Tetra Pak collects Fi Europe award

Tetra Pak has received the Food Manufacturing Innovation Award from Fi Europe for its Tetra Pak Air Jet Cleaning System for Powder. It replaces manual cleaning-in-place (CIP) methods for powder handling equipment, with a dry approach that may deliver cost savings and facilitates quick changeovers between recipes, the company says.

Judged by independent industry experts, Fi Europe’s Innovation Awards recognise innovative food manufacturing or packaging equipment that improves manufacturing efficiency, reduces waste or enhances product safety. Three Tetra Pak innovations were named as finalists, out of 177 entrants. Also nominated in the Food Manufacturing Innovation category was the Tetra Pak^® Industrial Protein Mixer, which addresses an issue in high-protein beverage production: foaming during powder mixing, leading to product loss, extended downtime and reliance on defoaming agents.  

The winning system uses high-speed compressed air jets combined with vacuum extraction, and removes powder residues from all internal surfaces without requiring the machine to be opened. This maintains a sealed environment and eliminates moisture-related microbial growth risks associated with liquid cleaning. It operates without water or chemicals, eliminating wastewater treatment and reducing environmental impact. 

The Tetra Pak Air Jet Cleaning also delivers savings by reducing cleaning time from 90 minutes to 30 minutes per cycle. By reducing product loss and avoiding CIP liquids, the system can support both resource conservation and clean-label production goals, the company says.

It handles a wide range of powders, from dairy and nutritional products to plant-based and specialty mixes, and works for both small batches and large-scale production, making it useful for operations with frequent recipe changes as well as simplifying allergen management.