Subzero Engineering donates SIS 212 cleanroom to Purdue University

Subzero Engineering has donated a Simplex SIS 212 industrial cleanroom to Purdue University, a top ten public university in the United States, advancing discoveries in science, technology, engineering and math.

Built around simple, strong, and easy-to-assemble modules, the SIS 212 softwall cleanroom is designed for fast construction and can be 100% customized to suit the requirements of any application. The cleanroom donated to the university will be utilized in training and testing related to food preparation and processing and features extrusion technology for food production. The cleanroom is integral to Purdue’s ethos of setting the standard for food production and inspection training.

The cleanroom was launched at a dedication ceremony on 6th June hosted by Purdue, Hillenbrand and Coperion. The event featured live food extruder demonstrations and taste testing of extruded food products, showcasing Coperion’s ZSK 27 hybrid food extruders. Invitees also toured the pilot plant and sat in on technical presentations.

Jerry Cross, Central US and Canada Sales Manager for Simplex Isolation Systems said “We are very excited to be part of this program with Purdue. Our SIS-212 cleanroom will be enclosing the extruder being used for training various state authorities. The regulatory agencies, Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and food industry professionals will be using it for training in food inspection and regulations in a physical, live, functioning room, that’s producing real products.”

Dr. Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, Associate Professor and Director of Food Entrepreneurship and Manufacturing Institute (FEMI), Department of Food Science, Purdue University has said “This is a first-time application of the cleanroom for academia in the United States for extruded food production and in the entire history of the Department of Food Science at Purdue University. The ultimate aim is to train food industry and regulatory professionals on the latest procedures while in a true-to-life cleanroom. Here, students can interact with process experts on what they should expect to see out in the field. We also expect there will be an elevated level of education for those students studying in the food science and precision food production services faculties going forward.”

Dr. Subhashis Chakraborty, who is leading the qualification and validation activities of the extruder said, the world class cleanroom is surely the first of its kind achievement in State of Indiana USA, to be designed and installed in pilot conditions and presents an exciting opportunity for the industry and the students who are future food professionals. This also presents a unique opportunity for the industry to carry out pilot scale human-food trails following FSMA regulations in the Purdue University, Pilot food Plant. This is an encouraging advancement for the food safety and food security of the Indiana State as it encourages the utilization of alternative proteins for human food.