe, consistent and of the highest quality. In addition, producers need to process and package food products and deliver them to shelves as quickly as possible to meet this demand. The only way to achieve this is through the use of industrial food processing machinery. While food processing machines usually come with a high initial purchase price, the long-term benefits of such an investment will more than pay for itself. In this article, we will go over the importance of supply to the consumer, how efficient machinery can manage a surge in demand, and the different food processing machinery that Lingwood Food Services supplies.
The Importance of Food Processing
Since the earliest days of civilization, humans have found ways to process and package food for mass consumption. Our ancestors would salt, smoke and dry different meats, while they would dry herbs for medicines. In turn, they would use fruits and cereals to make alcohol. The aim of these early food production methods was to preserve as much as possible, maintain their quality, and ensure there was enough to supply as many as possible throughout the year. Yet, while the methods for preserving and packaging foods have seen huge changes, the underlying reasons remain the same.
Today, population growth and an increase in demand for variable diets have led to old, traditional food processing methods giving way to industrial ones.
- Fruits and vegetables are grown in artificial climates away from their area of origin.
- Special processing and packaging methods such as freezing, drying, canning and fermenting ensure foods stay edible for longer.
- Large, automated factories process foods on a massive scale and deliver them to supermarkets and stores by truckloads each day.
- Even the packaging itself and the presentation of the food is designed to appeal to consumers so that they choose your product over that of a competitor.
- Breakfast cereals are made from processed wheat, rice, fruits, etc.
- Cheese
- Pre-packaged, frozen and tinned vegetables.
- Bread
- Snack foods such as potato chips, pies and pasties.
- Processed meats such as ham, salami and bacon.
- Readymade and microwavable meals.
- Biscuits and cake products.
- Drinks such as milk and soft drinks.
In all these examples, processing ensures that the foods maintain a high quality and have a long shelf life. In addition, industrial processing methods ensure there is a large and steady supply to meet high demands, plus consistency between products to meet consumer expectations.
Meeting the Demands of Food Production
All these methods for processing and packaging food products are in service to the massive demand in today’s market. Supermarkets around the country need daily supplies of food products of all kinds to fulfil these demands. In fact, according to the Food & Drink Federation, food and drink production contributes around 2.3% to the national GVA. This is more than any other manufacturing industry in the UK. The drink and food supply chain within the UK itself is worth £120bn, while international exports contribute a further £23bn to the economy. As such, enormous efforts must be made to ensure these supply chains remains operational.
Recent events such as Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic have put considerable strain on these supply chains. Particularly in the early months of the pandemic, panic buying meant that certain products were disappearing from the shelves faster than factories could supply them. In addition, interruptions to supply chains meant that there were even further delays in food products reaching supermarket shelves. Food producers would raise prices to cover costs. Meanwhile, the public would experience nutritional scarcity either over these higher prices or lack of availability. Food producers need to ensure that supply can continue to keep up with demand in uncertain times. As such, they need machinery that can process and package food quickly and efficiently without any loss in quality.
Lingwood Food Services
Food processing machines can automate the preparation of food and drink products so they can reach shelves faster. From bakeries to dairy producers, food processing machines perform a range of functions that ensure each product is of high quality with a suitable shelf life. Depending on the product being made, these machines can wash, separate, mix, bake, freeze or seal food and drink items. The machines carry out these processes on a massive scale, and as such can more than meet the surge in demand seen in the last few years.
At Lingwood Food Services we offer a wide range of food processing machines that can efficiently automate a range of processes. Here are some of the food products we can offer machinery for:
- Salad, vegetable, fruit and herb processing: We offer complete processing lines plus machines for peeling, de-stemming, dicing, coring and more. We also have machines for sorting, foreign object removal, washing and sanitising.
- Meat, poultry and fish processing: Whether you need it diced, dried, sliced or shredded, we have the right machine for the job. UVC disinfection and hygienic handling systems are also on offer.
- Cooking and mixing: Take the time and labour out of cooking foods for mass consumption. Our automated machines can boil, braise, fry and mix a range of foods ready for your customers.
- Bagging, wrapping and packaging: Our machines will put the final touches on food products before they head out the door. Machines can fill packaging based on volume or weight, while others can fill and seal bags automatically
Whatever food you want to prepare, we have a variety of machines that can perform the job efficiently. Made from FDA approved food grade materials and stainless steel, our equipment is well respected and used throughout the food processing and hospitality industry.
