Food Pre-Wash Eliminates Excessive Labor & Product Loss

Food Processor Pre-Wash Eliminates Excessive Labor

and Product Loss with LAKOS Separators

A pre-washing system for lima beans was redesigned around three LAKOS Separators for improved water conservation and reduced bean damage. As a bonus, Gerawan Foods, Inc. of Sanger, California achieved: 1) an annual labor savings of over $2,700; 2) complete elimination of quality control rejection because of silt problems; and 3) a dramatic reduction in sewage and operating costs.

Gerawan processes up to 12 million pounds of lima beans in late summer every year. Their pre-washing stage at times, however, used to force visible silt under the beans’ skins, inevitably causing several loads of beans to be dumped each year for quality control reasons. No less of a problem was a strict limit on sewage volume and silt content, due to the town’s already overtaxed wastewater system. Something had to be done.

Having already experienced the performance of LAKOS Separators on one of their carrot washing operations, Gerawan implemented a means to continuously and completely recycle the bean washing water through three LAKOS Separators, capable of handling a peak flow demand of up to 1,100 U.S. GPM (250 m3/hr.).

“We eliminated QC rejection due to silt in the beans,” says Jeff Wick, Gerawan’s Technical Services Manager, “and we no longer had to shut down to shovel sand and silt out of the gutters or sumps … or suffer the inefficiencies of silt-clogged pre-washing equipment.”

Eliminating 8-12 hours of manpower labor every day during a 40-day season saves Gerawan over $2,700 according to Wick. The sewage discharge problem also disappeared, requiring only a daily recharge instead of continuous fresh make-up water. “We suspect that even our pumps and wash system spray nozzles benefit from the reduced sand abrasion,” says Wick. “No losers!”

Others who have used LAKOS Separators for similar applications:

HUNT WESSON FOODS; Perrysburg, OH

MIKE YUROSEK & SON (BUNNY-LUV CARROTS); Lamont, CA

SOLARGY, INC.; Tucson, AZ

PATTERSON FROZEN FOODS; Patterson, CA

UNITED SUPPLY; Wenatchee, WA

UNIVERSAL FROZEN FOODS; Twin Falls, ID

LAMB WESTON; Hermiston, OR