The Frozen Food Industry: What YOU Need to Know
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Food manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to streamline their operations, reduce operating costs and increase efficiency. When it comes to automating and computerizing the production process, there’s no industry that has been quicker to adopt these technologies than the food manufacturing sector. Most of these advancements have been driven by rising demand for higher quality and more convenient food products, as well as a drop in production costs. Thanks to new technologies such as 3D printing, computer-aided design (CAD) software, virtual reality and artificial intelligence (AI), the cost of producing miniaturized parts has dropped significantly. This is resulting in new processes being developed to produce smaller parts at a faster rate. In this blog post, we will take you through everything you need to know about the frozen foods industry.
What is the Frozen Food Industry?
The frozen foods industry is the manufacturing of frozen edible products, including ice cream, frozen dinners, frozen beverages and frozen juices. Frozen foods are defined as those that have been chilled below 0°C and frozen below -18°C. Frozen foods include ice creams, frozen yogurts, sorbets, ices, frozen dinners, ice cream desserts and frozen juice drinks. Frozen foods are a significant part of the food industry. The global frozen foods market was valued at approximately $2.07 trillion in 2017 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% between 2017 and 2022.
Advantages of Automation in the Frozen Food Industry
Advantages like cost savings, optimized production, faster production and more consistent output are just a few of the advantages of utilizing automation in the frozen food industry. These advantages are especially important for manufacturers who are faced with rising costs, increasing raw material and energy prices, and an ever-increasing demand for high-quality and convenient food products. Automation can help food companies reduce costs, increase productivity, and produce products that are consistently of high quality. For example, a manufacturer may use robotics to increase their production of frozen dinners. The robot can automatically dispense the ingredients, such as the beef, rice, carrots and tomato, into the top refrigerator. When the ingredients are assembled into the frozen dinner, the robot can then automatically move the dinner to the freezer where it will be kept until customers order it.
Disadvantages of Automation in the Frozen Food Industry
On the other hand, the very same advantages of automation may also cause resistance from employees who feel threatened by these changes. The automation process may require retraining employees on the new skills and procedures. As technology advances and production costs drop, workers may find themselves at a disadvantage as they are unable to keep up. Those who are most negatively impacted by automation are the production operators. They are responsible for operating the machines and ensuring that the products being produced are of the required quality. While computers and robots can do the job of operators, the automation process removes any human element and thus creates job insecurity.
How a Robot Can Help in Frozen Food Manufacturing?
Automators have the ability to assist operators in the production process. For example, a machine can be programmed to pick up a specific type of potato and place it into a specific production line. However, if an operator is not operating the machine at the right speed and pressure, then the potatoes may end up being damaged. Robots can monitor the production line, operate the machines and monitor the product quality. These bots can also be programmed to operate autonomously, which means that the operator does not need to monitor the production process. Different types of robots used in frozen food manufacturing are Vision-based inspection robots that can automatically detect defects and errors, like misspelling in ingredient labels or incorrect sequence of operation. These bots can send an alert to a human operator or immediately halt the production line. Another type of robot that’s used in the frozen food manufacturing is the Pick and place robots. These bots can be programmed to automatically move the parts from a production line to the packaging line for packing. After the parts are packed, the bots can be programmed to move the finished goods to the store.
Conclusion
The frozen food industry is a significant sector of the food industry, with annual sales of $2 trillion. The sector consists of a wide range of frozen food products like ice cream, sorbet, frozen entrees, frozen snacks, frozen vegetables and many more. With an increasing number of consumers looking for healthier alternatives and the growing demand for convenience, the industry is expected to grow further. The frozen food industry is highly automated, which means that the production process is highly mechanized.
Another disadvantage is that frozen foods are often viewed as being less healthy than fresh foods, as they may contain added preservatives or higher levels of sodium. This perception can make it harder for frozen food companies to market their products to health-conscious consumers. Additionally, the frozen food industry is highly competitive, with many large food manufacturers vying for market share. This can make it difficult for small and medium-sized companies to compete. Finally, Frozen Food Industry is also very dependent on energy costs, as refrigeration is a significant expense. This can make the industry vulnerable to fluctuations in energy prices and can increase the costs of production and distribution.
