Page 20 - FMT April

Processing

Shaping the Puzzle for

Quality Formed Products

ormed meat products are big faceted process and highlighting offers two primary production
business. Burgers and chicken the support GEA can provide to methods for formed products.
Fnuggets dominate the market, manufacturers. Plate forming for low-medium
but tastes are changing. One of the production levels, for example
challenges for food manufacturers is APPLICATION KNOW-HOW using its MultiFormer machine,
the increased consumer demand for GEA’s vast experience in formed and rotary forming for high speed
a variety of clean label products, as product processing has enabled production of long-run standard

well as fish and vegetarian options, the company to develop creative products, such as with the GEA
and all at prices that consumers ways of overcoming the technical MaxiFormer. Versatility, capacity,
consider to be good value. challenges that can occur. For yield, hygiene, sustainability and,
example, to ensure the best possible above all, product quality have been
Ensuring the highest possible quality yields, the required level of moisture the key drivers in the development
products within budget limitations, must be retained within formed of GEA’s equipment, innovating
whilst continually innovating to products. Water also acts as a designs over the years in a continual
meet consumer demand, can be carrier for salts and other additives quest to streamline processes using
made more challenging by the fact which extend shelf life and enhance the latest technology, meeting and
that creating perfectly formed food flavor, texture, color and binding exceeding customer expectations.
products is a very precise technical properties. However, binding water
process. Rather like a jigsaw puzzle, into chicken mass is often the one IT’S ALL IN THE MIX
every part of the process must aspect of forming that can prove The importance of getting all factors

be perfectly aligned and in place the most difficult. To overcome well controlled early on in the
in order to complete the picture this, GEA has developed technology process cannot be underestimated.
successfully. which mixes the ingredients in Regardless of the forming
near vacuum conditions. This helps technology used, it is often the
With over half a century’s worth to open up the meat cells thereby upstream process of preparing the
of experience when it comes to improving the water retention of raw mix that has the biggest impact
forming, leading supplier of food chicken. upon the success of operations
processing equipment GEA has further down the line. The mixture
developed a package of information EQUIPMENT AND INNOVATION must be carefully prepared upstream
based on six key elements, with Now into its ninth generation with the right balance of ingredients
the aim of demystifying this multi- of forming equipment, GEA at the right temperature and

Food Marketing & Technology 20 April 2021