2017 PROCESS EXPO to Focus on Dairy and Milk Processing; Key Trends to Be Focus of Education Program Including HPP, Labeling Laws, and More

MCLEAN, VA--(Marketwired - Feb 2, 2017) - Dairy and milk processing have long been an integral part of the PROCESS EXPO trade show event and the 2017 event, taking place September 19-22 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, will once again be the equipment focused trade show in the fall for dairy processors. The dairy industry's support of this event helps to deliver thousands of dairy industry professionals in search of new technology that they can fit into their operations for the following year.

The show floor will feature a special Dairy Zone with suppliers who understand the unique needs of dairy processors. From equipment and sanitation solutions to new ingredients and flavors, attendees will find value not only in the Dairy Zone but also from other food and beverage sectors. This area and the PROCESS EXPO show floor will feature prominent suppliers such as Alfa Laval, SPX Flow, GEA Group, Walker Engineered Products, Boccard Life Sciences, Axiflow Technologies, A.R. Arena Products, and Paul Mueller Company to name a few.

"We highly encourage dairy industry professionals to make plans to attend PROCESS EXPO where they will find new solutions and have access to leaders in the industry who will share important updates impacting the industry in the education courses and our meet ups," said Bill McPhail, Chair of the FPSA Dairy Council and President of Max Engineering & Consulting. "We are working diligently to facilitate connections in the dairy industry and provide great value for attendees for their participation at the show."

Trends that will be addressed on the show floor and through the education program include Food Safety with a focus on the implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA); updates on 3-A Sanitary Standards; the impact of Labeling Laws; and the trend in the use of natural ingredients. In addition, food processing technology will be showcased and discussed including Cold Process Pasteurization, High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP), the process involved in the development of functional foods, and the rise of process equipment for craft beverages and artisanal cheese manufacturers.

"Many of these trends are important to all sectors of the food processing industry and the FPSA councils are working to address each of these and the impacts they have on the various segments," added Bill McPhail. "PROCESS EXPO is the premier food processing event, in an ideal location at the prime time of year offering great value to the 15,000+ attendees. The trade show and education component of PROCESS EXPO offers attendees insights from experts as well as new ideas they can take back to their plant for immediate returns."

The expansive PROCESS EXPO show floor will feature the Virtual Reality Showroom, Food Safety Summit Theater, networking events, Innovations Showcase, the University Quad, student poster presentations, a Beer Garden, and much more. Over 600 exhibiting companies, spanning 220,000 square feet will offer equipment, machinery and demos for buyers in all of the vertical industry sectors, including: bakery, grains, seeds and snacks, beverage, dairy, meat, poultry and seafood, prepared foods, fruits and vegetables, confectionery and candy, co-packers, and pet foods. Registration is now open.

General sales of exhibit space are available on the website, where you can reserve a booth. For more information about exhibiting, contact Grace A. Cular Yee, Vice President, Sales, at 703-663-1220 or Alaina Herrera, Exhibit Sales Associate, at 703-663-1212.

The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) is a global trade association serving suppliers in the food and beverage industries. The Association's programs and services support member's success by providing assistance in marketing their products and services, overall improvement in key business practices and many opportunities to network among industry colleagues. Programs and services to achieve these objectives include PROCESS EXPO (industry leading trade show), electronic media marketing, education, market intelligence, research, and advocation of critical industry issues such as food safety, sanitary design of equipment, and global trade.

FPSA members are organized in vertical industry councils which focus on specific needs and concerns that are unique to each industry sector. FPSA councils currently represent the Bakery, Beverage, Dairy, Prepared Foods and Meat sectors.