VTOPS Launched Rice Canning Packaging Line
Introduction
In today’s increasingly fast pace of life, the market’s demand for the food industry is more inclined to be fast, convenient, and hygienic. This is reflected in the booming global takeaway market in recent years, the surge in pre-packaged food sales, and changes in consumer dining habits. And it makes the food industry not only have to consider the original large packaging and large portions. The food industry also has to adapt to consumption for the need for safer and more convenient small-portion meals. Therefore, changes in the market require manufacturers to make adjustments and changes for consumers and customers to maintain an edge in the fierce competition.
Changes in Market and Consumer Trends
Consumer Attitudes
Consumers’ attitudes were changed from quantity to quality. With the development of the economy, the increase of labor income, and the influence of overseas consumption trends. Meanwhile, people’s consumption level has increased significantly, and their daily life has improved rapidly, specifically in the aspect of eating. Consumers have shifted from satisfying the quantity of food to improving the quality. Specifically, consumers seek food that is safe, convenient, and quality.
Emphasis on Food Safety
Food safety is the foundation of human survival and development, and it is closely related to the health and interests of every member of society. In recent years, food safety problems that are still exposed under the supervision of the government in various countries have become a social problem. Social co-governance of food safety has become a new direction for managing increasingly complex food safety issues, requiring the cooperation of multiple subjects such as the government, food companies, and society (Milton & Mullan, 2010) [1]. More importantly, consumers are the most immediate beneficiaries of safe food. At the same time, they are also the most direct victims of unsafe food. Therefore, consumers are strongly incentivized to pay attention to and improve food safety.
Changes in Family Structure
Finally, the family population is getting smaller and smaller at this stage. This change is not only happening in developing and developed countries, but also has such a trend. Behind it is that with the development of science and technology and the changes of social culture, people’s cognition of family concept has changed. This change requires food manufacturers to adjust the size of food packaging to accommodate smaller and smaller household populations.
Food Packaging Needs to Change
Then, with the improvement of people’s living standards, people’s requirements for food quality have also increased. For instance, now the edible rice in the market is mainly packed in plastic bags or in bulk. However, the way such rice is packaged is prone to breakage, worms, rat bites, and difficult storage (Murshid, 2014) [2]. That packaging method has been unable to meet the people’s pursuit of freshness, nutrition, and hygiene requirements.
Canned Food Is Trending or Becoming A Better Option
Taking canned rice as a case.
Canned rice is an improvement and breakthrough in rice packaging (UKPRwire,2018). The traditional packaging of rice currently on the market is a sack, woven bag, cloth bag, and plastic bag. However, no matter which of the above packaging methods, there are many problems in the circulation of the rice market. For example, the portion of rice is too heavy, easy to break, easy to accumulate dust, easy to single insects, and so on. Moreover, traditional packaging is not conducive to shipment, storage, and retail. Meanwhile, it goes against consumers’ desire to eat rice, which is fresh, safe, and convenient. Then, the canned rice can make up for the above deficiencies, so its development and market prospects are optimistic.
How Does VTOPS Cater To This Trend?
The R&D team of VTOPS identifies changing market demands and trends, making the adjustments and improvements quickly. Specifically, VTOPS is now launching a rice canning production line. The launch of this production line not only requires the keen market observation of the VTOPS’s R&D team. The expertise and productivity of VTOPS in manufacturing various packaging machinery are also necessary. During this process, VTOPS considered the changes in the market trends mentioned above and made changes in response to the packaging shortcomings of traditional rice.
What Kinds Of Machines Are Included In The Production Line And How Do They Work?
1. Standard Rice Canning Production Line
→First tin can sorting machine orderly guides the cans into the conveyor belt.
→Through the materials to the elevator, let the elevator lift the materials to the Multihead Weigher, then the combined scale measures, weighs, and fills, and receives the materials to the fixed tank of the receiving machine.
→Seal the covers of tin can.
→Finally, automatically paste and smooth the label to the can body.
