Filling fish oil safely: protecting product quality from tank to container

Fish oil places special demands on industrial filling. The product is sensitive to oxygen, may have variable viscosity, and requires special attention in the filling process because of its strong odor and stringent hygiene requirements. For manufacturers of fish oil, omega-3 products, and dietary supplements, filling performance alone is therefore not enough. The decisive factor is protecting product quality reliably throughout the entire process.

With the A-DOS-FS and A-DOS-P1 filling systems, GREIF-VELOX offers solutions for processing and filling fish oil into drums and IBCs. For drum lines, VeloDrum SafeClosure can also integrate the automated opening and closing of defined fine-thread bung closures into the monitored filling process.

One of the key challenges is contact with oxygen. Fish oil is sensitive to oxidation. Oxygen introduced during filling can accelerate oxidation processes and thus impair product quality.

The filling process should therefore be designed to minimize unnecessary oxygen ingress and trapped air. GREIF-VELOX uses a combination of below-surface filling and optional nitrogen inerting for this purpose. Inerting can be carried out via the filling lance or a separate purging station and reduces the oxygen content inside the container. Filling below the liquid surface reduces turbulence, prevents foaming, and minimizes air pockets. At the same time, it supports high filling accuracy.

For a food product such as fish oil, selecting the materials that come into contact with the product is just as important as the filling process itself.

In the food-grade version, GREIF-VELOX uses 304 or 316 stainless steel and food-grade seals for all product-contact components. According to the product specification, the materials used meet the requirements of EU Regulations (EC) No. 1935/2004 and (EU) No. 10/2011 and are FDA-compliant. The complete system can optionally be manufactured in stainless steel.

Residues in filling lances or product lines can pose a quality risk for sensitive oils. At the same time, short downtimes and safe product changeovers are essential for economical production.

Different cleaning concepts are available for fish oil filling. These include CIP-capable solutions for fast cleaning of the filling lance and systems with a separate valve rack for internal and external cleaning.

Odor exposure can also be taken into account during system planning. GREIF-VELOX systems can be connected to existing extraction and filtration systems. Any vapors produced can therefore be removed in a controlled manner and integrated into existing exhaust-air concepts.

Process reliability begins before the actual filling operation. Damage to the inner surfaces of drums can pose a contamination risk. A camera-based internal drum inspection can therefore be integrated into the system. It checks the inner surfaces before filling and makes it possible to identify potential defects at an early stage.

A product sampling system can also be integrated at the end of the filling line. The advantage is that the sample comes from the product that was actually filled. The sample container can optionally be inerted as well.

With certain drum closures, a manual step may still be required after automated filling. VeloDrum SafeClosure closes this automation gap: the patent-pending fine-thread screwdriving solution opens and closes defined fine-thread bung closures before and after filling.

Positioning, tool engagement, and screwdriving are automated and monitored as part of the process. After image-guided positioning, a centering ring moves onto the bung opening. According to the product specification, a positive-pressure test confirms correct seating and sealing. Torque and insertion depth provide traceable process states.

For operators, this means fewer manual interventions at the container, more reproducible processes, and better integration of closure handling into automated drum and pallet lines. Specific suitability depends on the drum, bung opening, and closure type and is assessed for each application.

Alongside product quality and hygiene, documentation of the filling process is becoming increasingly important. The fully automated VeloFlexLabeler can print and apply batch numbers and product-specific data directly onto labels.

The system can be integrated into existing ERP or production control systems, supporting transparent documentation throughout the supply chain.

Not every production process has the same requirements. Different system concepts are therefore available for different production environments.

The A-DOS-FS is designed for single-drum filling. It is particularly suitable for production areas where pallets are not permitted in the filling zone or where flexible batch processing is required.

The A-DOS-P1 is designed as a fully automatic pallet filling system and can process both palletized drums and IBCs. Container transport, opening and closing of drums, labeling, and load securing can be integrated into the line. According to the data sheet, the system achieves an output of up to 40 containers per hour with 220-liter steel drums. Both systems are also available in an ATEX version if required.

For fish oil, process quality is not determined by the dosing operation alone. Oxidation protection, hygienic materials, cleaning, container inspection, sampling, controlled closure handling, and traceability must work together.

With A-DOS-FS and A-DOS-P1, GREIF-VELOX covers different levels of automation, from flexible single-drum filling to fully automatic processing of palletized drums and IBCs. VeloDrum SafeClosure adds monitored handling of defined fine-thread bung closures to automated drum lines.

Talk to the GREIF-VELOX experts about your requirements for containers, product quality, hygiene, closure handling, and level of automation.