Bühler opens puffing technology center for grains
Uzwil - Bühler has opened a new Puffing Application Center in Uzwil. At the company’s research and training center, food and animal feed producers can develop new plant-based products.
(CONNECT) The Bühler Group from the St.GallenBodenseeArea has opened a new Puffing Application Center at its research and training campus located in Uzwil, where food and animal feed producers can use innovative technologies to develop plant-based products. In particular, grains and pulses can be tested, as Bühler writes in a press release.
Grain puffing is a hydrothermal process that uses steam and pressure to increase the volume of plant-based products. As the press release explains further, these versatile technologies can be used for a wide range of products, including baked goods and breakfast cereals, as well as confectionery and dairy products.
“With this center, we are ready to support customers worldwide – not only in food, but also in pet food and feed, where demand for crispy, nutritious products is on the rise”, comments Christoph Vogel, Head of Business Unit Human Nutrition at Bühler, in the press release. “It is an invitation to the industry to innovate sustainably and cost-effectively, amid growing pressure on margins and supply chains”, he adds.
The Cerex puffing technology is offered in three configurations. The single system can process 350 to 500 kilograms of grain per hour, while the double version can handle 700 to 1,000 kilograms and the Quattro system has a capacity of 1,400 to 2,000 kilograms per hour. In addition to grain, pulses such as quinoa and chickpeas can also be processed.
One aim of the new technology is to optimize product development. With the improved grain processing capacity, yields of up to 95 percent can be achieved, as the company explains in the press release. ce/ww