Case studies

  • Screw Decanter Centrifuge > HS-LS Type

Noda Shokukin Kogyo Co.,Ltd. Head Office

Application example of centrifuges: Application of our sanitary-type centrifuge helped ensure safety in food manufacturing. Increased efficiency through reduced work time.

Noda Shokuhin Kogyo Corporation is constantly developing and producing health foods and nutritional supplements for the well-being of Japanese people. We visited their facilities to conduct an interview to learn more about the background leading up to the adoption of our centrifuge (HS-LS Type) as part of their factory equipment and how the product has been integrated into their operations.

Company Overview

Noda Shokukin Kogyo Co.,Ltd. Head Office

Year of Establishment

August 22, 1969

Services

・Manufacture and sale of health foods and nutritional supplements incorporating edible mushrooms
・Manufacture and sale of drugs and medicines in accordance with the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law and the manufacture and sale of agricultural materials in accordance with the Agricultural Chemicals Regulation Act and the Fertilizer Control Act
Manufacture and sale of agricultural and horticultural materials based on the Control Law

Head Office

295 Nanakodai, Noda-shi, Chiba 278-0051

Website

http://www.nodashokukin.co.jp/

Mushroom fungus is recommended for those who
・Have imbalanced diets ・Are in the prime of their careers
・Are conscious about beauty and health ・Have irregular lifestyles

Company overview

Noda Shokuhin Kogyo Corporation was founded in August 1969. Their proprietary substance, LEM, is the product of the mycelial culture method and its active extraction method that were developed by the company's founder and former president, Chiyokichi Iizuka, in his world-renowned research. His research resulted in the acquisition of numerous patents, as well as the awarding of degrees in science and agriculture to Iizuka for his innovations. The findings on the shiitake mycelium culture medium extract (LEM) have been reported in academic conferences and scientific papers from numerous public institutions. LEM has been long been sold as a health food with a large following of individuals who consume it to maintain their health.

Background

Q What were the circumstances and challenges that led you to consider upgrading your centrifuges? What were the issues and requirements of your existing equipment?

The manufacturing process involves the separation of a mixture into solids and liquids. Our previous centrifuge system required the manual removal of solids, and in the process, the separated liquids were exposed to external air. This increased the risk of microbial contamination, raising concerns about the sanitation of the centrifuge system for use on food products.
Moreover, the removal of solids had to be conducted multiple times and that made the work highly inefficient. There was also the issue of equipment wear, causing a decline in separation efficiency. Additionally, it was becoming a challenge to secure manpower for the job, so we concluded that we would need equipment to solve all of these issues. That's when we began to consider upgrading our system.

Determining Factors

Q With the various challenges you were facing, could you please share the reasons for choosing our centrifuge? And what were the deciding factors in choosing our product?

Because we are handling food products, our equipment needs to be sanitary and have swift processing capabilities. IHI's centrifuge enabled continuous operation, so we felt that we could make full use of its capabilities. We also anticipated that if all goes well, the new equipment could potentially solve all our challenges at once.
Through the pilot operation using a demo unit, we evaluated the operability, product quality, time savings, and potential workforce reduction. We assessed these factors comprehensively and obtained satisfactory results, which further encouraged us to move toward our decision to utilize the product.

Outcome of Application

Q Have your challenges been resolved after utilizing our centrifuge? How has the system been received within your company?

After we introduced the product into our operations, we were able to realize more hygienic operations because there were fewer areas exposed to the exterior environment. This resulted in a significant decrease in bacterial contamination. The implementation of continuous operation improved our treatment capacity and the disposal of solids became easier, shortening the processing time by approximately two hours, thereby increasing our operational efficiency. We were also able to substantially reduce the number of workers who used to rely on other departments for assistance.

Actual Installation of the HS-LS Type Centrifuge

Future Outlook

Q Please share your future outlook and plans regarding centrifuges.

We want to explore the potential of centrifuges not only for our current food items but also for the items that we anticipate will be considered for production in the future. We hope to adopt IHI's centrifuges to our advantage.

Our Procuct

[製品写真]
  • Screw Decanter Centrifuge > HS-LS Type

To date, we have produced over 15,000 centrifuges that have been applied in various fields.

Among IHI's centrifuges, the HS-LS Type is recommended for customers requiring a sanitary and hygienic machine interior. The interior of the machine features a mirror polished finish and is equipped with a discharge system for cleaning and residual liquids. This model is utilized in fields such as food, pharmaceutical, and fine chemical industries where sanitation and hygiene are required.
(Posted on March 28, 2012)

Click here
for details