< Previous30 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net LABELLING, CODING AND TRACEABILITY prevent tragedies like this from happening again, many businesses are going one step further and highlighting allergens on a board within their store, or providing a QR code with a link to a menu with the allergens listed and explained. Whilst this is not a legal obligation, it does provide allergy sufferers with the confidence to purchase the product and fosters goodwill towards the retailer. However, this does pose a problem for retailers in terms of packaging. With concerns over sustainability and food wastage, many businesses are trying to cut back on packaging and labelling, not increase it. One method is to utilise stand up pouches, rather than a container with a lid and label. This has the dual benefit of using less packaging material and reducing the steps required within the packaging process. It also can look more visually appealing, as the entire surface area can be used for the design. In fact, improved food labelling can increase sustainability within the overall food chain. By utilising product packaging to outline the steps the business is making towards sustainability, this serves as an incentive for conscious consumers to choose one brand over another. This has shown to be hugely successful when marketing free range eggs. However, this is an area to tread lightly. Research suggests that too much sustainability advertising can lead to accusations of greenwashing (using ZZZZZZRRFF\\WWLLOOLLFFDDDEEDDOOIIPPRRFood & Drink International 31 www.fdiforum.net LABELLING, CODING AND TRACEABILITY buzzwords for attention without commitment to the cause) and cause customers to turn away from brands. The takeaway from this is to try to avoid jargon such as “natural”. A terminology key, or colours system could be utilised instead to indicate the sustainable steps taken to make the product (such as biodegradable packaging). For example, the Marine Stewardship Council utilises a blue label, which is only available to use for fisheries who have been certified by the MSC Fisheries Standard, which certifies sustainable fishing. This must be met across the supply chain, ensuring full product accountability. Two of the most prescient issues within food manufacturing are demand for increased traceability, and sustainability. It can, at first, be difficult to reconcile these two demands, as more information could require further packaging. However, useful keys can be employed to identify the origin and processing methods of ingredients and displayed within shops and online. Furthermore, sustainability goes beyond packaging. Informing consumers of steps taken within supply chain management to increase sustainability also increases traceability, as it is much easier to identify the origin of ingredients. This could extend to tracking information available on a website, such as the type of timeline tracking that is used for receiving packages. RWVGQD GQDVURWFHQQRH HSPH7 D\WLOLFDDED/ & I SXRFRPUHK7IRVWVLNFR WDUHSPH7GHWDLFRVVD PUHK7VURVQH6HUXWDUH PJQLGDHOVȆ.8HKWHUD VHOED&HOS QRLLWDWQHPXUWVQ,HUX HOSXRFRP IRUHUXWFDDXQDP W I © stock.adobe.com/Monet© stock.adobe.com/Noël Magis32 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net MIXING AND BLENDING Mixing and blending are important to so many food and drink products, that much of the time it’s invisible. perfect The blend Food & Drink International 33 www.fdiforum.net MIXING AND BLENDING © stock.adobe.com/mavoimages E ven in a finished product that isn’t smooth or liquid in consistency, one or several elements may have met with a mixing or blending machine at some point during processing. Hygiene, efficiency and end product quality are already crucial concerns for the food industry, but the ubiquity of this process makes the need to choose suitable machinery paramount for many products. For a start, one must prioritise the consideration of whether mixing or blending is required. They might seem similar at a glance and can even be used to describe the same end goal of smoothly combining ingredients but are ultimately different processes. Mixing involves using an agitator to break down and combine disparate materials for a uniform result, often combining wet and dry ingredients as in baking. Blending, on the other hand, is the gentler touch for much the same result, instead tumbling dry ingredients so that each component can be evenly distributed through a liquid. When a decision has been reached as to which of the two processes is required, all that remains is to choose the right machine for the job. There is a wide array of types available, each with subtle differences for tailoring the process to your products. Where mixers are concerned, many for food and drink production are high shear – or high in the opposing forces of mixing pushing materials against each other, so that even components resistant to blending can be incorporated together for an even and shelf-attractive result. One machine up to this task is the vertical mixer, which has reliable and versatile speed settings for handling many levels of ingredient viscosity. Another plus side is its gentle treatment of heat sensitive and fragile matter, and minimising of aeration. However, this also means it is especially well-suited for free-flowing ingredients and may require specific anchor agitators for more difficult to mix media. For emulsification, which is often needed when combining opposed ingredients like oils and water, multitooth mixers are a safe bet. These very high shear emulsifiers are up-and-coming as a more hygienic and efficient solution than previously used mills and homogenisers. The mixer alternative isn’t only a more 34 Á © stock.adobe.com/chaiwat34 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net MIXING AND BLENDING reasonable purchase than its predecessors, it can be counted on to give products like mayonnaises the attractive, glossy appearance without separation that consumers expect to see on shelves. Inline high shear mixers could be described as the multitasking version of the multitooth, giving the ability to pump, disperse, homogenise, and emulsify in one processing