Purdue University-affiliated startup Induction Food Systems (IFS) has created a new technology to improve the taste, quality, and shelf life of juice and other beverages, and help craft brewers make more beer. Their novel heating system provides on-demand heating options for food and beverage manufacturers.
Entrepreneur Francesco Aimone from Columbia University, who co-founded IFS with George Sadler, an alumnus of Purdue’s College of Agriculture, said:
We were tired of seeing the old-school processes for heating food and beverages during manufacturing. Those legacy systems like steam are slow, energy-consuming and can take away some of the food’s natural flavors and textures.
According to Aimone, their technology increases the speed and efficiency for producing beverages and foods, which in turn will help manufacturers grow. The IFS on-demand heating system has been shown to be about six times more precise in controlling temperature than conventional methods. It uses plug-and-play heating components involving electromagnetic energy and induction; a coil and core design; and solid-state electronics to generate electromagnetic energy instead of the traditional combustion that creates steam in boilers.
Aimone said:
We know that manufacturers need and want more nimble, responsive and sustainable heating options. We are prepared to meet those needs with our technology.
The new process uses electromagnetic radiation to selectively heat beer and other foods and drink in such a way that makes them taste better and have a longer shelf life. This differs from the typical way of pasteurizing millions of barrels of beer, or other beverages, which involves having to heat it by using steam. The thing is, steam is inefficient, slow, and costly in terms of energy. It can also result in a compromise of flavor.
The new IFS process, on the other hand, replaces steam with an external coil connected to a solid-state electronics pack generates high-frequency radio waves that heat an induction element embedded in a section of pipe. This set up heats the beer or other product as it passes through the pipe. Furthermore, the system is precise, 600% more precise than steam. It can either apply a quick flash of heat for something like pasteurization or heat an entire vat by recirculating the liquid.
Not only that, but the system is scalable and easy to install. It is also better for the environment as it is three to five times more energy-efficient, heats 24 times faster, and requires an 80% smaller footprint than a steam plant.
IFS plans to launch its first go-to-market line in the next few months. This first line involves a fluid heating system for use in the manufacturing of beer, water products, and juices. Heating equipment in the food and beverage segment is a $20 billion market, IFS’ technology plans to be a part of it.
The next thing the company will address is the problem of fouling – which is sticky substances left behind after processing – for manufacturers. “It’s similar to when you are making eggs and you have the gunk stuck to your pan when you’re preparing them,” Aimone said. “Our preliminary testing shows we can reduce fouling in some applications by up to 30%.”
This project is part of Purdue’s Giant Leaps celebration, acknowledging the university’s global advancements made in sustainability. It is a part of Purdue’s 150th anniversary. The Ideas Festival is a year-long celebration designed to showcase Purdue as an intellectual center solving real-world issues. IFS’s technology is part of one of the four themes being covered.