Included machines:
Bottle management machine, electronic combined weighing, and filling system, full-automatic can sealing machine, and full-automatic labeling machine comprise the manufacturing line.
2. Customized Rice Canning Production Line
In the above standard production lines, VTOPS has not yet provided customized services to customers. These include: the addition of the Liquid Nitrogen Dispenser, Non-Magnetic Cans UV Sterilization Machine and multiheaded weigher are optional.
Customization
Customization of Multi-Head weigher and Non-Magnetic Cans UV Sterilization Machine.
The installation of the ultraviolet sterilizer also ensures the safety of the rice production line. It is the non-magnetic tank cleaning and the ultraviolet disinfection cleaning at the same time to avoid secondary pollution during disinfection. And the optional multi-head Weighers are 10 and 14 head weighing hoppers. Different specifications determine different production efficiencies. First, in the research of StackPath (2022) [3], the maximum speed of the 10-head weighter can reach 60pcs\min and the 14-head weighter is 70pcs\min (Product & Target Weight Dependent).
Effectiveness and Safety
Effectiveness and safety of tin cans in the food industry.
VTOPS chose tin cans in the rice canning production line after careful testing and research. Since the packing the rice in tin cans, it can effectively prevent oxidation, high temperature, light, moisture, and odor. At the same time, the freshness and taste of the rice will preserved to the greatest extent. Moreover, the tin element itself is non-toxic and is a common food packaging material. Tin is usually used in the tin foil that we have seen for packaging chocolate.
Moreover, the choice of tin cans also guarantees the high-end quality of the product. For example, in the Hangzhou auction in China, there was a white tea that participated in the Panama International Exposition a hundred years ago. After a hundred years, the tea leaves are still well preserved, and the white tea is clearly visible (Brennan, 2015) [4]. And it is the tin can that stores these century old white tea. The use of tin cans to store tea does stand the test of time. Therefore, choosing tin cans to store rice increases consumer confidence in food safety.
Nitrogen Injection
Optional item for nitrogen injection.
Second, the customization of the Liquid Nitrogen Dispenser keeps the nitrogen concentration inside the tin cans high. Specifically, nitrogen acts as an inert gas that inhibits the growth of microorganisms and does not interact with product ingredients. Therefore, placing the product in nitrogen can reduce the oxygen concentration in contact with the product, which can inhibit the physiological activity of microorganisms, the activity of enzymes and the respiration intensity of fresh commodities. To achieve the purpose of anti-virus, anti-corrosion, and preservation.
Application
Diversification of applicable scenarios for production lines.
Last, the rice canning production line is not only suitable for the canned production of rice but also has more application scenarios. For example, the foods such as grains, legumes, nuts, and puffed foods. In general, common granular products are available packaging in tin cans with this equipment.
Conclusion
With the improvement of people’s requirements for living standards, the types of food products are changing with each passing day, and the research and development direction of products tends to be less additive, green, and pollution-free. At the same time, in order to ensure that the products maintain good quality during the circulation process and shelf life. Their circulation fields are becoming wider and wider and higher requirements are placed on the packaging technology of products. The R&D team and factory of VTOPS jointly guarantee to provide services to different customers with efficient productivity while quickly gaining insight into market changes. Specifically reflected in this production line, the use of tin cans, the selection of UV disinfection equipment and the selection of different head weighers.
References
[1] Milton, A., & Mullan, B. (2010). Consumer food safety education for the domestic environment: a systematic review. British Food Journal, 112(9), 1003–1022. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070701011074363
[2] Murshid, K. (2014). Exploring Transition and Change in a Complex Traditional Market: The Case of the Rice Market in Bangladesh. Journal of Agrarian Change, 15(4), 480–498. https://doi.org/10.1111/joac.12083
[3] Multihead Weigher. (2021) Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multihead_weigher
[4] Brennan, C. S. (2015). Food ingredients, processing, structure and functionality: the success for the global food industry. International Journal of Food Science & Technology, 51(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.13029