AGRO-CHEMICAL AND FOOD COMPANY LIMITED

AGRO-CHEMICAL AND FOOD COMPANY LIMITED – A BRIEF INTRODUCTION
Agro-Chemical and Food Company Limited is an applied industrial Biotechnology Plant. Here-in, Agro-Chemical and Food Company is referred to as the Company or by its acronym, ACFC. It was incorporated in 1978 as a Joint Venture between the Government of Kenya through the Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC) and the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) on one hand and the International Investment Corporation (Mehta Group) on the other. The plant was initially set up to produce Power Alcohol and Bakers’ yeast from cane molasses using one of the best technologies in the world – Vogelbusch of Austria. ACFC faced lots of difficulties in marketing Power Alcohol in the initial years due to resistance by oil companies in blending it with petrol. For the first three years of starting commercial production, capacity utilization remained as low as 30%. Sales improved subsequently and reached 75% of the plant capacity in 1988. By the efforts of Mehta Group, export market was found in Europe in 1990/1991 and the company diversified its production from Power Alcohol to Industrial Alcohol and other grades of alcohol. It is heartening to note that a number of production and sales records have been achieved since 1991 in spite of several constraints. ACFC has also embarked on expansion and diversification into other related products. Amongst these products was Neutral Alcohol whose production was started in response to the market need for more refined alcohol for beverage spirit and pharmaceutical formulations. From the year 2000 the market need for better quality beverage alcohol prompted ACFC to plan for the way forward. Feasibility studies were launched that culminated in installation of the new Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) plant that is yet to be launched. (Official website information)
AIMS OF THE COMPANY
The core objectives of the company, as stated in the company’s profile on their website are future inclined and are goals set to be achieved within some period of time. These aims include:
a) To produce quality spirits for potable, industrial and domestic applications.
b) To produce Active Dry Yeast and wet yeast to satisfy various market segments.
c) To continually embrace dynamics in technology application to satisfy customer needs and monitor a consistent growth of profitability.
d) Procure adequate land for expansion.
PROCESSES
1) Molasses:
i) Receiving molasses- Molasses is received at the company’s weigh bridge transported by lorries from the nearby Muhoroni Sugar factory or other sugar factories. This is the main raw material of the entire process. The molasses is weighed, analyzed and stored in overhead tanks.
ii) Analysis- This is where the molasses is sampled and checked whether it’s fit for use in the next processes. The right concentration of acceptable molasses is 78% soluble solid (brix).
iii) Dilution- From tanks the molasses is pumped via a strainer (to separate it from particles) to an overhead tank. The dilution tanks are first cleaned using caustic soda solution then rinsed. Then steam is passed for two hours to sterilize the tank. Molasses then gets into the tank where water is also added. The tank is connected to a densimeter to measure the density. A specific density is reached at 120kg/m3.
iv) Clarification- This is a process that uses centrifugal forces. It’s the process whereby heavier molasses particles are separated from the lighter fine liquid. The separated liquid is then taken through the next process which is sterilization.
v) Sterilization- This is a process that simply entails the elimination of microbiological organisms to achieve asepsis, a sterile environment. This is done to ensure that there are no external organisms that will affect the next processes.
vi) Cooling and nutrient addition- The sterilized molasses is now cooled and nutrients added to it. The nutrients added include; Urea and Hydrogen Sulphate which aids in increasing phosphorous (a much needed element) and reduction of pH.
2) Yeast:
a) Culturing- Molasses is fed into culture vessels that contain small traces of yeast i.e. in small quantities. Yeast is facultative in nature therefore this process needs air supply to increase binary fusion. The aim is to increase the yeast’s biomass.
b) Prefermentor- The main principle of this process is this: the addition of cell retention time would be reduced nine fold, and the extent of converting substrate to product would be increased by 25% and accomplished almost entirely by maintenance metabolism.
c) Main fermentor- This is where more nutrients are added. Binary fusion is enhanced by more supply of air. Also yeast now breaks down into fine coalesced particles. The objective of propagation is to produce large quantities of yeast with known characteristics for the primary role of fermentation, in as short a time as possible
d) Separation- This process uses the centrifugal forces theorem. The machine rotates at 6000rpm thus the heavier particles move outwards while the finer and lighter particles remain in the middle.
e) Filtration- The light material is cooled and then taken into a rotary vacuum filter where the residue is taken off and the filtrate taken for further use. This is then dried and the end product is yeast.
3) Alcohol Production:
Alcohol production is one of the oldest arts to have been started by man. In this process, yeast, the world's most heavily used microbe, converts sugars to ethanol and carbon dioxide. The ethanol content in practice 10 - 13% is then concentrated. Yeast, a facultative anaerobe, and in a situation of insufficient oxygen with substrate (cane molasses) level exceeding 0.1% weight: volume ratio, ferments the sugars to ethanol. Yeast under these conditions will use the glycolic pathway to breakdown the sugars into energy and intermediates that are required for growth with the final products being ethanol and CO2. ACFC applies the continuous fermentation for its ethanol production. The Alcohol content after fermentation is normally 10 - 13%. This alcohol in the form of mash which is a mixture of alcohol, water, yeast cells and other minor constituents taken through a series of separators to remove the yeast. The separated alcohol–rich mash is taken to the distillery where unwanted constituents are removed and the ethanol concentrated to the required achievable purity. At the distillation tower the mash is physically separated into various products, the ethanol content is concentrated to over 94% and the quality of the ethanol purified to acceptable standards. The alcohol end products are:

