Food and Beverage Material Handling Equipment You Can Trust
Prater Industries has provided material handling equipment for nearly a century to support the food and beverage industry. Our machinery for bulk material handling and processing is renowned for its superior workmanship and robust designs, which help keep downtime and maintenance issues to a minimum. Due to the exceptional results Prater’s innovative solutions produce, our machinery is used globally by several prominent companies within the food and beverage sector. These companies include ConAgra Brands, Domino’s Pizza, Frito-Lay, General Mills, The Hershey Company, Quaker Oats Company, and Tyson Foods.
Prater’s machines were originally used to process agricultural products, such as milling flour for bread. Today, Prater equipment is used for foods and beverages that include baby foods, breakfast cereals, chewing gum, chocolate candy bars, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, granola bars, ice cream cones, instant and ground coffee, malted milk balls, parmesan and other types of cheese, powdered milk, preprepared mixes, soups, tapioca, powdered eggs and various types of pasta. Our equipment also processes brewers’ grain and yeast for brewed drinks, cocoa for chocolate, distillers’ grain for distilled spirits, gelatin for gummy candies, and vanilla beans for flavored treats.
Prater’s engineers focused on the dangers of dust in various applications due in part to our long association with industries prone to dust explosions. Yet not only do our designs for collecting and limiting dust contamination make for a safer workplace, but these solutions make our machines easier to clean and maintain. This aspect of our machinery makes it ideal for food and beverage production facilities, which must maintain a hygienic production environment that meets rigorous regulations regarding cleanliness and sanitation. Prater has maintained a prominent place in the food and beverage manufacturing industry for many decades, offering an array of equipment from rotary airlock feeders to air classifying mills.
EQUIPMENT FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY
Our solutions for the food and beverage industry include:
Classification & Separation
Feeding/Metering/Rotary Airlocks
Particle Size Reduction
System Design & Integration
Toll Processing
Used by companies globally for innumerable applications, Prater equipment for the food and beverage industry includes:
Air Classifiers
Air Classifying Mills
Centrifugal Sifters, Rotary Sieves, and Rotary Sifters
Fine Grinders
Flake/Cake Breakers, Lump Breakers and Lump Crushers
Hammer Mills
Rotary Airlocks, Rotary Feeders, and Rotary Valves
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of food ingredients can be processed with bulk material handling equipment?
Bulk food processing equipment can handle a wide variety of ingredients including cereals, powdered milk, spices, cocoa, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, sugar, gelatin, coffee, and baking premixes. These materials often require particle size reduction, screening, or controlled feeding during production.
Why is particle size control important in food manufacturing?
Consistent particle size helps maintain uniform mixing, product texture, and processing efficiency. Milling, grinding, and sifting equipment are commonly used to control particle size in products such as cereals, powdered ingredients, cocoa, and processed grains.
What equipment is commonly used in food and beverage processing plants?
Food manufacturing facilities often use equipment such as hammer mills, centrifugal sifters, rotary airlocks, air classifiers, fine grinders, and lump breakers to process and handle powders, granules, and other dry ingredients.
How do processing systems help maintain sanitation and product safety?
Food processing machinery is typically designed with enclosed systems, dust collection capabilities, and cleanable surfaces that help reduce contamination risks and support hygienic production environments required by food safety regulations.
Can food processing equipment be integrated into complete production systems?
Yes. Many food manufacturers combine size reduction, screening, conveying, and feeding equipment into fully integrated processing systems to maintain consistent throughput, product quality, and operational efficiency throughout the production line.