6 minute read
Nuts about new grinding technology
During raw nuts or seed processing, each step plays a critical role in creating a delicious end-product. No matter what kind of snack, confectionery or baked goods you require, Bühler’s range of process application solutions can assist. By Maryke Foulds
Consumers love nuts, and globally these products are perceived as a culinary enricher of food products such as bars, condiments and confectionery. Bühler’s technology portfolio offers a comprehensive range of plant solutions that cover the entire value chain – from the raw nut through to the packaged final product on the shelf. For new product formulators looking for the latest WOW factor, the company can assist to create your own healthy products with roasted nuts and seeds to meet your specific flavour profiles.
The roasting process is the key factor in determining and controlling the aromas, texture and colour of your nuts. Bühler’s hotair roasting systems are known for its roasting quality and cover the requirements of both large and small nut processors. Nut and seed pastes can be used as an ingredient or as an end-product. A combination of two tried and tested process stages leads to the efficient production of high-quality nut pastes. Bühler can help you develop your own brand with a unique taste, structure and appearance for your markets. Another product is peanut butter, which can be produced according to your market requirements.
THE LICO MILL
“Our Lico mill has been designed for grinding various nuts and seeds like peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, cashews, pistachios and many more to a smooth and tasty paste,” enthuses Taryn Browne, marketing manager of Bühler in South Africa. “It offers a large field of application and various grinding solutions to a variety of raw products. It can grind peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, sesame seeds, cashews, pistachios and many more to a fine paste. Due to the high speed of the pins, pastes with a fineness of between 25 and 40 micrometers is achieved with just one Lico.”
GRINDING CHAMBER
The fast-rotating pins on the rotor and the special stator enable highly energy-efficient grinding while producing excellent product quality. The large amount of fat released from the nuts and seeds results in a smooth and tasty paste. The water-cooled stator allows grinding at the product’s lowest outlet temperature and thus ensures optimal product taste, texture and colour.
FOOD SAFETY
To meet the highest level of food safety, all materials in contact with the product are made of stainless steel. Additionally, the machine frame and feet are hygienically designed and also made of stainless steel, which ensures easy cleaning. The product stream is completely closed and a magnet or a metal detector for all metals is optionally available for removing foreign matter from the incoming nuts.
FAST PRODUCT CHANGEOVER
Cleaning before changing to another product has never been easier. The cleaning agent container provided has a volume of only 1L, which is sufficient to clean the grinding chamber without wasting any product.
THE NEED FOR QUALITY PROTEIN
By 2050, the world’s population is projected to reach 10 billion people, many living in new cities. To cover their basic needs, we will need more food and protein, as well as new forms of energy and transport. Today, over 30% of food is lost or goes to waste – along with the energy embedded in it. Bühler is investigating solutions with customers to reduce the energy used in food production by 50% while developing processing solutions for protein sources that need less water, space and energy to cultivate. Nearly three-quarters of the world’s water is used in agriculture, which is fuelling the adoption of new technologies to cut levels of water used in food processing. It is also constantly developing solutions to process food made with nutritious raw materials that require less water and space to cultivate, and it is working at eliminating water loss in waterconsuming grains with smart storage and sorting solutions.
LOW MAINTENANCE
Although the machine requires little maintenance, the design concept allows fast and easy access to all parts. The drive and rotor are assembled on a linear guide and can easily be pulled apart for deep cleaning. The additional moveable assembly allows user-friendly handling and dismantling of the feeder unit.
• FAST CHANGEOVER WITHOUT WASTE
Changing from one product to another can be done in a matter of minutes without wasting any product. The stainless steel grinding chamber can easily be cleaned with oil or water.
• REDUCING YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Compared with conventional nut paste production, Lico’s technology offers a much lower energy consumption of only approximately 10 to 20kWh/tonne.
• SMOOTH & TASTY PASTES
Lico’s innovative grinding process, which features corrugated stator and high-speed rotating pins, allows for the production of smooth and tasty pastes of the highest quality.
Bühler – www.buehler.co.za
Personal health and
nutrition gets a boost!
Royal DSM, a global science-based company in nutrition, health and sustainable living, announced the launch of Hologram Sciences, a consumer-facing company that will create brands targeting various health conditions.
By combining health diagnostics, digital coaching and personalised nutrition, Hologram Sciences brands will provide consumers with more holistic solutions to manage their health.
The mission-driven company combines top Silicon Valley talent, formerly of Uber,
Fitbit and Facebook. Hologram Sciences is backed with a $100 million investment by Royal DSM, which has made personalised nutrition a key pillar in its nutrition strategy, allowing the company to combine a range of capabilities and resources to cover the entire personalised nutrition value chain – all the way to the consumer.
Hologram Sciences will provide stateof-the-art consumer-facing personalised nutrition solutions that have been clinically proven to address a variety of consumer health needs. As solutions are validated in-market, they will be available to DSM customers. Hologram will also work to incubate products with DSM customers and partners, based on the latest consumer insights and leveraging their agile approach.
Ian Brady, who co-founded US financial services firm SoFi, will lead Hologram
Sciences. Brady transitioned from a successful career in finance to health tech after his wife was diagnosed with gestational diabetes for the third time. In his research to find a personalised nutrition service for his wife and others, he came up empty, prompting this entrepreneur to create one.
“I am excited to be advancing the availability of personalised nutrition so no one else needs to go through the struggles my family experienced,” Brady said. “With a highly dynamic team combining expertise in tech, brand marketing, and the nutrition innovation and science power of DSM, we can reveal that our first solution will be a rapid immunity concept, addressing the current acute concern over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”
Along with nutritional supplements and diagnostics, the company’s proprietary digital platform will provide consumers with a personalised experience including access to registered dietitians, allowing them to better understand how their lifestyle, nutrition and other factors impact overall health and what they can do to live healthier lives.
“We’re thrilled to fund a powerful, datadriven platform that’s fused with DSM’s capabilities and product resources,” said Dimitri de Vreeze, co-CEO at DSM. “With the help of key experts — including nutritionists, dietitians, scientists and advisors — Hologram Sciences will be taking personalised nutrition to a new level for consumers and DSM’s customers.”
The focus on wellness and nutrition is a core value within Hologram Sciences itself, where leaders built a value system based on integrity, accountability and inclusiveness. •