a) Rectified spirit
This is the raw form of spirit. It is suitable and versatile enough to serve different industries mainly as a solvent. It may also be redistilled to Neutral Spirit.
Main Applications
i. Base for preparation of Methylated spirits
ii. Industrial solvent for making paints, cosmetics, thinners and lacquers.
iii. Base for potable spirits on further processing (dilution, secondary purification and distillation).
b) Extra Neutral Spirit
A pure potable alcohol used in the manufacture or blending of alcoholic beverages conventionally prepared as Gins, Vodkas, Whiskies, Brandies, and Rums. It is also widely used in fortification of wines and cream liqueurs. It is also used for a wide range of other industrial manufacturing applications where it is usually referred to as "highly quality industrial alcohol".
The product is refined from Neutral Spirit to a high degree of purity to satisfy the requirement for the International Standard Specifications.
Main Applications
i. For manufacturing or blending in potable spirits such as Whiskies, Gins, Rums, Vodkas, Brandies.
ii. For fortification of wines.
iii. For manufacture of cream liqueurs, cordials.
iv. For wide range of other Industrial manufacturing applications especially the high quality/sensitive products.
v. Pharmaceutical applications.
Packaging and Storage
As Neutral Spirit should be virtually oduorless and tasteless except only for that of pure ethyl alcohol, care must be taken in handling and storage to prevent it from acquiring oduors and tastes from other materials. Any piping and tanks used for Neutral Spirit should be checked carefully, drained and flushed with some Neutral Spirit prior to use. Rubber or plastic hoses should be avoided if possible and flexible stainless steel hoses used where necessary. If rubber or plastic hoses or gaskets must be used, they should first be tested for any reaction with ethanol.
c) Kenya Methylated Spirit
This spirit is denatured to conform to the mandatory Customs and Excise regulations. The addition of methyl violet gives the product its regular beautiful violet colour.
Kenya Methylated Spirit is used as an antiseptic in hospitals, solvent in paints, inks, vanishes, a cooling medium and other domestic applications. This spirit has been denatured to render it unpalatable and unfit for human consumption

