Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/540646
26 FEDA News & Views tiny. Manufacturers have tried to address some of these issues with new products that incorporate controls that monitor and/or raise alarms when they sense conditions that could impact food safety or produce high levels of effluence or odors. Regardless of how well thought out these products are, overall I sensed growing frustration with an increasing lack of uniformity in code requirements and compliance that will continue to challenge kitchen designers and opera- tors. Ever-Growing Number of Products Made Overseas Five or 10 years ago, attendees might see half a dozen Asian manufactur- ers of mixers, refrigerators, and soft- serve machines. Imported European equipment was mostly from Italy and Germany, usually in the form of pizza ovens, espresso machines, and combi ovens. If all the products at the show were tallied up, including those items that are part of a range of models from American brands and manufacturers, my guess is that more than 50 percent are manufactured overseas. A Few of My Favorite Products from NRA Nitrogen-Infused Cold-Brewed Coffee The next step in cold-brew coffee is to dispense it in a tower-like beer or wine piece of equipment. The magic ingredi- ent shown by at least three vendors at the show was adding nitrogen gas as a propellant and flavor enhancer. In addi- tion to enriching the taste of the coffee, it brought out the natural sugar in the bean. Visitors to the booths, who regular- ly use sugar with their coffee, were sur- prised that no added sugar was required with the nitrogen-infused product. EVO Event ™ Ductless Downdraft Ventless Cooking Station EVO has offered portable round grills to caterers and hotel event spaces for more than 10 years, but were limited to outdoor or temporary locations because they didn't have exhaust hood and fire protection systems integrated with their equipment. EVO has now developed and secured major approvals for two large griddles with an innovative downdraft grease and odor-capture system and ele- gantly placed fire suppression nozzles. In tests at several Benihana restaurants, these EVO ventless grills open up the potential for a wide variety of exhibition cooking stations in dining areas, server- ies and buffets, where it was previously impossible to cook with no ductwork for ceiling-mounted hoods. Franke Air Purification System (APS300) for Refrigeration Food spoilage/reduced shelf life create air quality and odor control challenges in refrigeration units. While UV air purifica- tion has been available in luxury resi- dential refrigeration for some time, this 120 Volt/25-pound add-on box brings this technology to new or existing walk- in coolers, safely removing mold, fun- gus, bacteria and food odors as well as extending fresh produce shelf life. Merrychef R Rapid Cook Oven with Panini Grill High-speed ovens and microwave- assisted Panini grills have been win- ning over sandwich operators in high- volume locations where a traditional two-sided sandwich grill was too slow. Unfortunately, speed ovens didn't create the "marks" that a two-sided grill accom- plishes. Merrichef developed a simple and easily removable semi-automatic non-stick Panini-press attachment that fits inside their smaller eikon R oven, which is activated by the mechanical motion of opening and closing the oven door. It's a clever and simple solution, and when the attachment is removed, the oven can be used for rapid cooking. Great engineering! Edlund Titan ™ Max-Cut Food Prep Tool The market versatility of several of the manual food prep machines is offset by the challenges of changing and cleaning various blades and accessories. Edlund's new design incorporates four prep func- tions (cutting, coring, wedging, and dic- ing) into a single manual machine that makes this effort a lot easier. Just swap the quick-change pusher and cartridge Foster Frable continued and the machine is ready for the next task. Fryergate (Dagda Technologies) Open-pot deep fat fryers are a leading cause of burns and serious injuries in kitchens. Slipping and catching oneself on a fry vat has caused horrible burns in our industry. This NSF-approved safety cover provides a spring-loaded barrier that protects against hands, feet (slipping off a ladder while cleaning) or dropped objects. It does this without slowing down the operation and can be attached to most existing electric or gas fryers. A great add-on sale to existing customers, with more to follow, including covers for pasta cookers. EnviroPure Digester with Ozone Recirculation (T&S) There has been good success with garbage digesters in a variety of kitch- ens, but issues with odors and the need for lots of water (up to 400 gallons a day) have presented problems. T&S developed an ozone recirculation sys- tem for its existing digester as part of an overall design improvement. What made this one a standout was my visit to see one of them in operation the day before the show at the new Virgin Hotel in Chicago. When I asked the Executive Chef how he liked it, he was elated. "Best piece of equipment he had, totally happy with the performance and local support and service." A chef this excited about a digester— WOW! I wish there was an opportunity to present some of the other great products that were exhibited and hope to share some more in another article. For those who may have skipped NRA because it was a "NAFEM Year," there were a lot of great products. I estimate that at least 30 percent of what I consider really great products at the NRA Show (from small- wares to heavy equipment) was not at this year's NAFEM. NRA has really made a comeback over the past five years, and this year's show was fantastic.