Olam enhances spices processing capacity at Vietnam plant

Olam Spices & Vegetable Ingredients (Olam SVI) has strengthened its spices processing capabilities in Vietnam with the expansion of its facility in Ho Chi Minh City.

With this project, the facility will have enhanced cleaning and storage processes for black pepper and the capacity to process cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg products.

As part of the project, Olam has added cryogenic milling using liquid nitrogen, a pepper cleaning line, a plant HTST steam sterilisation and pasteurisation system, and new pepper milling lines.

It has also added climate control to balance water activity in the processed products as well as expanded physical storage capabilities.

The expansion enhances the existing separators, sifters and two steam sterilisers that clean the spices and reduce microbial contamination.

The company stated that the new equipment and technologies, along with its Innovation & Quality (IQ) centre in Fresno, California, will allow Olam to comply with international and the US regulations.

Olam SVI president Greg Estep said, "Our regional presence in origins such as Vietnam for the past eight years allows us to take control of the commodity at the farm gate level and closely manage the product from post-harvest processing to storage and final delivery.

"Our customers can be confident the ingredients that make their products great are of the highest quality and sourced through our unparalleled processing and logistics capabilities."

In line with its efforts to improve the quality standards of spices produced in Vietnam, the company provides farmer training through learning centres and extension providers, and model farms, to promote safe agricultural practices.

Headquartered in Fresno, California, Olam SVI is a business unit of Olam International.

The company supplies onion, garlic, spices, capsicums, tomatoes and speciality vegetables, and it has operations in the US, Vietnam, China, India, Egypt and Peru.