Allpax Signs Deal to License Shaka(TM) Process.

COVINGTON, La. -- Allpax Products, Inc., a division of Pro Mach, has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Zinetec Ltd. of Oxfordshire, England, to become the sole U.S. licensee of the Shaka(TM) batch retort process, which significantly reduces sterilization times, improving the taste, color, texture and mouth feel of shelf-stable products. The first Allpax product available with Shaka[TM] technology is the Allpax 2402SK R&D Retort for packaging applications involving food, produce, beverage, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and pet food products. This laboratory-sized research unit can run the full array of retort processes used in the industry today in addition to the new Shaka[TM] process. The 2402SK is engineered with a patent-pending spring design which not only dampens operational vibrations but also enables a more vigorous shaking and mixing of the product than competing designs.

"We have run a number of products in our lab using the Shaka[TM] process and for many of them we have seen significant reductions in thermal process times," said, Kevin Collins, Allpax director of thermal process services. "The excitement comes when you compare a Shaka-processed product to one that has undergone a typical static retort process - the difference is remarkable. Taste, mouth feel, and appearance are all qualities that immediately stand out, but a closer examination reveals other key benefits such as nutrient retention."

Shaka[TM] Technology

Shaka[TM] technology is a method of batch retorting in which packaged foods, pharmaceuticals or nutraceuticals are rapidly agitated during the retort process. The result is a better-tasting product with more appealing color, texture and mouth feel than products processed under other modes of in-container sterilization. With Shaka[TM], the quality of a retorted product can closely mimic that of one which has been aseptically processed. When using Shaka[TM] technology, a retort is filled with containers which the retort then shakes vigorously in a back-and-forth motion, mixing the container contents thoroughly, allowing for rapid and even heat transfer throughout.

About Allpax

Allpax manufactures a complete line of fully-automated sterilization and material handling equipment for companies that process prepared foods, produce, beverages, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and pet foods. Allpax is the sole U.S. licensee of the Shaka[TM] retort process. Allpax is headquartered in Covington, LA, and is a division of Pro Mach, Inc., a Loveland, OH-based provider of integrated packaging products and solutions for food, beverage, household goods and pharmaceutical companies. For more information about Allpax visit their website at www.allpax.com or contact Tyler Hudson at 985-893-2277 or [e-mail].