stop. Where space on an already-established factory floor may be an issue, these can be installed with a minimum of stress and are also easy to maintain. Recirculation tanks are a common added extra with these machines, providing even further assurance of a desirable, well-combined end product. The one thing to remember for keeping an in-line mixer running smoothly is that if an intended ingredient’s viscosity is higher than 200cP, an auxiliary pump should be installed at the inlet. For those who do have more space on the production line, tank bottom mixers present a simple and highly functional solution to many mixing needs. Though larger in stature, this potential downside is made up for in its ability to disperse, emulsify, homogenise and disintegrate solids. This is technology designed for the heavy-duty mixing involved in incorporating highly viscous matter, working at high speeds with stages of mechanical and hydraulic shearing to ensure a uniform product, no matter how stubborn the ingredients. Whether you’re dealing with powders, crystals, or granules, for these dry ingredients blending is the way to go. A standard industrial blender is a simple and sanitary option for easily dissolved ingredients, such as powdered milk, sugars, or salt. Its vertical casing, pump and blades are reminiscent of a typical kitchen blender, so it’s safe to assume any blending that could be done with a Food & Drink International 35 www.fdiforum.net MIXING AND BLENDING domestic blender can be tackled with ease on a larger scale by the industrial version. Straightforward and versatile, this is an easy to clean, easy to use solution for ingredients that don’t need much persuasion to blend. If more applications are needed, such as recirculation, or a longer and more attentive blending process, a table blender might be the optimal choice. This machine also breaks down and distributes granular solids in liquids, but it can be put to more specific uses, like dissolving pectin in glucose as a step in jam or marmalade production, or sugar for syrup in beverages. For reliable quality assurance, it is suggested that recirculation is repeated for each batch until ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. In- line mixers can be attached to the table blender as a further precaution against unwanted solid lumps in the final product. For smaller amounts of solids that require blending, a horizontal blender can be used to recirculate and dissolve solids or powders into a liquid. In cases where not much suction is needed to properly distribute the desired dry goods, this could be a cost and space- saving solution for an already busy production line. If opting for this kind of blender, it is important to be certain that the quantity of solids won’t overload the pump or hopper blades. For the sake of safety, it is best to use this type of machinery for free-flowing materials. Last of all, mixblend blenders combine the best of both worlds, providing the mixing capacity for viscous ingredients that may tend towards clumping, alongside thorough distribution of solids through their liquid carrier. The only compromise that comes with its attached in-line mixer’s ability to handle gums, pectins and other thickening agents, is that this attachment can only add these solids into the mixture a small amount at a time. The subsequent need to oversee this process more closely is balanced by its compact size, processing power and speed. Monitoring recirculation is also advised, as with the table blender, to ensure uniform distribution and texture of the final product. But attention to detail is rewarded with the quality offered by this hardy machine. © stock.adobe.com/JackF © stock.adobe.com/Renar36 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SILVERSON MACHINES Q&A Can you tell us about who Silverson Machines are? Silverson Machines are one of the world leaders in the design and manufacture of high shear mixing equipment from laboratory to production scale, and now small-scale too. High shear mixing involves intense mechanical agitation and shearing forces to achieve superior blending, dispersion, and particle size reduction. Unlike conventional mixers or agitators, high shear mixers utilise specialised rotor/stator technology to generate extremely high shear rates, creating a powerful suction effect that continuously draws materials into the high shear zone, then projecting it back into the body of the mix. This enables faster processing times and increased production throughput, finer and more uniform dispersions and particle size distribution, as well as improved product quality, consistency and stability, batch-after- batch. Silverson Machines have been working with customers in the food and beverage industries since the company’s beginning, so we understand the challenges manufacturers face in this industry. Talking of the mixing challenges in the food and beverage industry, what are some of the mixing challenges? And how does Silverson mixing equipment help solve them? Depending on the application and Q&A Silverson Machines With over 75 years of experience helping customers large and small in the Food & Beverage industries, Silverson High Shear Mixers have helped solve mixing problems in hundreds of different applications. The Silverson product range already boasts the largest capacity range from a single manufacturer, from mixers capable of mixing volumes as small as 1ml, up to 30,000 litres. But now, Silverson Machines are adding a new range of Small-Scale mixers to their already extensive product range. Food & Drink International 37 www.fdiforum.net SILVERSON MACHINES Q&A ingredients, different challenges can arise. Some of the most common that we see are agglomerates forming when incorporating gums & thickening agents into liquids. These clusters of particles, if left unaddressed, can significantly impact the appearance, texture, and performance of the final product. One of the best ways to get rid of agglomerates is to disperse the powder into liquid using a high shear mixer. Through high speed rotation, the mixer’s rotor generates a robust suction force, drawing both powder and liquid into the workhead. Centrifugal force