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INDUSTRIES WE SERVE: FOOD
Sanitary Stainless Steel Tanks, Kettles & Process Vessels
EIC Tanks designs and manufactures custom stainless steel tanks, kettles, and process vessels for the food and beverage industry, engineered for hygienic processing, consistent product quality, and long-term operational reliability.
Our equipment is built for sanitary food manufacturing environments where cleanability, temperature control, repeatability, and compliance with food safety standards are critical. We work directly with food manufacturers, process engineers, and plant managers to deliver vessels that integrate seamlessly into existing production lines and new processing facilities.
FOOD & BEVERAGE APPLICATIONS
EIC Tanks supplies sanitary processing equipment engineered to support a wide range of food and beverage applications, including:
• Sauces, dressings, and condiments
• Syrups and sweeteners
• Beverage bases and liquid concentrates
• Chocolate and confectionery products
• Nut butters and spreads
• Soups, broths, and prepared foods
• Oils, fats, and emulsions
• Fermented and cultured food products
Each application is reviewed during engineering to ensure the appropriate surface finish, agitation method, heating and cooling capability, drainability, and cleanability, aligned with food safety and sanitation best practices.
FOOD PROCESSING TANK & VESSEL STYLES
EIC Tanks manufactures custom sanitary vessels designed for efficient food production workflows and hygienic processing environments.
Food Mixing & Process Tanks
Sanitary mixing tanks designed for blending, batching, heating, cooling, and processing liquid and semi-liquid food products.
Food Processing Kettles
Jacketed kettles engineered for viscous and temperature-sensitive food products such as sauces, soups, fillings, confections, and prepared foods.
Storage & Holding Tanks
Sanitary storage tanks designed for holding raw ingredients, in-process materials, and finished products while maintaining product integrity.
Transfer & Intermediate Tanks
Fully drainable transfer tanks engineered for the safe and sanitary movement of product between processing steps.
WHAT IS A FOOD PROCESSING KETTLE?
In food and beverage manufacturing, a kettle is a vessel designed to hold and process liquid or semi-liquid products, typically featuring a round or hemispherical bottom and a controlled means of heating and cooling. Kettles are commonly used for cooking, blending, holding, and temperature-controlled processing.
Food processing kettles range from small pilot-scale vessels to large production kettles holding hundreds of gallons, depending on application requirements.
INGREDIENT LOADING & PRODUCT ADDITION
Food processing kettles may be top-loaded through a hinged lid or handhole, or designed with sanitary piping connections that allow ingredients to be injected directly into the vessel. Direct injection helps reduce splashing, foaming, and air entrainment, improving batch consistency and sanitation.
MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION
Most modern food processing kettles and vessels are fabricated from 304 or 316L stainless steel, selected for durability, cleanability, and compatibility with food products and cleaning chemicals. While copper kettles may still be found in specialty applications due to their even heat distribution, stainless steel remains the industry standard for sanitary food processing.
HEATING & COOLING OPTIONS
Food processing kettles are commonly equipped with jacketed heating and cooling systems, allowing controlled circulation of:
• Steam
• Hot water
• Chilled water
• Glycol
Temperature control systems regulate jacket flow to maintain precise process temperatures. Advanced systems may utilize PLC or automated controllers to manage multi-stage heating and cooling profiles, such as rapid heat-up, controlled hold times, and gradual cooling prior to packaging.
For facilities without steam, gas-fired or electrically heated kettles are available.
OPEN, SEALED & PRESSURIZED KETTLES
Kettles may be designed as open-top, loosely covered, or fully sealed vessels. Sealed kettles can be engineered to operate under pressure or vacuum, depending on process requirements.
• Pressure operation allows water-based products to reach temperatures above boiling without evaporation
• Vacuum operation allows boiling or moisture removal at lower temperatures, protecting heat-sensitive products
These configurations are commonly used in specialized food, pharmaceutical, and specialty processing applications.
MIXING & AGITATION SYSTEMS
While some low-viscosity products circulate naturally during heating, most food products require mechanical agitation to ensure uniform heating and consistent product quality.
EIC Tanks offers a full range of agitation solutions, including:
• Propeller and turbine mixers for low-viscosity products
• Paddle and dual-motion mixers for medium-viscosity products
• Scraper mixers for viscous products prone to sticking
• High-shear mixers for dispersion and emulsification
Scraper systems are used to prevent product buildup on vessel walls and to improve heat transfer efficiency.
DISCHARGE & EMPTYING OPTIONS
Food processing kettles may be designed with bottom discharge, flush sanitary valves, or tilt-dump configurations, depending on product characteristics.
• Bottom-discharge kettles utilize properly sized, flush valves to eliminate dead legs
• Tilt kettles allow rapid dumping of products with high solids or poor flow characteristics
Each discharge method is engineered to support sanitation, efficiency, and product integrity.
SANITARY DESIGN & FOOD SAFETY COMPLIANCE
All EIC Tanks food and beverage equipment is engineered with sanitary design principles to support food safety, cleanability, and consistent production. Designs emphasize smooth product-contact surfaces, hygienic construction, and ease of cleaning to support CIP systems and routine sanitation procedures.
Key considerations include optimized vessel geometry, sanitary fittings, clean-in-place readiness, and designs suitable for washdown and food-grade environments.
CONTROLS, AUTOMATION & DOCUMENTATION
EIC Tanks can design and supply custom control panels and touchscreen HMI systems to monitor and control temperature, batch timing, mixer speed, weight, and level. Systems may include recipe control, data logging, and integration into existing plant automation platforms. Documentation packages may include:
• Material certifications
• Weld records
• Surface finish documentation
• Pressure or leak testing records (where applicable)
• As-built drawings
WHY FOOD MANUFACTURERS CHOOSE EIC TANKS
• Experience supporting sanitary food and beverage manufacturing
• Custom-engineered vessels tailored to specific products and processes
• U.S.-based manufacturing and fabrication
• Direct access to engineering and fabrication teams
• Equipment designed for cleanability and long service life
• Support for plant integration and operational efficiency
FROM CONCEPT THROUGH PRODUCTION
From initial process review through fabrication and delivery, EIC Tanks works closely with food manufacturers to ensure every vessel supports efficient production, consistent product quality, and long-term operational reliability.
READY TO DISCUSS YOUR FOOD PROCESSING PROJECT?
Whether you are expanding production capacity, upgrading processing equipment, or launching a new food or beverage product, our team is ready to assist.
GET STARTED TODAY