In the past, meat was preserved with a lot of salt, and fruits and vegetables were literally boiled to mush. In the process, valuable nutrients were lost. Today, a much gentler process is used: High Pressure Processing (HPP). The food is subjected to a pressure of 6,000 bar and thus preserved. But: If you want to use it efficiently, you need certification according to the International Featured Standard (IFS). Our #topteam of Dr. Jasna Ivanovic (Quality Management Representative/Sales), Sergej Dimmel (Quality Management Representative/Production), Christian Myland (CEO) and Boris Brockhaus (Sales) implemented the certification for the center in Quakenbrück in just six months – a third faster than usual.
What did you achieve as a team?
"The International Featured Standard (IFS) Global Markets Food (Intermediate Level) is recognized worldwide and is considered a very highly regarded standard for food safety, especially in the EU. Initially, we never thought we would overcome this high hurdle in six months. But after we sat down together and discussed the individual steps, we realized that as a team we could do it. Everyone knew what had to be done. This certification is a strategic milestone for us."
How did you achieve that together?
"We all pull together – and we constantly exchanged ideas. We talked a lot and were always willing to learn from each other. This allowed us to combine and use knowledge from different areas of expertise. In addition, the core team in Quakenbrück gave us a lot of input and we were trained in food safety and quality. Over time, this made us a stronger team."
The process of High Pressure Processing of food products
At the HPP center in Quakenbrück, Germany, food is preserved under high pressure. The operator is thyssenkrupp Uhde High Pressure Technologies.
What does your achievement mean for thyssenkrupp?
"Implementing a food safety quality system in our company is, of course, not done with a snap of the fingers. In January 2021, the HPP Center in Quakenbrück had been approved. So we had already started with the high-pressure treatment. But without IFS, our customers had to rely on expensive and time-consuming supplier audits. So our goal was clear: improve market opportunities within supply chains and meet formal access requirements. We have achieved this. Our customers now get better and safer food – and the trust of their end customers has increased. A win-win situation! For us, engineering means that as a team we are continuously developing our HPP technology. We are working to be able to apply it in even more areas – and to make it even better. That's how we can meet tomorrow's market demands."
This is how High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) of food works
The HPP center in Quakenbrück was approved in 2021 and is the largest center for High Pressure Pasteurization of food products in Germany. It was built by Uhde High Pressure Technologies (HPT). It has a capacity of up to 26 tons of food per day. The process is certified to one of the world's most important food safety standards. In addition to Germany, the catchment area for the center includes the BeNeLux states and our neighboring countries to the north and east.
We congratulate Uhde's #topteam on this great achievement and wish them continued success
Are you also part of a #topteam? Then send us an email. We look forward to celebrating your successes together!
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