then propels the materials outward, subjecting them to intense mechanical and hydraulic shear within the stator’s perforations. The result is an agglomerate-free solution within minutes. By dispersing agglomerates rather than filtering them out, Silverson mixers maximise product yield and reduce waste, resulting in cost savings and improved efficiency. Can you tell us about the new FMX10 small-scale powder/liquid mixers? This mixer has recently launched as part of a new range of small-scale mixers that have been developed to bridge the gap between the laboratory scale mixers and production scale mixers currently available. In the case of the FMX10, in terms of batch sizes, it fits between the FMX5 laboratory scale powder/liquid mixer and the larger, production scale Flashmix models. The FMX10 provides a simple, effective and hygienic means of powder/liquid mixing on a small scale, with a batch size of up to 50 litres, depending on viscosity. In operation, the mixer recirculates liquid from the vessel and powder is loaded into the stainless steel hopper. Once the powder feed valve is opened, the powder is drawn into the high velocity liquid stream, with the ingredients coming into contact with each other just prior to the mixer’s high shear rotor/stator workhead. A brief period of recirculation results in an agglomerate-free, homogeneous dispersion in a matter of minutes. Can you tell us more about the other small-scale In-Line mixers that have been recently launched? Before now, some of the more specialised mixers in the Silverson range have only been available as a production-scale model or as a benchtop laboratory unit. The recent launch introduced three new models to the product range which offer the same specialised mixers to customers working on a small scale: The new 150 UHS In-Line is designed for Ultra Hygienic applications and is built to the same high specification as production scale UHS mixers. Ideal for batches of up to 50 litres, the mixer features a range of interchangeable workheads and screens, offering intense yet targeted high shear capability; a conversion kit allowing it to be used as a Multistage 088/150 is available. The 088/150 UHS is the first small-scale Multistage In-Line mixer from Silverson Machines. These mixers increase the number of shearing actions per revolution of the rotor, resulting in substantially faster mixing times and increasing the number of products that can be processed in a single pass. Depending on the desired results the stators can be a number of different combinations which can be quickly and easily changed to optimise processing and increase mixing versatility. For small scale manufacturing of higher viscosity products, the new 150 UHS-HV incorporates a unique and innovative “pumping rotor” design that substantially increases the mixer’s self-pumping capacity, ideal for processing higher viscosity products. High flow rates, typically around 6,500 litres/hour are maintained as viscosity rises, often eliminating the need for an additional feed pump. www.silverson.co.uk • sales@silverson.co.uk 38 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net FRUIT AND VEGETABLES © stock.adobe.com/Liliya Trott Five a day Food & Drink International 39 www.fdiforum.net FRUIT AND VEGETABLES T he fruit and veg market is poised to grow by $42.61 billion in the next five years. However, continued public demand for convenience is giving rise to some interesting trends, such as innovative ways to easily incorporate fruit and vegetables into meals, and utilise technological advancements to keep ingredients fresher for longer. Combined with rising demand for sustainability within food production, this creates a relatively new set of pressures upon a market primarily used to dealing in products in their natural form. One of the top market trends are concentrates. Defined as condensed versions of whole fruits and vegetables, concentrates retain high levels of nutrients and make valuable additions to meals, as well as processed foods and drinks. Concentrates can take the form of liquids, purees, and pastes and can easily enhance the taste and texture of a meal, in addition to additional nutritional benefit. Recent research shows that consumer demands are set to converge into three main areas over the next five years: convenience, health and sustainability. This is set to skyrocket the interest in concentrates. We shall explore these key areas in depth. Firstly, the strive for convenience. This boils down to the global trend for urbanization – in fact, the UN estimates that 75% of people will be city-dwellers by 2050. This means that more are accustomed to the fast-paced, on- the-go lifestyle that often comes along with city living. Furthermore, the inland nature of most cities means that fresh produce is harder to come by. This has combined to increase demand for processed and packaged foods, that utilise concentrates to add nutritional value. The increased demand for natural and organic products stems from the Covid-19 pandemic, which has seen consumers seeking to boost their natural immunity. Dried or concentrated foods retain high levels of nutrients, whilst providing the convenience of longer shelf lives and versatility over their raw counterparts. Concentrates have been found to enhance functional food and drinks, as they contain large amounts of vitamins and antioxidants. The call for consumer awareness of sustainability and accountability within the food chain arises from the onset of the climate crisis. This has seen a global increase in vegetarianism and veganism over the last few years, which has driven a newfound appreciation for fruits and vegetables. Purees and pastes provide the convenience that consumers are striving for, whilst retaining natural, earthy flavours and textures that people have grown to love. Concentrates have become a useful way to market commonly disliked vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and celeriac. These vegetables contain glucosinolates, which can taste unbearably bitter to those with certain genetic components. The Health-conscious eating and wellbeing have done more to market the industry than many companies. 40 ÁNext >