• Frequently Asked Questions
    Industry knowledge and experience
    Q: What is FresherTech?
    Q: Why FresherTech?
    Q: What does a FresherTech unit look like?
    Q: How does FresherTech address quality issues associated with Chinese products?
    Q: Do FresherTech products comply with International Standards?
    Q: Is FresherTech an approved form of food and beverages processing?
    Q: What is FresherTech High Pressure Processing?
    Q: What is the production capacity of the FresherTech factory?
    Q: What is the throughput for the FresherTech Duo H200L/600F?
    Q: What hold time is required for effective High Pressure Processing (HPP)?
    Q: How safe are FresherTech systems?
    Q: What sizes do FresherTech systems come in?
    Q: How long does it take to replace an intensifier on a FresherTech system?
    Q: What brand of Control System software is used by FresherTech?
    Q: What happens if a cup/bottle/package breaks inside a FresherTech pressure chamber?
    Q: Are there any visual operational indicators on FresherTech systems?
    Q: Why do FresherTech Duo models use two (2) pressure chambers?
    Q: Why do FresherTech competitors use wire-wound frames and pressure chambers?
    Q: What language is used on Control Panels, Displays and Manuals for FresherTech systems?
    Q: What products are suitable for processing using FresherTech High Pressure Processing
    (HPP) systems?

    Q: Are there any periodic maintenance spare parts provided with FresherTech systems?
     
    Question: What is FresherTech? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech is the industry leader in Next Generation High Pressure Processing (HPP) systems that use pressures of about 6000 times atmospheric pressure on foods and beverages to kill pathogens, extend shelf life and improve product texture.
     
    Question: Why FresherTech? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech HPP systems have by far the lowest TCO (total cost of ownership) of any system on the market today. FresherTech systems are safer than the failure-prone wire-wound systems sold by the competition and have had no catastrophic failures to date.
     
    Question: What does a FresherTech unit look like? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech represents the state of the art in HPP. FresherTech systems are designed for ease of use and ease of maintenance. The modular design gives great flexibility in the placement of system components.
    FresherTech Duo H200L/600F
     
    Question: How does FresherTech address quality concerns regarding Chinese manufacturing? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: The FresherTech factory is ISO9001:2008 certified. Like Honda, FresherTech believes that “quality
    is about production standards not where a product is built
    ”. For example BMW, Audi, Mercedes Benz and
    Lexus in addition to many other global brands manufacture products in China. **

    High tech manufacturing is moving away from countries like Spain and Sweden where our major competitors build their systems and into China and other emerging Asian countries. FresherTech

    FresherTech uses best-of-breed technologies from around the world including Japanese controls and American sensors. FresherTech systems are Next Generation HPP technology and are notably superior to our competitors obsolete technologies and manufacturing techniques. *Source: China Daily, September 2010

    **Source: Auto Motor Sport magazine, 2010
     
    Question: Do FresherTech products comply with International Standards? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: Yes, FresherTech systems are designed, developed, manufactured and tested in accordance
    with ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Division 3 (U3 Certified). FresherTech
    also holds CE and ISO9001 – 2008 Certification.

    Note: FresherTech have recently been advised that it has become “the first Chinese and currently one of only
    a few HPP manufacturers in the world whose equipment is built in accordance with the requirements of the ASME Boiler
    and Pressure Vessel Code Division 3 rating
    ”, making it one of the if not the safest HPP system currently available in the world today.
     
    Question: Is FresherTech an approved form of food and beverages processing? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: Yes, FresherTech like other forms of High Pressure Processing (HPP) is a recognised and
    approved means of processing for the food and beverages industry. Importantly, HPP is recognised by the FDA,
    USDA as well as other international beverages and food agencies and achieves the necessary 5-Log pathogen
    reduction while complying with HACCP Regulations.
     
