Mixing Technology in the Food Industry

Fats and margarine, fruit-desserts and juice concentrates, honey, cocoa and chocolate, ketchup, dairy products and sugar – everything needs to be mixed at one point in its production process. The different requirements concerning the mixing task(s), the mixing process and especially the hygienic standards (e.g. construction material, surface quality, CIP / SIP ability, sterile design) in the food industry have to be considered and put together to an economical agitator design. The food industry also has special requirements particularly in relation to the fermentation, crystallization, and hydrogenation processes. Viscosity can increase sharply during fermentation, as is the case in the production of thickening agents like Xanthan. At high viscosities in combination with the relatively high aeration rates that are typically used, the design, selection, and positioning of the impeller have a significant impact on yield and productivity.

During crystallization, yield, purity, and, most importantly, the particle properties determine the quality of the end product. Especially in cases where additives or sugar substitutes are used, the process can be significantly enhanced and made more efficient by using the right agitation technology and crystallization strategy. Many substitutes of sugar like Sorbitol and Xylitol are produced by hydrogenating the appropriate sugar. By using state-of-the art mixing technology (e.g. the EKATO Combined Gassing system) the space-time yield can be increased significantly while the catalyst amount can even be reduced.

 The EKATO Combined Gassing system doesn’t only offer advantages to the production of sugar substitutes, but also to the production of hydrogenated fats, e.g. margarine. In this case the EKATO Combined Gassing system can significantly reduce the time to reach the required iodine number, thanks to its excellent mass transfer. Whether its stirring, blending, dissolving, heating, cooling, fermentation or hydrogenation – the EKATO agitator is your main support to reach the desired product quality and characteristics.