Monthly Archives: December 2013

Pumps & Valves 101

Posted by J.R. Banks  –  Cheese & Dairy Products, Processing & Flow Control
December 18, 2013

1000709Pumps and valves are the hearts and lungs of a dairy processing plant. They control the flow of fluid milk, cheese curds, ice cream mix, and other dairy products through a facility. Pumps move ingredients from vats to fillers and valves direct liquids to a line and allow for cleaning. Choosing the right equipment for a given application is critical for a plant to lower waste and increase production.

downloadAny pump or valve considered for a processing system should bear a 3-A symbol. 3-A Sanitary Standards Inc. is an independent, non-profit corporation dedicated to advancing hygienic equipment design for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. The 3-A symbol assures that the equipment is configured and built to exacting sanitary standards.

A well designed pump or valve allows for complete and efficient CIP (Cleaning in Place). The pump or valve would have minimal dead zones, no sharp corners, or other places where product entrapment could occur. Product entrapment may result in cross contamination and loss of product.

Unique Mixproof changed

Along with an easy to clean design, it is important to use proper seal materials and elastomers. Seal materials should be compatible with all product ranges. Choose the seal material that stands up to the most demanding application. EPDM is often the standard elastomer for pumps and valves because the material is resistant to most fluids used in a dairy processing plant. However, high temperatures and product compatibility may require different types, such as Viton, Buna, Silicone, etc….

Proper design coupled with the correct seals and elastomers will allow for an efficient, clean, and productive pump or valve. Here at Nelson-Jameson are in the unique position of offering these products to our customers, and possessing baseline knowledge will help us provide the service they have come to expect. Pumps and valves are critical in the day to day operations of a dairy plant. For more information on pumps and valves, contact our Process Systems Department at 800-826-8302 or see our website.

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Updates to Hazard Communication

Posted by Wendy Johnson  –  Safety & Personnel
December 11, 2013

gI_93564_sds-ghsAccording to the United States Department of Labor, there have been a few changes to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS).

“The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires chemical manufacturers, distributors, or importers to provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) (formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDSs) to communicate the hazards of hazardous chemical products. As of June 1, 2015, the HCS will require new SDSs to be in a uniform format, and include the section numbers, the headings, and associated information under the headings below:

Section 1, Identification includes product identifier; manufacturer or distributor name, address, phone number; emergency phone number; recommended use; restrictions on use.

Section 2, Hazard(s) identification includes all hazards regarding the chemical; required label elements.

Section 3, Composition/information on ingredients includes information on chemical ingredients; trade secret claims.

Section 4, First-aid measures includes important symptoms/ effects, acute, delayed; required treatment.

Section 5, Fire-fighting measures lists suitable extinguishing techniques, equipment; chemical hazards from fire.

Section 6, Accidental release measures lists emergency procedures; protective equipment; proper methods of containment and cleanup.

Section 7, Handling and storage lists precautions for safe handling and storage, including incompatibilities.

Section 8, Exposure controls/personal protection lists OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs); Threshold Limit Values (TLVs); appropriate engineering controls; personal protective equipment (PPE).

Section 9, Physical and chemical properties lists the chemical’s characteristics.

Section 10, Stability and reactivity lists chemical stability and possibility of hazardous reactions.

Section 11, Toxicological information includes routes of exposure; related symptoms, acute and chronic effects; numerical measures of toxicity.

Section 12, Ecological information*

Section 13, Disposal considerations*

Section 14, Transport information*

Section 15, Regulatory information*

Section 16, Other information, includes the date of preparation or last revision.

*Note: Since other Agencies regulate this information, OSHA will not be enforcing Sections 12 through 15(29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(2)).

Employers must ensure that SDSs are readily accessible to employees.
See Appendix D of 1910.1200 for a detailed description of SDS contents.”

For more information: www.osha.gov.

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Help Us Improve Our Website

Posted by Marketing Dept.  –  General
December 10, 2013

In an effort to update our website with our customers in mind, we are conducting a survey of our website users. Your input can help us determine how to serve you better on nelsonjameson.com. We estimate it will take you approximately 5 minutes to complete the survey.

Simply click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser to take the survey: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1457009/fa2d55ace7cb

We would appreciate your response by January 14th.

CookiesYour input is important to us and to thank you, all completed responses will be entered in a drawing for a gift package of Mrs. Fields Cookies!

Thank you in advance for your time and feedback!

Nelson-Jameson, Inc. Web Team

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That’s That For Trans Fat

Posted by Mathew J. Bartkowiak, Ph.D.  –  General, Packaging & Ingredients
December 4, 2013
Source: US Food and Drug Administration

Source: US Food and Drug Administration

If you haven’t noticed, trans fats have become a prominent public health enemy, with “No Trans Fat!” and other related sayings gracing the cover of many food products out there. The reason? A trendy health fad? Not quite.

The AP reports: “Trans fats are widely considered the worst kind for your heart, even worse than saturated fats, which also can contribute to heart disease. Trans fats are used both in processed food and in restaurants, often to improve the texture, shelf life or flavor of foods.”

The growing concern about trans-fats has recently been addressed by the FDA. According to the BBC, “The FDA is opening a 60-day consultation period on the plan, which would gradually phase out trans fats” qualifying that: “The ruling does not affect foods with naturally occurring trans fats, which are present in small amounts in certain meat and dairy products.”

The change is a potential final nail in the coffin of artificial trans fats: one that has been pursued vigorously by the medical community, nutrition groups, and others. What does this mean to consumers and producers? The FDA hopes to create a transition that hopefully does not negatively and overtly impact the market. The 60-day consultation period is aimed at collecting “additional data and to gain input on the time potentially needed for food manufacturers to reformulate products that currently contain artificial trans fat should this determination be finalized.” In fact, many companies have phased out these partially hydrogenated oils in the last several years. Still, trans fats do show up in numerous food products on the market, including margarine and microwave popcorn, amongst others.

So what does the forecast look like to you? Will the industry be able to adapt quickly? Food processors, how will it affect your production? To make your voice heard check out this link where you can submit comments during the 60-day consultation period. This consultation period concludes on January 7, 2014.

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