    Question: What is FresherTech High Pressure Processing? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: High Pressure Processing (HPP) therefore, FresherTech is an independently Certified means
    of Pasteurisation for the food and beverage industry. HPP is recognised by the FDA & USDA. It also increasingly required by major retailers for food safety and shelf life. In brief one of the world’s leading Scientific and Industrial Research
    Organisations namely the CSIRO in Australia states that:

    “High Pressure Processing (HPP) is a way to process foods without using heat”

    “It has the potential to produce high quality, fresh, nutritious, safe-to-eat foods without using chemical
    preservatives”

    “HPP involves subjecting food to 300 to 700 MPa of pressure”

    “The high pressure used in HPP kills most micro-organisms, by damaging cell components such as
    cell membranes”

    “Unlike thermal treatment, HPP does not significantly affect flavour and nutritional value”

    “With HPP it is possible to produce safe fresh foods with enhanced organoleptic (smell, taste, etc.),
    nutritional and functional properties with an extended shelf life”


    HPP can potentially eliminate the allergic reaction that many people have to Milk, Seafood and even Rice.
     
    Question: What is the production capacity of the FresherTech factory? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech can manufacture fifty (50) units per year in our current factory located in China
    however; due to demand we are in the process of developing a larger manufacturing facility with a capacity
    to manufacture over one-hundred and fifty (150) units per year. This new manufacturing facility will also
    include a state-of-the-art R&D centre, Training, Administration and After Sales Support offices.
     
    Question: What is the throughput for the FresherTech Duo H200L/600F? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: The FresherTech Duo H350L/600F has up to twice the throughput of the higher priced systems our competitors are selling. FresherTech also uses automation and intelligent basket design to further maximize throughput.
     
    Question: What hold time is required for effective High Pressure Processing (HPP)? ^^ scroll up
    Answer:The US FDA advises that “Target pressure hold times of 5 min or less are desirable.” CHIC
    FresherTech systems generally use a hold time of around 3 minutes for fruit or juice applications. The
    FDA also advises that “This is in contrast to batch thermal processes which many require 60 min to
    complete a process cycle.
    ” On this basis alone even if the cost per m3 product for HPP is higher than
    for thermal processing, as long as the HPP unit has greater capacity than the thermal unit the cost per
    cycle for HPP will be less than for thermal processing hence one of the many reasons why CHIC
    FresherTech have a range of large capacity models available for multiple applications.
     
    Question: How safe are FresherTech systems? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech systems have been independently tested by a leading agricultural university
    in China to withstand pressures of up to 750MPa (108,774 psi). FresherTech systems are designed
    and developed in accordance with applicable Safety Codes (ASME Section 8, Division 3 of the Boiler and
    Pressure Vessel Code) that requires “the inner cylinders to crack to allow leakage to relieve pressure
    and thus avoid catastrophic failure of the pressure vessel ("leak before break")
    ”. Further, utilising a
    “permanently pressurised, outer cylinder to ensure a cycle life of over 100,000 cycles at pressures
    of 680 MPa or higher.
    ” During our AutoFrettage ultra-high pressure cold tempering process our processing
    chambers are subjected to pressures of 960MPa (139,231 psi). Further, all FresherTech High Pressure
    Processing (HPP) systems are pre-delivery tested to 750MPa (108,774 psi) to ensure the safety and reliability
    of our products. FresherTech systems have had no catastrophic failures in over 10 years of global sales, have a cycle
    life of over 200,000 cycles and are a preferred supplier to Universities and R&D facilities worldwide.

    Note: FresherTech have recently been advised that it has become “one of only
    a few HPP manufacturers in the world whose equipment is built in accordance with the requirements of the ASME Boiler
    and Pressure Vessel Code Division 3 rating.
    ” making it one of if not the safest HPP systems currently available in the world today.
     
    Question: What sizes do FresherTech systems come in? ^^ scroll up
    Answer:FresherTech commerical systems come in 100, 200, 300, 350, 400 & 500 liter chamber sizes. All of these chamber sizes can fitted in 1, 2 or 4 chamber systems. Customers can right-size there systems all the way up to an industry-leading 2000 liters. sizes and configurations to meet our customers
    processing and plant room requirements. As our systems are modular in design they can be readily
    reconfigured to meet our customer’s particular needs. For example FresherTech can provide
    system capacities from 3 Liters to over 500 Liters in Mono, Duo, Trio and Quattro formats with regular,
    slim-line, parallel or linear configurations.
     
