DTS retorts for food and beverage sterilization
SZM International is the United States agent and partner of DTS Machinery Technology Co., Ltd., a specialist manufacturer of food and beverage sterilization equipment with more than 25 years in the industry.
Retort processing for a wider range of foods
High-protein foods, plant-based beverages, nutritional soups, functional drinks, ready-to-eat foods, and products containing vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, or plant-based ingredients are appearing in an increasing variety of food categories.
For consumers, factors such as nutrition, taste, convenience, and storage are important when choosing these products. For food manufacturers, moving from product formulation to commercial production involves additional considerations, including packaging characteristics, shelf-life requirements, and thermal processing conditions.
As product formulations become more diverse, retort processing is becoming an important consideration for manufacturers of shelf-stable foods.
Thermal processing for ready-to-eat meals
Ready-to-eat meals need more than convenient packaging. For manufacturers, the thermal processing step is an important part of product quality and production control.
Rice, curry, chicken, meat, vegetables, and sauces all have different formulations and heating characteristics. Packaging also varies from retort pouches and aluminum foil pouches to PP bowls, plastic containers, glass jars, and metal cans.
A food retort machine provides controlled heating, holding, and cooling to meet the thermal processing requirements of different ready-to-eat products.
Commercial sterility, inside the sealed pack
A retort is a pressure-rated vessel that thermally sterilizes sealed, packaged foods and drinks: cans, pouches, bottles and glass jars. It heats the product to a precise temperature under controlled pressure to reach commercial sterility and shelf stability, through come-up, holding and cooling phases, with counterpressure to protect the pack.
A retort type for every pack and product
Pressure is controlled independently of temperature, so it can be set to suit the packaging of each product.
Water spray
Process water is sprayed over the product from nozzles along the vessel. Heating and cooling run through a heat exchanger, so steam and cooling water never touch the product and no water-treatment chemicals are needed.
Water immersion
The product is fully immersed in hot water under counterpressure, for fast and uniform heat transfer.
Direct steam
Saturated steam with all air vented from the vessel. Simple to control and very uniform in temperature, typically for metal cans.
Steam and air
A steam and air mix with overpressure, which protects flexible and semi-rigid packs during sterilizing and cooling.
Rotary
The basket rotates so the contents move inside the pack. That speeds heat penetration in viscous products such as porridge, condensed milk and ready meals.
Pilot and lab retorts
One vessel that can run spray, immersion, steam and rotation, for developing new sterilization processes and measuring F0 values before production.
From a single vessel to a sterilization line
Loaders and unloaders
Automatic or manual loading for cans, aluminum bottles, plastic bottles and glass bottles.
Automated batch systems
Retorts, loaders and basket transport tied into one automated batch retort system.
Vertical crateless systems
Crateless retort systems for high-volume canned products.
Energy recovery
Options to recover heat and water between batches.
What DTS retorts sterilize
A specialist in sterilization since 2001
DTS is based in China. Its predecessor was founded in 2001 and the company took the DTS name in 2010.
Thermal process expertise
- Member of IFTPS, the Institute for Thermal Processing Specialists
- Works with FDA-approved third-party thermal verification agencies
- Familiar with FDA and USDA requirements from North American projects
Safety and control
- Retort door secured by triple safety interlocking
- Sterilization runs automatically from a PLC recipe
- Pressure controlled by compressed air throughout the cycle
Support
- Installation guidance on site or remotely
- Local agent services in 17 countries and regions
- SZM International is the DTS agent and partner in the United States
Planning a retort or a sterilization line?
Tell us your product, pack and batch size, and we will match a DTS retort to your process.