Toll Manufacturing Minute with CPS: Food and Pharma Blending

In the food and pharmaceutical industries, precision is key, especially when it comes to blending ingredients. Whether you’re working with powders or other dry substances, achieving a consistent, homogenous blend is critical for meeting strict regulatory requirements and ensuring the final product's quality. Dry blending, a method that focuses on low-energy mixing of dry ingredients, plays a pivotal role in many manufacturing processes. This blog will explore the significance of dry blending, the challenges it addresses, and how industry leaders like Custom Processing Services ensure optimal results for their clients.

Understanding Dry Blending and Ingredient Blending

Dry blending is an essential process in various industries, particularly in food and pharmaceutical manufacturing. This method involves combining two or more dry powders or substances to achieve a homogenous mixture. Unlike mixing, which uses more energy and applies to liquids and gases, dry blending focuses on minimal energy use and often involves tumble blending to ensure the best results with dry ingredients.

Key Industries Using Dry Blending

Many industries benefit from dry blending, including the chemical, medical, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors. For example, in food and pharma, the homogeneity of the final blend is critical to meet regulatory standards and ensure product consistency. The cosmetic and fragrance industries also rely heavily on accurate dry blending to maintain product quality.

Why Blending Matters in Food and Pharma

Blending in the food and pharma industries is particularly crucial due to strict regulatory requirements, such as those enforced by the FDA. In these sectors, ensuring that blends are 100% homogenous is vital, as any variation can compromise the final product and potentially pose risks to consumers. The pharmaceutical industry, in particular, benefits from precise control over particle size reduction through processes like jet milling

At CPS, all food and pharma operations are conducted in FDA-registered facilities, with processes certified under FSSC 22000. This certification ensures that every step, from raw material intake to final product delivery, meets stringent safety and quality standards.

Preventing Cross-Contamination with Strict Protocols

One of the significant challenges for toll processors like CPS is managing cross-contamination. Given the variety of products processed, it’s vital to clean equipment thoroughly between production runs. CPS follows detailed cleaning protocols and conducts stringent checks to verify that no residual materials remain before starting a new batch. These procedures help ensure that there’s no risk of cross-contamination between different ingredients, particularly in sensitive industries like food and pharma.

Choosing the Right Blending Equipment

The type of blender chosen for a specific product depends on several factors, including the particle size, bulk density, and flow characteristics of the ingredients. CPS offers various blending technologies, including double ribbon blenders and cone blenders, to accommodate different product requirements.

For example, ribbon blenders are commonly used for dry ingredients that require more aggressive mixing, while cone blenders are often employed for more delicate materials. Evaluating powder blending companies based on their equipment and expertise ensures the best results for each project. CPS ensures the right equipment is selected based on the customer’s needs, ensuring optimal results for each project. 

The Importance of Trials in Ingredient Blending

Running trials is a crucial part of CPS’s approach to ingredient blending. These trials help establish feasibility, validate processes, and ensure that the product can be produced to the required specifications. From small-scale tests to full commercial production, trials help optimize the process and ultimately lower costs for customers by improving efficiency.

Dry blending is a fundamental process in ingredient blending for food and pharma applications, requiring careful consideration of equipment, safety protocols, and product specifications. With extensive expertise in handling complex blending needs, CPS is a trusted partner for manufacturers seeking high-quality, FDA-compliant solutions.

Interested in learning more about how CPS can support your food and pharma manufacturing needs? Download our Milling Methods for Food and Pharma guide to explore how we can help you achieve the highest quality blends for your products.