INDUSTRY FOCUS FOOD & BEVERAGE MAKING MAYO MORE EFFICIENTLY


Everything you needed to know about mayonnaise production, but were afraid to ask! Tetra Pak outlines the mixing equipment and prediction software used to optimise the manufacture of the popular foodstuff


M


ayonnaise is popular around the world, and it takes different forms in


different markets. But the challenge to all producers is the same: being able to accurately predict and control the quality of the final product. So, what is ‘quality’ when it comes to mayonnaise, and how do you achieve it? Traditional mayonnaise is an oil-in- water emulsion containing 65-80% vegetable oil, 5-8% egg yolk and a spiced-water phase. The latter includes vinegar, mustard, salt and sugar. The oil is present as dispersed droplets with an average size ranging from 2–10 microns. Consumers prefer low-calorie products


with the same taste and feel as traditional versions. But lowering the amount of oil in mayonnaise will lead to a less dense packing of the dispersed oil droplets, which means reduced viscosity and texture. Various thickening and gelling compounds can be added to the water phase to boost viscosity and texture. Starch is frequently used, but other hydrocolloids are also common. Quality – how do consumers judge it? Consumers opinion on what is “good quality” mayonnaise differs widely around the world. For producers, mayonnaise quality is often characterised by a combination of sensory evaluations and laboratory analyses. Mayonnaise commercials and labels often highlight texture attributes using words like “creamy”, “smooth” and “thick”. Indeed, the texture influences the eating experience through visual appearance, handling feel, and in-mouth feel. Quality – How industry defines it.


Mayonnaise producers need to be able to control the quality of every batch. Apart from having a sensory panel of testers, who evaluate parameters such as appearance, texture and mouthfeel, laboratory analyses are also performed based on rheology. This is the study of


how materials that have both solid and fluid characteristics flow and deform when subjected to a force. • Texture: A texture analyser is used to


measure texture, where a compression technique similar to the compression performed by the mouth is applied to the mayonnaise. • Yield stress: This is the minimum force that must be applied to the mayonnaise for it to start behaving as a liquid instead of a solid. • Apparent viscosity: This correlates to the product behaviour during pumping, mixing, chewing and pouring and is measured using rheometers, where the viscosity is measured for a given shear rate. • Droplet size: The droplet size


distribution of the dispersed oil droplets is important because their size influences taste, texture, viscosity, appearance and emulsion stability. Smaller oil droplets release flavours differently than larger oil droplets, reducing the intensity and delaying the flavour experience as the product is tasted. Smaller oil droplets also refract light differently than larger droplets, producing a whiter mayonnaise. A key element in mayonnaise processing


is emulsification, which includes breaking up the oil droplets. An oil droplet is broken up when the fragmenting stresses acting on it exceed the stabilising stresses opposing droplet deformation and do so for a certain period of time. Mayonnaise’s quality attributes are


influenced not only by ingredient types and composition, but also by equipment type, processing parameters and scale of production. The new range of high shear mixers for


cold emulsion products from Tetra Pak are suited to mayonnaise production and gives the lowest cost per kilo of product on the market. It all begins with ingredients being pumped or drawn into the mixing vessel by a vacuum. When a vacuum is used, this


HOW TO PREDICT THE PERFECT MAYONNAISE


The Tetra Pak prediction tool gives manufacturers access to a software programme based on a three-year research project into the production of cold emulsions. It enables users to fine-tune mixing configuration and process parameters according to recipes and requirements. By varying this palette of parameters, manufacturers can achieve the desired texture characteristics and other quality measures. This takes the guesswork out of making mayonnaise and emulsified sauces, as well as reducing the expensive and time- consuming process of physical trials. The prediction tool can be used to replicate an existing product, or develop new products quickly and cost-effectively.


24 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 | PROCESS & CONTROL 1 PREMIUM & NATURAL


Many of today’s consumers look for more natural products that are closer to traditional recipes. These are often made of high-quality ingredients, and without additives – what are often referred to as “clean label” products. In the case of emulsified sauces, this often means higher-fat products.


2 HEALTH & WELLNESS


The links between diet and health are today widely recognized, and while obesity is a growing problem in many markets, concerted efforts are un- derway on multiple fronts to tackle it. These developments are forcing sauce manufacturers to adjust their product mix to stay competitive.


3 FREE-FROM


Vegetarianism and veganism are booming in many industrialized coun- tries as some consumers change their eating habits for animal welfare or environmental reasons. Food manufac- turers also have to contend with egg shortages and price spikes that influ- ence recipes, and so are increasingly developing dairy-free and egg-free alternatives.


EXAMPLE Real, thick & creamy mayo.


CHALLENGE FOR PRODUCERS


To remain competitive, mayonnaise manufacturers must offer consistently high-quality products – not least, a sauce that never breaks – while remaining as cost-efficient as possible.


SOLUTION


Select a mixing technology (combining mixing equipment, methods and know- how) with predictable and consistent sauce quality at every scale.


EXAMPLE Mid/low-calorie mayonnaise.


CHALLENGE FOR PRODUCERS


Healthier products involve reformula- tion of products by reducing fat, sugar and salt and adding other functional ingredients to mimic traditional recipes. Manufacturers need to achieve faster development of more popular prod- ucts, while ensuring their processes are up-to-date to meet efficiency needs.


SOLUTION


Look for a solution provider that can support innovation and facilitate smooth adaption to new trends, enabling the production of a wide product range.


EXAMPLE Egg-free mayonnaise.


CHALLENGE FOR PRODUCERS


Food producers need to simplify ex- pansion to a versatile product mix. Important to be or remain competitive as they change some key ingredients.


SOLUTION


Remember when selecting key ingre- dients that the right mixing procedure can give benefits such as shorter batch time.


Three global food trends and the challenges they pose to mayonnaise manufacturers


also de-aerates the product quickly and thoroughly. The ingredients enter an optimally-


agitated vessel, rather than being fed directly into the high shear mixer head. This speeds up oil incorporation to about five times the normal rate – saving on mixing time and energy consumption, in both production and cleaning. The high shear mixer employs a two- step emulsification process, enabled by the patented Dynamic HS Mixing Head and agitator system. The first step involves high flow and low shear to create a coarse emulsion, while the second involves high shear mixing to create a fine emulsion. Every detail of the mixing process can be precisely controlled – including speed, time and shear force – to achieve the desired product texture and droplet size, without any risk of over- shearing. This means there is no need to worry about breaking down the emulsion or losing the functionality of costly ingredients like stabilisers. Switching to a Tetra Pak High Shear


Mixer with a batch production set-up can generate overall savings of 20-40% per kg of product. The mixers’ design means scaling up is


simple and cost-effective. You can expand from Batch to Batch Plus production by adding an inline mixing head to the outlet stream of the mixer. This not only boosts capacity but also increases efficiency further by combining the emulsification and emptying steps. To scale up to continuous production, the only new components needed are control valves and flow meters on the ingredient inlets and the product outlet. These increase capacity and further reduce the production cost per kilo of product.


Tetra Pak www.tetrapak.com


 

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52