Behn + Bates introduced a new zero-hunger concept at Anuga FoodTec 2022 that uses waste-preventing filling machines and long-life packaging to support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger. 

Jonas Komitsch, head of service and modification at the German bag filling machinery specialist, tells PackagingInsights how this concept in action can help support global supply chains for food products like flour and cocoa with enhanced hygiene and optimal filling.

Behn + Bates also included developments by the Technical University of Munich (TU Munich) and the University of Freiberg in Germany in its portfolio, which are injury- and waste-preventing machinery for cocoa fruits and macadamia nuts, respectively.

“As a packaging supplier to the food industry, we are involved with several food suppliers, thus constantly in exchange and thought about what is important for a B2B supplier such as ourselves and what we can achieve. It is not our goal to only sell machines, but rather to strive to give something back, so we looked at how we could adjust our vision to be in line with what the UN sustainable goals include,” says Komitsch.

Optimal filling processes
The company’s filling technology makes it possible to package products as tightly and with as little residual air as possible, securing them against external influences such as impurities or moisture to prevent contamination and minimize spoilage. With its Seal technology, Behn + Bates fills products in sealed bags to prevent the product from escaping.

Jonas Komitsch, head of service and modification at Behn + Bates, speaking at Anuga FoodTec 2022.A wide variety of packaging materials can be handled on the machines depending on the application and shelf life required, including tear-resistant paper, plastic or aluminum bags.

“Waste often occurs during product transportation due to improper seals, product spillage or bag breakage. We make sure the product we transport only goes into the bag and nowher else. In short, we only fill as much as needed, with high weighing accuracy. The main result – and corresponding success – is that the packaging lasts throughout transportation until it reaches the end-consumer site,” explains Komitsch.

Infant food hygiene
Behn + Bates also provides a dedicated solution for the stricter hygiene regulations applying to infant food filling. Its Care-Line solution ensures children worldwide can have safe access to nutritious food.

“Hygiene is something we are almost obsessed about,” continues Komitsch. “With infant food, you have to ensure that no foreign objects come into contact with the product – our solution was to develop a hygienic machine exclusively for infant food, thereby creating a clean production line.”

“We fill and seal double-layered PE bags with milk powder, which then travel from our clients to their clients. Before being added to the production process and transported to the high care environment, the bag’s outer layer is ripped off while the inside layer remains 100% clean as it hasn’t come into contact with anything else in the production and filling process – ultimately no bacteria can contaminate the final product. That is why hygiene plays a big part of our philosophy.” Various materials can run on Behn + Bates’ machines depending on the required shelf life, including paper, plastic or aluminum bags.

Resealable and reusable bags
In cooperation with its partners, Behn + Bates continuously improves its used bag materials to enhance recyclability. 

“Of course, environmental sustainability demands influence our use of reusable or recyclable bags. This is something that is discussed with both clients and bag suppliers. Even though we don’t manufacture bags ourselves, they play an instrumental role in the working of our machines, and together we try to find the most environmentally sustainable solution,” says Komitsch.

“In many Southeast Asian or African countries, bags can have a second life. In these countries, the bags are reused as trash or carrier bags once the product has been emptied. With a normal valve bag, you are not able to reuse the bag due to the necessity of having to cut the bags open.”

“We are able to use ‘hybrid’ bags which are opened and used just like ‘open mouth bags’ but filled with valve bag technology and therefore sealed by ultrasonic sealing.”

The main consideration when deciding which bag material to fill is the product inside. For example, flour can be filled and transported in paper bags with adequate protection. However, if customers want to fill a more greasy product, extra protection is needed in the form of a PE liner.

Injury-alleviating machines
Behn + Bates is also looking beyond its own operations to support German universities in manufacturing and distributing safety- and yield-enhancing non-automated machines for products like cocoa beans and macadamia nuts.The University of Freiberg’s macadamia nut machine greatly improves production value.

“We are very active in the cocoa business and find that one of the main issues for cocoa powder production is in the process of extraction of the cocoa beans from the cocoa fruit. We will produce a development by TU Munich to allow a safer and easier extraction of the beans,” says Komitsch.

“This machine can replac the current process involving workers using a machete to open the fruit, which naturally creates a high risk for injury, thus we strive to find a safe system for the production line.”

Meanwhile, the company has built a connection with the University of Freiberg to improve the production value of macadamia nuts. A professor has developed a solution enabling workers to open macadamia nuts with significantly greater efficiency.

“Often, when macadamia nuts are opened, the nuts get cracked so they cannot be easily sold in its entire form, but rather in a less valuable crushed form. With this machinery, the yield of the whole nut is increased greatly,” explains Komitsch.