Food & Beverage

The food and beverage industry is very important to our daily lives, along with water and wastewater, both in terms of providing us with food and drink whenever we want it but also in a safe manner. Dairy products, fruit and veg, meat, bread, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages – and pet food – are things we take for granted as being readily available and safe to consume whenever and wherever we are.

From a governance perspective, strict regulations are in place to ensure food is produced and handled in the correct way and from a manufacturers brand and reputation viewpoint, product quality and consistency is equally important and the two go hand in hand. Australia produces most of its own food and exports a large amount overseas and we have a reputation for producing safe and high-quality product.

There can be many steps in the process of making food, from growing and harvesting, transportation to a production facility, tracking of products from their origin, storage of food, preparation, processing, cooking, packaging, labelling, storage and refrigeration, transport and distribution to the end user. Quality Control is a key area of focus and so accurate measurement of key parameters like temperature, flow, pressure and analytical parameters are very important. Regular calibration of critical equipment is required and traceability of references to known standards is also needed along with good procedures and record keeping.

Tracking of product and serialisation are becoming key areas of focus as companies want to ensure they know where their products have originated but also what has happened to them in the production process if something should go wrong. Brand damage to an organisation can be a massive issue if there is a food scare where people get sick from consuming one of their products. They need to know which batch it came from but also where all the related goods are so they can recall other potentially contaminated product before it affects others.

None of this can be achieved in todays business environment without measurement, automation and control. Food safety and Quality Control are important factors in the Food and Beverage sector and this is reflected in design as well as work and maintenance practices.

Triple I can provide specialised personnel who have the experience and application knowledge required in these areas, especially:

  • automation and electrical engineers for control and electrical systems, measurement and reporting
  • functional and machine safety, HAZOPS, design, audits and reviews
  • electricians for installation and maintenance
  • instrument technicians for correct installation and calibration of key measurement parameters as well as Calibration Management
  • mechanical fitters to fabricate, install and maintain the various plant equipment around the site.