Team 8R. Caleb BruhnRachel KurzejaKristine Nguyen

Team Introduction

Caleb Bruhn Kristine Nguyen Rachel Kurzeja

Faculty AdvisorsDr. Kirk Dolan Dr. Dan Guyer

Project Justification• Client produces cherry concentrate, variety of dried

fruits, and a nutraceutical product purified from cherry pomace

• Fluctuations in nutraceutical product quality due to presence of spoilage microorganisms

• Client must reprocess product of reduced quality, lowering profit margins

• Desire a solution that will be accepted by customers to maintain trust and positive relationships

Problem StatementThe client needs a design that:• Reduces the amount of spoilage microorganisms in

cherry pomace• Maintains the positive phytochemical attributes of

cherry pomace

Project Objectives• Reduce yeasts and molds to <1,000 cfu/g• Reduce total aerobic plate count to <10,000 cfu/g• Keep loss of anthocyanins <20% of initial levels• Maintain a cherry pomace production rate of at least

720 lb/hr

ConstraintsSolution must:• Keep coliforms to <10 cfu/g• Operate within client’s processing facility• Be implemented prior to final packing of the pomace

for transportation to a third-party freeze-dryer• Cannot adversely affect client’s juicing process,

which operates 24/7 during a six week period in the months of June, July, and August

• Be accepted by customers

Deliverables• Design that achieves project objectives• Design proven effective through testing

o Documented test results• Vendor recommendation• Economic analysis

Heating System Alternatives

1. Drum dryer 2. Cabinet dryer 3. Rotary dryer 4. Conveyer dryer 5. Fluidized bed dryer 6. Screw heat exchanger

Screw Heat Exchanger• Continuously recirculates

particles against heated surface

• Increases rate and evenness of heat transfer to product

• High control of conditions to which product is exposed 1

• Reduces the possibility of recontamination and leaving microorganisms untreated

Experimental Prototype

Validation of Anthocyanin Degradation

• Anthocyanins were extracted from heat treated and untreated cherry pomace

• pH Differential Method was used to quantify degradation of anthocyanins

• No statistically significant degradation of anthocyanins was found pH 1.0 pH

4.5

Reduction of Microorganisms

• Reductions quantified between untreated and heat treated samples:o Yeast and mold: 3.46 log reductiono Total aerobic plate count: 2.07 log reductiono Coliforms: no coliforms present in either sample,

unable to quantify reduction

2 3 4

• Therma-Flite Holo-Scru® HSD-13-18-5

Vendor System

5

6

Economic Analysis• Discounted payback period

• Economic analysis for system without cooling screw shows 3 year discounted payback period

• No definitive conclusions about economic feasibility of system as a whole can be drawn until cost of cooling screw is included

Project Summary• Proven that design achieves objectives:

o Reduces yeasts and molds to <1,000 cfu/go Reduces total aerobic plate count to

<10,000 cfu/go Keeps loss of anthocyanins <20% of initial levelso Maintains a cherry pomace production rate of at

least 720 lb/hr• Design team recommends that the client move

forward with project using Therma-Flite’s system based on economic analysis

Acknowledgements• The Client• Dr. Kirk Dolan and Dr. Dan Guyer – Faculty Advisors• Dr. Dana Kirk and Dr. Luke Reese – Course Instructors• Dr. Bradley Marks• Sunisa Roidoung• Dr. Leslie Borquin• Dr. Muraleedharan Nair• Dr. Elliot Ryser• Phil Hill• Nicole Hall

References1. www.indiamart.com/despro-technologies (n.d.) Screw

Conveyor Service2. Neogen (2015). Yeast and Mold Count NeoFilm.3. Neogen (2015). Aerobic Count NeoFilm.4. Neogen (2015). Coliform Count NeoFilm.5. Therma-Flite. (2015a). Therma-Flite Holo-Scru® HSD-

13-18-5 System.6. Therma-Flite. (2015b). Dual counter-rotating screws.7. Clipart illustration of two happy cherry faces (2015). Hit

Toon.

Thank you for your attention!

Do you have any questions?

7