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A new roasting solution for a trend with no end

Source:Ringier Food Release Date:2016-04-26 344
Food & Beverage
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Roasting technology offers effacing processing of peanuts, sunflower seeds, chestnuts, walnuts and almonds

CONSUMER attitudes about snacking are changing and the preference for nuts and seeds is one trend that shows no signs of stopping. Nuts are high energy foods now more widely recognized for their nutritional value and health benefits. As this appeal resonates with consumers worldwide, inspired food processors are creating new nut-based formulas, and these begin with roasted nuts. The roasting process adds depth to flavor and texture. Nuts also stay crisp inside confections and they can be salted, spiced or flavored with a variety of coatings.

“For sweets and snacks, nuts are exceedingly versatile in product formulation,” said Scott Vallette, Regional Director for Bühler Aeroglide. “Today’s consumers are making well informed choices with healthier eating in mind, choosing products with nuts.”

To meet this demand for production, processors are turning to Bühler Aeroglide for the efficient and reliable technology needed for nut roasting applications like peanuts, sunflower seeds, chestnuts, walnuts and almonds.

The company’s new SmartRoast was recently introduced to address market needs for an economical, high-quality technology engineered for applications of 1,000 kilograms or less per hour. The SmartRoast promises a consistent roast that meets required specifications along with Bühler’s trademark quality and local support.

“Food processing customers needed a lower capacity nut roaster that could provide the same high-quality final product that our larger-capacity roasting technologies offer,” said Vallette. “Over the past two years, we’ve carefully designed and constructed this stainless steel dryer with straight-forward, easy-to-use controls that address the requirements of food processors with smaller operations.”

The SmartRoast can be powered by efficient gas burners or thermal oil heat. It’s also designed with a hopper feeder to evenly load nuts onto a product bed for consistent roasting, and a discharge drop board that eases the transition from the dryer conveyor to the take away conveyor. A uniform airflow ensures heat is evenly distributed across the full width of the processing bed so that all nuts can receive an even roast.

Buhler nut processing solutions

(Photo: Buhler)

Fast and effective cleaning was a primary concern for processing customers. Downtime had to be kept to a minimum and the ability to sanitize was vital to ensure food safety. Answering this need, the SmartRoast features removable paneled doors that give operators access to all product contact areas around the perimeter of the dyer. There’s also a rotating bed brush system that thoroughly cleans the surface of the product bed while the roaster is in use.  

Consumer health remains top of mind at Bühler Aeroglide as the company works to advance a growing body of research that verifies how processors of nuts can use heat treatment in the roasting process to kill salmonella.  Last year, the company introduced the first industrial guidelines for achieving a 5-log salmonella reduction, the results of a study conducted at its Technical Center in Cary, NC, in conjunction with the USDA based at North Carolina State University.  Log reduction is a mathematical term used to identify the number of live microbes eliminated in thermal processing, and validation refers to the process that proves the required level of pathogen reduction can be met in a food processing operation. The current USDA requirement in almonds is a minimum 4-log reduction of salmonella; however, a 5-log reduction is often the target for peanuts and pistachios, recommended by the USDA.

Recognizing food manufacturers carry the heaviest burden in food safety, Bühler Aeroglide wanted to estimate the effectiveness of various industry-typical dry roasting conditions in reducing salmonella. They also wanted to determine whether salmonella reduction depends on the location of the peanuts in the bed of the dry roaster and if reduction correlates to physical properties of roasted peanuts. They measured variations in temperature, time, bed depth, air flow and air flow direction in the roasting of common, unblanched runner peanuts. This research resulted in practical guidance that can be used to interpret data from microbial validations, performed on specific process parameters in their facilities. It also provides guidance in the selection and modification of the parameters to achieve desired salmonella reductions during industrial roasting of peanuts. This study was published in Peanut Science.

“We know that by improving air flow capacity, cool spots as well as hot spots can be eliminated,” said Vallette. “During the roasting process, when air flow is evened out across the entire product bed according to specific controlled parameters, the result is better uniformity in color and moisture, combined with a safer food product.”

The versatility of nuts and seeds gives sweets and snack formulators endless options to innovate, experimenting with flavors, ingredients, and shapes and sizes sure to suit any consumer’s discriminating palate. As nut roasting for the confectionery industry grows, innovations are limited only by the imagination of food scientists and process engineers. Bühler partners with customers to engineer new food products, offering both the industry-leading technology and expert process knowledge needed for a wide variety of sweets and snacks applications.

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