How to Process Healthier Snack Pellets – Continuously in Salt!
22 Oct 2019
The unique way of processing snack pellets in salt is the secret to achieve a crunchy snack at 0% fat. We are looking at a groundbreaking step in snack innovation. In this article we elaborate what is needed to process healthier snack pellets.
Continuous Production with RoastR
To be able to continuously produce snack pellets in RoastR, you have to ensure that there is an even flow of product throughout the line. To better understand the process, we will explain all the machines that are included in the RoastR line.
1. Infeed Elevator
The most critical part to control an even quality throughout the process, is to have an even flow of raw snack pellet at the RoastR infeed. To do this, you will first need an Infeed Elevator, that transports the pellets from the buffer hopper.
The Infeed Elevator consists of a plastic belt with a number of flights and a brush arrangement, that will make sure that there is a consistent volume being transported to the next step in the process.
2. Infeed Shaker
To prevent that fines and broken pieces enters the RoastR, we have to remove them before the infeed. The Infeed Shaker is installed on the RoastR, which will both align the raw snack pellets and remove fines and broken pieces.
3. RoastR
To expand the raw snack pellets, the RoastR contains of 280 kg of salt that will transfer the necessary heat to the pellets and make them pop (expand). The pellets will be transported through the RoastR with an auger that is welded inside the drum. At the end of the drum, the salt will fall through perforated holes and be transported with a return auger under the drum.
The heat that is supplied to the salt, comes from infrared heating elements under the return auger. This means that very little heat is supplied once the set temperature is reached.
4. Outfeed Shaker
After the product has been roasted in the RoastR, the Outfeed Shaker will align the processed product evenly on the cooling belt, to transport as much product as possible and shake off any excess salt on the product.
5. Cooling Belt
You must ensure that the even flow of hot product towards the seasoning system recovers properly. The Cooling Belt will cool down the product and let it stabilize in its new molecular structure, which will give a nice crispy texture, before it is time for seasoning. See our article “3 Success Factors for Perfect Seasoning of Snacks” to find out more about how to perfectly season your snacks.
6. Seabase (Seasoning System)
The even flow of snack pellets will enter the Seabase on a vibratory shaker towards the rotating drum.
The seasoning that will be applicated inside the drum, will get there on a retractable scarf feeder creating a curtain of seasoning.
Before the seasoning is applied, the high accuracy oil applicator will smoothly spread fresh oil on the product to ensure that the seasoning will stick.