Main Applications
i. Antiseptic in hospitals, barber shops, domestic use.
ii. Solvent in industries
iii. Cooling medium
iv. Heating fuel in buffets
d) Industrial Methylated Spirit
Unlike the Kenya Methylated Spirit, Industrial Methylated Spirit is not coloured with methyl violet and is denatured to conform to the mandatory Customs and Excise regulations. This product is mainly used in the manufacture of skin care products and other special Industrial applications calling for this grade of spirit, including shoe polish, printing inks etc. This spirit has been denatured to render it unpalatable and unfit for human consumption.
Main Applications- Solvent in wide range of industrial applications e.g. skin care products, shoes polish, printing inks, thinners etc.
SAFETY MEASURES

i. Because the entire production line in the factory has highly flammable substances, measure is taken to ensure there are neither open flames, sparks nor contact with strong oxidants.
ii. A closed system and use of explosion-proof electrical equipment and lighting are used to curb incidences of explosion (ethanol).
iii. The factory ensures proper ventilation and a local exhaust system to take care of hazardous gases produced within the production lines.
iv. The employees and visitors are all mandated to wear protective clothing, gloves, helmets and safety goggles during work or visiting the production line.
v. Warning signs and instruction manuals are placed all over the factory premises to enhance the principle of safety first.
PROBLEMS FACED
Ethanol is a colorless liquid with a characteristic odour. Its associated dangers are:
a) The vapour mixes well air hence explosive mixtures are easily formed
b) It can react slowly with calcium hypochlorite, silver oxide and ammonia causing fire and explosion hazards.
c) It reacts violently with strong oxidants such as nitric acid, silver nitrate, and mercuric nitrate or magnesium per chlorate causing fire and explosion hazards. The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation of its vapour and by ingestion. A harmful contamination of the air will be reached rather slowly on evaporation of this substance at 20°C.
d) The substance irritates the eyes. Inhalation of high concentration of vapour may cause irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system.
e) The liquid defats the skin. The substance may have effects on the upper respiratory tract and central nervous system, resulting in irritation, headache, fatigue and lack of concentration. Chronic ingestion of ethanol may cause liver cirrhosis.
Solutions to the problems
i. The company has taken measures to curb with any incidences of fire by installing their own fire brigade system.
ii. A closed system and use of explosion-proof electrical equipment and lighting are used to curb incidences of explosion (ethanol).
iii. Training of employees on the hazardous effects of the byproducts of the production line and hence the principle of safety for user first.
iv. Ensure that the condenser is free, unobstructed and away from high temperatures
v. Ensure that dust and flour is blown away from the condenser twice a week.
vi. Ensure that the cooler doors are NOT left open excessively
vii. Ensure that the coolers are serviced and checked for leaks, temperature setting adjusted and level of gas checked at least once after every three months.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
The company has identified several long-term projects that will aim to benefit the surrounding community, and these include:
i. Community Water Points - Water collection points have been built around the Plant to enable the local community to draw clean drinking water. The water is taken from River Sondu, treated within the Plant and then piped to the various points.
ii. Education and Literacy Projects- The most promising initiative in the fight against Poverty is the provision of education for all. The company has initiated sponsorship programs with neighbouring schools that seek to provide necessary equipment and facilities to aid in the provision of quality education within the community.
iii. Subsidized Medical Community Expenditure- Spectre International has established a policy of providing subsidized medical treatment for its employees at the community hospital. Arrangements are also being made to provide the same benefits for community members in order to enable easier access to health facilities for all.
With such a respectable corporate social responsibility profile, the company can be accredited for the increased standards of living in the surrounding area. It is worth noting that the company’s productivity and profitability have been on the rise since the inception of the company back in 1978. This shows how goal-oriented and focused the team is. However, I would recommend stern measures be taken in consideration to the environment. Impurities in gaseous form are released into the atmosphere which in the long run is disastrous to the neighbouring environment.

REFERENCES
a) Referential notes taken during the industrial visit to Agro-Chemical and Food Company Limited on the 8th of June 2011
b) The official ACFC website http://www.acfc.ac.ke