    Question: How long does it take to replace an intensifier on a FresherTech system? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech intensifiers can be replaced in under three (3) hours if a spare is on-hand
    in the customer’s plant or in around one (1) month if we have to send-out a replacement. Importantly,
    if only one (1) intensifier needs replacing the second intensifier can still be used therefore, processing
    can continue at a reduced output.
     
    Question: What brand of PLC is used by FresherTech? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech use Omron systems from Japan as the standard in our systems. Allen Bradley, Siemens or any other control system are available on request.
     
    Question: What happens if a cup/bottle/package breaks inside a FresherTech pressure chamber? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech systems generally use filtered water, in the event of any major cup/bottle/package
    spillage the Stainless Steel pressure chamber can be easily purged and cleaned, with filtered water being
    replaced. If required as an optional extra we can include an auto clean and purge cycle in our systems.
     
    Question: Are there any visual operational indicators on FresherTech systems? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: Yes, FresherTech systems have visual operational indicators on all of their pressure chambers
    to ensure the safety of all plant operators.
     
    Question: Why do FresherTech Duo models use two (2) pressure chambers? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech Duo’s use two (2) pressure chambers to allow for faster processing, thereby
    almost eliminating any downtime as one chamber can be serviced while the other is still operating, and to
    reduces metal fatigue thereby improving safety and extending product maintenance and operation life. We
    build 1, 2, 3 and 4 chamber systems to meet our customers specific processing and throughput
    requirements. Our systems are also plug & play upgradeable when additional chambers need to be added. The cost penalty for buying less and upgrading later is very low. FresherTech encourages customers to right-size their systems and upgrade as demand requires.
     
    Question: Why do FresherTech competitors use wire-wound frames and pressure chambers? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: Wire-winding is an old and readily available Engineering technique first used in 1953 that is not too
    difficult to manufacture however, such systems are generally larger, heavier, slower, susceptible to moisture
    and substantially more expensive to purchase, operate and maintain. Our competitors don’t have access to
    patent- pending weapons research-based pressure chamber technology incorporating a double layer
    heat-shrink sleeve, AutoFrettage and other advanced technologies such as laminated materials so they just
    stick with what they have to save costs in having to re-Engineer their manufacturing plants to adopt the latest
    technology. If our competitors had access to such technology and fully understood the benefits of FresherTech we are sure they would adopt the same technology.
     
    Question: What language is used on Control Panels, Displays and Manuals for FresherTech systems? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech uses English on all Control Panels, Displays and Manuals, Chinese (Simplified)
    is also available or as an optional extra and with the assistance of our customers we can use a language to
    meet their requirements.
     
    Question: What products are suitable for processing using FresherTech High Pressure
    Processing (HPP) systems?
    ^^ scroll up
    Answer: FresherTech HPP systems can be used to process many products including but not limited
    to the following:
    • Fresh juices, smoothies and beverages
    • Fruits and vegetables
    • Ready-to-eat whole muscle and sliced meats
    • Deli salads and dips
    • Seafood
    • Shellfish shucking and meat retrieval
    • Pre-cooked RTE rice
    • Other applications including Medical, Pharmaceutical and Wood processing, etc.
     
    Question: Are there any periodic maintenance spare parts provided with FresherTech systems? ^^ scroll up
    Answer: Yes, all FresherTech systems come complete with two (2) years periodic maintenance spare
    parts that include:
    • One-way valve x 5 sets
    • Automatic relief valve x 5 sets
    • Intensifier sealing x 2 sets
    • Vessel sealing x 5 sets
     

       
    HPP | HHP | UHP | Cold Pasteurisation | High Pressure Pasteurisation | High Pressure Food Processing | High Pressure Processing
    Cold Water Pressure | Ultra High Pressure Processing | Under High Pressure | High Pressure Water | High Hydrostatic Pressure
    © CHIC Group 2010 FresherTech is a trademark of the CHIC Group