Agri-Neo has introduced its new and improved organic, non-thermal Neo-Pure™ food safety system that pasteurizes nuts, seeds, and grains and increases throughput, efficiency, and cost-savings for food processors. Neo-Pure provides a validated 5-log kill step for a wide range of low-moisture foods while maintaining the raw nutrition and sensory qualities of nuts, seeds, and grains.

“Neo-Pure maintains the nutrition that flourishes naturally in food to support the health and well-being of the people who eat it,” says Rob Wong, president of Agri-Neo. “Neo-Pure is the only organic, non-thermal pasteurization process available to food processors who want to meet the growing consumer demand for raw nuts, seeds, and grains.”

The Neo-Pure pasteurization process eliminates pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Listeria. Since it does not use steam, chemical gas, or irradiation, it preserves the natural taste, smell, texture, and nutrition of the food.

How Neo-Pure Works
The Neo-Pure food safety system pasteurizes food at a minimum of three metric tonnes per hour in a continuous process flow. This improves efficiency and generates cost savings compared to other commonly used pasteurizers that use a batch process. The Neo-Pure food safety system works by misting Neo-Pure, an organic liquid solution composed entirely of ingredients found in nature, onto the food. This technique uniformly destroys pathogens on the foods’ surface and in cracks and crevices that can harbor pathogens. Afterward, Neo-Pure completely biodegrades. As a result, the food is pasteurized but not cooked, leaving the food safe and raw, just as nature intended.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Health Canada have approved Neo-Pure as a processing aid, so labeling is not required. It is certified organic to the standards of the U.S. National Organic Program and Canada Organic Regime. It also meets Kosher and Halal guidelines. 

Closed-Loop System Maximizes Safety and Efficiency
The Neo-Pure food safety system is fully enclosed to prevent cross-contamination of food as food travels through the pasteurization process. Unlike other pasteurization systems, it seamlessly integrates into any operating environment with a flexible layout and a footprint of only 1,500 square feet. 

One operator can run the Neo-Pure food safety system using the 16-inch touchscreen controller. After the operator selects a food profile from the pre-programmed run specification, the system runs autonomously. The Neo-Pure food safety system tracks data in real-time by graphing critical control parameters for quality assurance and control. The controller sends messages and alarms to the operator or stops the process if any of the parameters do not meet specifications.

Long-Term Partner Support
The in-house food safety science team at Agri-Neo conducts a proprietary 14-point validation process to ensure the nutrition, sensory, shelf life, and germination ability are intact without any compromises. Approved third-party process authorities validate the effectiveness of the Neo-Pure pasteurization process for each food type.

“We build long-term relationships with our partners,” says Wong. “Whereas other equipment manufacturers focus solely on selling equipment, our team works hand-in-hand with our partners to address the ever-changing landscape of food safety. We help our partners grow their business by providing ongoing resources to support new commercial opportunities and help them create higher-quality food with the Neo-Pure pasteurization process and solution.”