05/10
PETplanet


GEA Procomac has recently introduced a range of sterilisation and aseptic filling systems, including a cap steriliser that uses electron beams, vaporized hydrogen peroxide bottle sterilisation, and the fifth generation of its wet PAA-based aseptic filling bloc.

Electron beam cap sterilisation
GEA Procomac's “Sterilbeam” cap steriliser is integrated with the com¬pany's cold aseptic filling technology. Fed by a cap sorter, it is mounted on the top platform of a filling machine and it is the first machine in the bever¬age industry to employ electron beam cap sterilization. Simple electron emit¬ters, similar to common cathode-ray tubes, are used to produce electrons and convey them into beams. These are directed to cap surfaces and kill any possible microorganisms present by breaking and forming new chemical bonds in their molecules.
The caps roll on guided rails and are sterilised by the e-beam as they pass in front of the emitter windows. The e-beam emitters are completely isolated from the external environment and shielded with lead.
The company says that the advantages include a simpler process, as only voltage, current and lime are monitored and there is no chemicals consumption, except for a small amount of hydrogen peroxide needed for environmental sterilisation. Energy is available on site allowing a shorter transmission chain; there are no residuals of sterilisation on the final product; and treatment lime is in terms of milliseconds. No water is required and machine validation is easier, as it can be carried out without any biological indicator tests. Only doses delivered to caps need to be measured.
Sterilbeam can treat multiple cap formats, sizes and geometry on the same line. It reaches up to 5 Log Reduction and is claimed to reduce operational costs by 1/3. It is an FDA approvable process.

Vaporized hydrogen peroxide bottle sterilisation
GEA Procomac's HPstar is a VHP (vaporized hydrogen peroxide) aseptic sterilisation system that has been developed as an alternative to PM for dedicated applications.
The HPstar machine consists of three carousels (bottle healer, VHP steriliser and air rinser). After pre¬heating with high-temperature sterile air, bottles are transferred to the VHP steriliser and sprayed with H2O2 gas vapor, which is injected into bottles at 60° C and over 3.000 ppm concentration. H2O2 is continuously delivered using a centralised manifold. An air rinsing carousel performs rinses bottles before they enter the fitting machine, to eliminate any residuals.
The HPSTAR carousels are placed within a new mini isolator, which uses less space and is easier to control because mechanical parts inside it are reduced to a minimum: there are no valves on the vaporiser and air rinsing carousels.

Fifth generation of aseptic filler
GEA Procomac's 5th generation of wet PAA-based aseptic filling bloc, ECOSpin, offers consumption and investment cost optimisation through considerable reductions in rinsing time and footprint.