Extracting Dust, Powder, Mist & Smoke from Industrial Food & Beverage Environments

Promoting a Healthier and Safer Food Industry

Dust & powder extraction
Oil mist & fume extraction
Case studies
Applications

Dust & Powder Extraction in Food & Beverage Production

The food industry often uses ingredients in powder or solid form that generate airborne dust as a by-product of various manufacturing and processing methods. This is not only a result of grinding or milling, but also of other bulk handling methods such as tipping, conveying, packaging and transportation. Read more about dust & powder extraction.

Typical food ingredients include sugar, salt, flour, flavourings and othered powdered ingredients, and the extraction of dust and powders caused by these ingredients, is important for several reasons:

Protecting operators

Inhaling food dust can cause respiratory issues in workers and potentially lead to long-term health problems.
Preventing explosions

Certain food dusts and powders, such as those from flour or sugar, are explosive under certain conditions, posing a severe safety risk.
Improving product quality by preventing cross contamination

Dust and powder in the air can lead to cross contamination and inconsistencies in the foodstuffs, affecting the overall quality and safety of the end products.
Protecting the environment

Whilst most food-based products by their nature are not hazardous, any processes that are vented to atmosphere have a legal obligation to comply with emissions according to the Environmental Protection Act 1990’ (EPA).
Reducing housekeeping and minimising breakdowns

Powder and dust extraction contributes to operational efficiency. A build-up of dust can interfere with machinery operation and lead to more frequent shutdowns for cleaning and maintenance.

Contact our experts to discuss your needs so we can recommend the right dust extraction system for you.

Recommended Products

Customised Air Movement and Pollution Control

Oil Mist & Fume Extraction in Food & Beverage Production

Oils used in industrial food processing in applications such as cooking, frying, baking and roasting can result in nuisance oil mist, fume and smoke.

Oils can cause fire hazards and some oils may solidify at room temperature - clogging equipment and causing housekeeping issues. Production environments can get greasy and floors may become slippery and hazardous to walk on. Mist from oils can also reach other parts of the factory causing product cross contamination and / or reach ducting systems and make the ducting oily or cause blockages.

Fume and smoke extraction systems such as ventilation hoods, ductwork, filters, and fans can negate fumes and odour and oil mist filtration can be used to capture oil mist.

Contact our experts to discuss your needs so we can recommend the right oil mist & fume extraction system for you.

Food & Beverage Production Case Studies

Bread & pastry manufacturer

Food machinery applications

Bakery production line

Snack food manufacturer

Smoked beef jerky manufacturer

Cheese manufacturer

Please contact us to discuss opportunities for using Filtermist units in the food industry

Health & Safety Information

Due to the nature of the processes involved in food production, dust caused by applications such as tipping, grinding and milling is one of the main risks to employee health within a food manufacturing facility – with the HSE citing exposure to flour dust as the UK’s second most common cause of occupational asthma.

“Efficient powder and dust extraction systems are critical components in food processing facilities.”

Removing mists caused by spraying vegetable oils in food production processes is also very important. If left in the atmosphere, oil mist can cause health risks as well as posing a fire and slip hazard. It can also affect the quality of the products being manufactured, causing unnecessary wastage.

All food and drink manufacturers are required to comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002 (COSHH) regulations, which provide a framework for the management of hazards including the assessment of health risks, the prevention of exposure where possible, adequate control of exposure, and the monitoring, surveillance, and examination of the work environment.

Local Exhaust Ventilation

Using Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) to reduce dust generated by food ingredients is an approved way of minimising the risk to employees, as well as guaranteeing companies are operating within the legal emissions limits.

Once an appropriate LEV system is installed, visual checks should be regularly undertaken to ensure the system is performing as intended, and it should be thoroughly tested by a competent person at least once every 14 months under COSHH Regulations.

It is the duty of employers to ensure that the health and safety of employees – as well as others entering their manufacturing facilities – is protected. Comprehensive assessments should be carried out to identify where any potential risks lie, and procedures and policies put into place to control and minimise them. Employers should understand their duties under HSE regulations, and should also undertake regular consultations with their team to provide information, instruction and training in relation to their health, safety and welfare.

Read more about HSE compliance Read more about LEV testing