Ever-demanding, food processors and their customers want a better end product. And this is where the equipment manufacturer has an important role to play in providing the equipment to do the job perfectly – in other words, fir for purpose.
When it comes to perfectly fried potato products, companies like McCain (US and global), Lamb Weston (US), Simoplot (US), Aviko (The Netherlands), Tai Mei (China), Agrarfrost (Germany), Agristo (Belgium) and Aunt Bessies (UK) demand the best from their equipment suppliers.
And, in the crucial frying and cooking stage, this is even more important. Not only does the processor want a good product, the ever-demanding consumer and retail outlet is fussy too.
Being a market leader in French fries, for instance, is tenuous and dependent on many exterior factors. One bad product batch can cause long lasting damage to reputation and market position.
So, companies like Kiremko, for instance, with its tried and tested fry-bywire system cannot afford to rest on its laurels either. Kirmoko French fries fryers are now equipped with a completely restyled belt frame manufactured out of smooth steel. The aim is to make cleaning easier and prevent any dirt build up in the fryer, resulting in the frying oil staying in optimum condition for a longer period.
Fryer options
For fryers requiring level control, Kiremko has mounted a guided microwave (radar) level sensing system, which is accurate up to 0.5 mm. The level sensing system is not affected by oil temperature, oil varieties which may be used or water during the cleaning stage.
The company also offers a whole new system based on oil circulation management in fryers. The fully controlled oil circulation system controls oil injection and return based on more level sensors in the fryer.
Heat and Control has launched a versatile vacuum fryer which, says the company, controls acrylamide. Its Unitized Vacuum Fryer allows production of chips from potatoes, yams, apples, taro root, and other products, and control the formation of acrylamide. The fryer operates at 10 per cent or less of normal atmospheric pressure so it boils off product moisture at a lower temperature than traditional fryers.
This allows processors to fry high-sugar products without browning. It also gives ontrol of acrylamide formation because oil temperature can be kept below the 120C point at which acrylamide forms.
Vacuum frying has never been simpler.
Unlike existing ‘ship in a bottle’ vacuum fryer designs, the Unitized Vacuum Fryer is similar to a traditional externally heated continuous fryer. It requires no external vacuum enclosure.
This saves floor space and eliminates the hazardous, labor-intensive process required by other designs of moving the fryer in and out of a vacuum chamber for cleaning and maintenance.
Like other Heat and Control fryers, the Unitized Vacuum Fryer includes a clean-in-place system, continuous oil filter, automatic oil level control, and an Oil Mist Eliminator in the exhaust stack.
As the acrylamide levels in fried potatoes remain a very important issue for producers, Florigo keeps on working on even further reductions in acrylamide levels, also on non-vacuum frying equipment. The current system guarantees that the crispiness, flavor, structure and color of the products will be maintained.
Acrylamide reduction in the production process is just one of the benefits of the continuous vacuum frying system. In February this year, Florigo completed a newly built vacuum fryer in its workshop.
