PLP Systems

Commitment for the best coating application for a premium quality Pet Food

PLP Systems is a company specializing in machinery and systems for food, pet food, aquafeed, animal feed and chemical industries, with over 40 years’ experience in the dosing, mixing, spraying, coating and handling of liquids and micro powder additives. The company’s focus is to create customized dosing units suitable for the client’s needs, projecting on each occasion a tailored solution on request. For this reason, PLP Systems each year invests substantially in R&D, developing new and exciting concepts whist constantly always looking to improve and push forward existing technology.

An important area for PLP is the coating process which is used in different sectors: post pellet coating for feed and aquafeed; pet food coating; seed coating; fertilizer; crisps, chips and snacks in the food sector.

The increased interest in pet ownership, as well the increased demand for pet food, seems like a great news for Pet Food Industry. However, though pet owners are spending more on pet food and treats, they’re also demanding higher quality products. Making kibbles tasty and palatable with liquid or powdered palatants, that cats and dogs will love, as well seeking more “natural” and better quality ingredients, has been one of the main focus of PLP Systems. To maximize meal attractiveness, it`s very important the way coating ingredients are applied to kibbles and to achieve this, the equipment used is vital for its success. Animal feed pellet coating presents a number of challenges for feed manufacturers. The consistency and properties of the kibbles, as well as the consistency and properties of the liquid or powder coating, can all create unique obstacles in creating a uniformed coating. The right extrusion and liquid coating system can help to solve these challenges, with the correct considerations and applications.

This is why PLP has developed the best solutions and equipment to ensure a homogeneous coating and a great palatability performance for your kibbles, while still preventing breakage of the croquettes during the coating and mixing processes.

Spraying technology for appetizing kibbles

The company has developed different types of sprayers, motorised or static, which are able to distribute and inject the liquid solution or the dry powder in an even way, avoiding the risk of nozzle blockage. Liquid digest or hydrolysed used in pet food is a strong appetizer with a high viscosity and the use of this product is to improve the taste of the food. For this reason, digest is normally sprayed after the oil coating, in order to cover the outside of the kibbles.

In order to have the best benefits of this product it is important to have a good and even distribution on all the kibbles. Due to the viscosity of the product, it is very difficult to obtain a good spraying application with the standard nozzle. Therefore our SMOG technology is the best option to use when spraying this liquid.

Testing application and the MT coating machine

PLP Systems offers its customers the possibility of testing the coating of their products with various additives (liquids and / or powders) using the most suitable technology available for each project. (PSPA ™ Technology). The MT coating system is our most utilized machine for standard coating applications, it’s a complete machine, able to coat pelleted products, croquettes, and other granular products in line with additives such as enzymes, fat, digest, flavourings, oil, probiotics, vitamins, etc.

The MT system is a continuous double-shaft paddle mixer, which has received the most improvements during the last few years of R&D. There are different models that can cover all production ranges required with high inclusion rates of liquids or fats. The focus of the machine is the retention time and this is achieved by independent speed regulations of the shafts, internal damps and automatic hatch valve on the outlet that retains the product. Retention time in standard production can reach up to 200 seconds.

The best technology for coating your kibbles

Coating of pet food kibbles is an important phase of the process; the outside of the pellets will be the first approach of the meal for the animal and the main reference that the customer will rely on.

On the market there are different technologies, but they all mainly follow 3 methods:

- Batch Coating, which has some disadvantages, such as bad homogeneity with low quantity addition, damage the product and difficulty to clean.

- Vacuum Batch Coating, advantages: can handle high addition of oil (recommended for more than 18 percent). Disadvantage: expensive management for the vacuum.

- Continuous Coater, advantages: can obtain high levels of homogeneity (CV) even with low additions, more flexible with the production and gentle with the product.

PLP Systems, thanks to its studies both in Italy and overseas, is confident that the continuous application is the best technology for coating, which must be done in a correct way. It is essential that in order to obtain an optimal final product 3 important steps must be improved:

1. Performing dosing of kibble: the dosing must be done by using gravimetric continuous weighing, not volumetric. The flow rate must be adjusted to have a smooth output.

2. Coating machine: The coater must be as gentle as possible, but still guarantee a good homogeneity of mixing, the retention time must be of a minimum of 45 sec.

3. Spraying: Continuous spraying is a challenge especially when there is a variation on the flow. Standard nozzles are also subject to dirt and blocking.

PLP is dedicated to the research and development of the use of other additives in pet food production, in order to improve the quality, the palatableness and the variety of it. Our offices are located in Lugagnano Val d’Arda (1 hour from Milan) and from here we can offer first hand support to all our customers worldwide with the help of our many agents based throughout the main areas the continent.