October 2005

     In California and across North America food processors are constantly looking for ways to increase operating efficiency while improving food safety and product quality.  Because of those never ending needs, Commercial Manufacturing is delighted to announce its association with ABCO Industries Limited, Food Machinery Group.  The excitement is over ABCO’s unique Heat/Hold technology that has the marvelous ability to increase product quality, while reducing energy costs and water usage.  Over the years ABCO blanchers have proven their ability to enhance texture, flavor, and color compared to other steam or water blanchers.  At the same time ABCO blanchers reduce water usage and effluent because they produce more product per pound of steam than conventional steam blanchers or hot water blanchers.  The ABCO Heat/Hold system of blanching yields 8 to 12 pounds of product per pound of steam, while conventional systems yield only 1 to 2 pounds of product per pound of steam.

     Skeptics want to ask how you can have it both ways, i.e., decrease operating expense and increase product quality.  The answer comes back to ABCO’s Heat/Hold technology, and how heat is transferred.  When an external heat source is applied to a product, the surface is heated first, and then succeeding layers, until the core eventually rises to the desired temperature.  

Heat/Hold technology yields premium quality foods with ultra efficiency

ABCO was first to realize that by the time the core reaches the desired temperature the outside of the product has been overcooked.  The implication was clear, stop applying steam to the product and let the product finish cooking itself.  That’s why there are two chambers in every ABCO blancher.  The steam chamber is equipped with inner hood assemblies, which direct and recirculate steam flow over and through the product to maximize energy efficiency and promote even steam penetration.  A comprehensive steam flow control package with pressure regulator, modulating main valve, and pressure gauges provides easy monitoring of performance.  The hold 

Dry bean and pea rehydration in a single unit.

chamber assures proper dwell time to complete the cooking process by varying belt speed under VFD control.  The controls for both heat and hold are easily adjusted and enclosed in a NEMA 4 panel.

     The results on fruits and vegetables are outstanding.  By avoiding overcooking of the outer layer, the product color, flavor, and texture are retained.  By adding optional features to an ABCO blancher, dry bean and pea rehydration can be performed in a single cabinet using less floor space than competitive units.  The time-honored and labor-intensive soak tanks and conventional blanchers needed for this application can be eliminated.  ABCO’s rehydration process results in labor, water, and steam savings, enhanced product quality, and more flexible production scheduling.  The ABCO rehydrator is also capable of blanching fresh vegetables.

     Effective September 2005 Commercial began representing ABCO’s line of blanchers, coolers, and rehydrators to customers in California, Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.  If your plant is located in one of these states Commercial Manufacturing invites you to contact them for more information or to “test run” your product on the ABCO Heat/Hold simulator.  ABCO and its agents handle other geographies.  When asked about the new venture, Commercial Manufacturing president Larry Hagopian commented, “this is a naturally good fit for our companies.  We have worked together for many years.  We are both committed to high quality construction and customer support, and ABCO understands our capability to design and build food processing machinery and material handling equipment in particular.”

ABCO Industries Limited, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

 Phone 866-634-8821