Food industry coating

Since it possesses good properties of both PVC plastics and polyurethane elastomers, it has been used in those areas where PVC and polyurethane have traditionally played dominant roles. For example, it is a very promising replacement for flexible PVC used for medical purposes and in the food industry [I6,l7], because it essentially eliminates the concern regarding plasticizer contamination. It has been used in combination with the copolymer of butadiene and acrylonitrile (NBR) to make the abrasion-resistant aprons and rolls used on textile machines [18]. A PVC/TPU/ABS blend serves as a substitute for leather [19]. This could have a tremendous impact on the shoe industry. It has also been found to have an application as a building coating [20,21]. This trend will certainly grow and more applications will be found. This in turn should bring new developments in the material itself. 

Tin coatings are widely used in the electrical industry because of their good contact properties and in the food industry because of low toxicity. In addition to pure tin coatings a number of alloy coatings have been developed for special applications, e.g. tin-lead (terne plate), tin-zinc, tin-cadmium, tin-bronze and tin-nickel. Reference should be made to Section 13.5 and to the publication by Britton for data on the corrosion of tin and its alloys. 

Sprayed coatings find a use in large vessels and some equipment used in the food industry. The necessity for these coatings to be thick enough to be pore-free has already been mentioned. 

Frozen Foods. Corrosion caused by the reaction of foods with aluminum containers is unusual if the products are handled and stored at 0°F or lower. However, the inevitable bad handling of frozen foods during commercial distribution causes undesirable thawing. In this condition, not only does the food deteriorate, but it can also attack the container. Such unwanted reactions can be effectively controlled by using coated aluminum containers. Since aluminum is highly compatible with frozen fruits and citrus juices, it has been used extensively as a liner for fiberboard composite cans, as complete aluminum cans, or as ends in combination with steel can bodies in the frozen food industry. 

Titanium dioxide (E171, Cl white 6) is a white, opaque mineral occurring naturally in three main forms rutile, anatase, and brookite. More than 4 million tons of titanium dioxide are produced per year and it is widely used for industrial applications (paints, inks, plastics, textiles) and in small amounts as a food colorant. ° "° Production and properties — Titanium oxide is mainly produced from ilmenite, a titaniferous ore (FeTiOj). Rutile and anatase are relatively pure titanium dioxide (Ti02) forms. Titanium oxide pigment is produced via chloride or sulfate processes via the treatment of the titanium oxide ore with chlorine gas or sulfuric acid, followed by a series of purification steps. High-purity anatase is preferred for utilization in the food industry. It may be coated with small amounts of alumina or silica to improve technological properties. 

The electrozone sensing technique, also called the Coulter principle, was originally developed for biomedical applications for counting blood cells. This method counts and sizes particle based on changes in the electrical resistance caused by nonconductive particles suspended in an electrolyte. It presently finds uses in a wide variety of industries, including the food, environmental, coatings, ceramics, and metals industries. 

Eichler, K., Lipid coating in the food industries, Food Tech. Europe, 3 (1996) 122-126. 

COATING AGENTS (Foods). Substances that are used to protect the surface (and penetration through the surface) of various materials that are being processed or in final-product format. Coating agents are widely used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. 

The determination of the thickness of the layers of fat and lean tissue in animal flesh is the most popular use of ultrasound in the food industry at present [5,6]. In fact there are over a hundred references pertaining to this application of ultrasound in the Food Science and Technology Abstracts (1969-1993). In contrast to most other applications of ultrasound in the food industry, which have rarely developed further than use in the laboratory, there are a number of commercial instruments available for grading meat quality [6, 30-32]. This application is based on measurement of time intervals between ultrasonic pulses reflected from boundaries between layers of fat, lean tissue and bone. Ultrasonic techniques have the advantage that they are fairly cheap, easy to operate and give predictions of meat quality of live animals. Other examples of thickness determinations include liquid levels in cans or tanks, thickness of coatings on confectioneries, egg shell thickness. 

The successful application of the sol-gel route has been realized in the International technological practice of many branches of the industries—electronics, optics, construction of engines, nuclear energetics, chemical, and food industry equipment. Among these materials are ferro-, piezo-, and dielectrics, solid electrolytes, refractory materials, membranes, protective and decorative coatings, and also films with special optical and electrophysical properties, like hightemperature superconductors. 

Non-ionic starch ethers are used in the food industry to avoid water release from frozen food and in the paper industry as a coating agent. 

Additives A natural or synthetic material, other than the basic raw ingredients, used in the production of a final product. For example, additives are produced by the chemicals industry to enhance the usability of metals, coatings and other chemicals. In the food industry, additives may be used to enhance flavor, appearance or shelf life. In the petrochemicals industry, many additives are marketed to improve the performance of fuels and lubricants. 

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