Snac World - February 2018 - 35

equipment to handle a wide range of absorption content. "For high-hydration products,
we can use different vacuum levels to improve the flowability of sticky products," Mr.
Zelaya said. "For dry and stiff formulations,
we can increase the operating pressure of
our equipment, allowing it to extrude
a high-viscosity formulation at the
same speed or production ratio as
the more typical product."
This flexibility is not only helpful in
dealing with these high-hydration ingredients, but it also makes handling any variation
of raw materials easier. Whether it's a variation due
to a change in supplier or a tough year for crops,
being able to adjust parameters on the equipment
helps maintain product quality despite raw material
variations.
Snack doughs made with these trendy ingredients - or even gluten-free doughs - can also
have issues with consistent dough flow as it is
pushed through the extruder. Vince Pasquini, pretzel and snack technical sales engineer, Reading
Bakery Systems, suggested a pre-feed roller before
the extruder. "They positively feed the extrusion
augers, which gives you a more consistent doughpiece weight," he said.
Using a pre-feed roller also enables snack producers to run a wider variety of products on the extruder line, which is helpful when juggling a diverse
range of snacks made with demanding ingredients.

Incorporating whole seeds
or grains into a snack
formulation can make the
dough more abrasive on
equipment than snack
dough that doesn't feature
these larger particulates.

Baker Perkins

SOOTHING ABRASION
Incorporating whole seeds or grains into a snack
formulation can make the dough more abrasive on
equipment than snack dough that doesn't feature
these larger particulates. "Without preconditioning, some ingredients in healthy snacks can cause
higher-than-normal levels of abrasion, resulting in
excessive wear to the extruder screws and barrel,
which can lead to high maintenance and replacement costs," Mr. Graham said.
While preconditioning definitely is one solution to
this issue, more robust equipment can also take on
these tougher ingredients. "As some components in
the equipment come into contact with the product,
they might experience more wear at a faster ratio," Mr.
Zelaya explained. Handtmann has redesigned these
components in the Vane Cell Pump and Servo Flow
Divider to improve durability, reduce friction and allow
processing at a higher temperature when necessary.
The value of these abrasive ingredients means
preserving them throughout processing so they are
SNAXPO OFFICIAL SHOW ISSUE

visible in the end product. Commercial processing,
however, can sometimes crush these particulates.
Handtmann's product pump configuration strives to
preserve not only the equipment but also particulate
integrity without affecting production throughput.
With the right equipment and production strategies, snack producers can incorporate challenging
but desirable ingredients in their extruded snacks.
Bean pulses and ancient grains carry a lot of weight
in the snack aisle when it comes to snagging consumer dollars, but they don't have to put strain on
the equipment. These ingredients can need more
hydration, but with preconditioning, output can stay
up and these typically abrasive ingredients can go
easier on the equipment. Flexible equipment can
help manage differing hydration levels, and tougher
equipment can handle any strain larger particulates,
grains or seeds deliver during processing, which
leaves snack producers to collect the profits.

A preconditioner
can help meet the
hydration needs of
ingredients such
as ancient grains,
pulses and vegetable
powders and improve
output and minimize
abrasion.

2018 SNAC WORLD

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Snac World - February 2018