Consumer demand for products without trans fatty acids (trans fats) continues to grow worldwide due to concerns about their effect on cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health. Food processors are responding to this need by eliminating trans fatty acids from their products and turning to SPX for solutions in how to replace them.
The SPX Flow Technology Innovation Centre in Søborg, Denmark, serves as a key resource in making this change. For the past ten years, SPX’s Gerstenberg Schröder brand has held an annual training event in margarine production. In 2012, high customer interest required this to be expanded to two seminars. The additional seminar allowed SPX to provide training for 56 customers from countries around the world, including Australia, China, the UK, Switzerland, Sweden, Venezuela and many others.
The training focused on the principles and practices of crystallization of oils and fats on Gerstenberg Schröder brand equipment with a focus on producing margarine without trans fatty acids. "During the courses, the participants used our test plant facility at the Innovation Centre and received experience with the GS Nexus pilot plant, a newly designed scraped surface heat exchanger, that is for fat crystallization," said Klaus Funch Høyer, technology manager, SPX Flow Technology at Søborg. "We also review current marketplace trends and lead a discussion of what future trends might be."
Customers learn about the training through members of the SPX sales team and from previous participants who highly recommend attending. "Our course is often used by our customers to give their new employees a good introduction to the fats and oils business," Klaus said. "The participants improve their knowledge of fat crystallization and the processes involved. Our combination of theory and practical trials is very beneficial to them."
During the seminar, customers receive instruction from SPX employees with extensive educational and on-the-job experience in food science. "The solid expertise that we provide comes from our many years in the industry," he added. "Most of it you don’t learn in school."
By conducting the training, SPX enhances its reputation as a supplier with high technological skills related to food processing and gives customers hands-on experience using the latest SPX products. "The training also provides us with an excellent way to gather insights about the issues our customers are facing, which is something you don’t always get when visiting a customer," Klaus said.
Guest speakers from the companies AAK, Chr. Hansen, Dupont, Maja Foods International, Novozymes, Palsgaard, Sime Darby and Q-Interline contributed with a presentation about what they can deliver to the margarine industry and their participation adds to the high professional expertise of the seminar.
The next margarine training seminar for customers will be held in September 2013. For further information about the margarine seminar, please contact Gerstenberg Schröder.
