Sieving cocoa powder, what mesh?

What is the most save way to filter big particles out of the cocoa powder?We are considering metal woven wire mesh and blue polyester wire cloth to use as a big round filter. However, we are not sure that we can detect and filter out all of the metal particles out of the cocoa powder once the metal wire mesh gets damaged. On the other side, we are considering to make use of a blue polyester wire cloth filter, blue is easy recognizable within foods due to the deviating color of the polyester.

What would you recommend us?

:)

Forgot to mention, but ofcourse with the emphasis on food safety in later stages.

Hi,

Its always better to use strong wire mesh as the sieve. But you should have a control plan of checking the sieve integrity before and after production. Once you find the sieve damaged, you are supposed resift the whole batch produced with the damaged sieve. This control plan will work good to avoid metal contamination also. Probably the mesh size should be less than 10 mesh size (2 mm) to avoid problems with physical particles in the product. Particles less than 2mm size are harmless except in high risk groups such as infants and patients.

-Pragash.

Hi,

Its always better to use strong wire mesh as the sieve. But you should have a control plan of checking the sieve integrity before and after production. Once you find the sieve damaged, you are supposed resift the whole batch produced with the damaged sieve. This control plan will work good to avoid metal contamination also. Probably the mesh size should be less than 10 mesh size (2 mm) to avoid problems with physical particles in the product. Particles less than 2mm size are harmless except in high risk groups such as infants and patients.

 

-Pragash.

Dear p.ramadoss,

"harmless" is perhaps a slightly incautious term for a statistical data domain, even with yr caveat.  :smile: Although you may be legally, nominally,  correct for the OP (?)  ?

I noticed this elsewhere (distribution / specific consumer group unstated) -

FDA Health Hazard Evaluation Board conclusions in cases of foreign materials (1972–1997) found that 56 percent of objects 1–6 mm in size might pose a limited acute hazard. For objects greater than 6 mm, only 2.9 percent were judged to present no hazard.

I suspect the words "might",  "judged" were selected with some care, not to mention the category chosen. :smile:

Rgds / Charles.C

Dear p.ramadoss,

 

"harmless" is perhaps a slightly incautious term for a statistical data domain, even with yr caveat.  :smile: Although you may be legally, nominally,  correct for the OP (?)  ?

 

I noticed this elsewhere (distribution / specific consumer group unstated) -

 

 

I suspect the words "might",  "judged" were selected with some care, not to mention the category chosen. :smile:

 

Rgds / Charles.C

Absolutely right Charles.

I didn't mention in detail about the FDA references. It is still a doubt on foreign matter even if it is less than 2 mm size. I guess with the available technology achieving less than 2mm size is easy and going for zero foreign matter in food is not possible.

What is the most save way to filter big particles out of the cocoa powder?

 

We are considering metal woven wire mesh and blue polyester wire cloth to use as a big round filter. However, we are not sure that we can detect and filter out all of the metal particles out of the cocoa powder once the metal wire mesh gets damaged. On the other side, we are considering to make use of a blue polyester wire cloth filter, blue is easy recognizable within foods due to the deviating color of the polyester.

 

What would you recommend us?

:)

I would use a wire mesh filter which is sturdy and built such such that the risk of any pieces breaking off is very small. Regular inspections should be carried out to ensure it is in good condition.

Regards,

Tony

The diameter of the wire is often over looked as an important factor that impacts food safety in favour of smaller giving a greater open area.

You should think about whether if a small piece of wire falls off whether any later piece of equipment could detect it. The smaller the wire diameter is the less there is a chance of it being found.

Also worth considering 400 series magnetic wire depending on whether you do wet/dry cleaner and how corrosive the ingredient is.

I use the woven wire mesh.

I have used everything from the very fine mesh, like a 100 x 100 mesh - 100 openings per inch, all the way down to a 10 x 10 - 10 openings per inch.

I would suggest obviously using a food grade stainless steel - and be sure to make checks on the sieve before and after every use.  In general, the mesh will not damage, because it is simply a series of long solid wires woven in between one another.  The only pieces that may break off are found where the mesh has been cut off of the roll...

I think it is a good idea to consider both solutions metal as well as polyester, since . Indeed the benefit of blue monofilament polyester mesh is that you can easily detect it between the food once the sieve or belt is damaged. Other two benefits of this type of polyester mesh is that those meshes are more resilient than metal mesh and it can be supplied hydrolysis as well. So I think both can be used and have its own benefits.

Of course I meant hydrolysis resistance polyester mesh, which can be a great value when processing foods into circumstances with high humidity.

In my opinion - woven wire screens - stainless steel - are the strongest and will last the longest, while also performing the best in filtration.

Dear Mr. Dijkman,

We advise to use Aisi 430 mesh.

This is a magnetic stainless steel that can be removed easily with a magnet.

If you need require more information, don't hesitate to contact me.

Best regards,

Dirk  

Thanks for the useful information!