Sealed Air (Root-Längenbold, Switzerland), presents the Cryovac BL120, a new automatic bag loader with a presser for hygienic packaging of whole broilers. The automatic packaging process ensures freshness and improves the presentation of poultry, making the product safe and sustainable, according to the company. Although automation is not new in the poultry sector, packaging and portioning have always been areas where human intervention was unavoidable. With the BL120 a whole wet bird can be received directly from the shackle line and packaged in Cryovac shrink bags. Depending on the weight of the bird, it is automatically assigned to a BL120 bag loader. The hocks are broken and the bird is prepared for vacuum packaging and taping on a rotating vacuum chamber machine.
Because no part of the bird is touched by human hands during packaging, it is protected from potentially harmful food pathogens and cross-contamination is avoided. The shelf life is also extended from five to twelve days because of the automated process and the use of Cryovac barrier bags.
The attractive packaging also emphasises the appealing shape of the bird. The Grip& Tear opening tab is also very easy and comfortable for consumers to use.
The main components of the Cryovac BL120 are an adjustable feed tunnel, the (customised) outlet opening, the integrated presser, a light tower to provide an overview of production and a foldable platform for easy access to the upper parts of the machine for maintenance, operating adjustments and cleaning.
The programmable logical control (PLC) of the BL120 bag loader is equipped with proximity sensors to identify operating faults and triggers an alarm on the operator console. This function helps to prevent excessive wastage of product and to minimise machine downtime.
The construction of the loader is simple and robust. All essential parts are treated so that they can resist a corrosive environment. The design, which emphasises ergonomics, safety and hygiene, is easy to clean and maintain and meets all relevant European legal requirements for safety and hygiene features.