Coatings are used in the frying sector in order to improve crispiness and hold natural flavors, but also to add a different taste to French fries. With a role of enriching the consumers’ experience, coatings can be applied in different stages of production.

Accuracy of seasoning systems are essential to good product quality and flavor and today’s equipment manufacturers are keen to provide processors with advanced systems that can assist in this important process.

Oftentimes, coatings (i.e., water, oil, slurry) require different handling and application methods, and equipment should be able to cover any of these scenarios.

Customer Demand

Heat & Control offers a variety of coating drum styles/designs, liquid applicator designs, and dry seasoning applicators designs to optimize the end-product and process for their customers. This also includes in-kitchen and on-machine packaging methods in order to optimize their clients’ efficiency.

“Based on the different base products and processes at hand, we carefully select the correct coating and seasoning equipment for the job. Depending on the rates and the base product/liquid/seasoning type, we sometimes work through our catalog of equipment offerings to ensure we choose the correct applicators for the process,” says Blake Svejkovsky, general manager, Product Handling Systems, Heat & Control.

The specialist explains that free flowing seasonings (e.g., salt, trickier seasonings containing non-free flowing ingredients) require different approaches to hopper agitation and distribution, and their equipment can cover a full range of dry applications.

The requirements of every customer are different and so equipment manufacturers have to ensure they can offer a range of options and technology to satisfy the production needs of every processor. 

Trevor Howard, managing director, Fabcon Food Systems told us their range includes dry seasoning screw feeders which come in volumetric and gravimetric options, a technology that provides top accuracy when it comes to dry seasoning feed and compensates for variations in powder characteristics, including bulk density. 

Vibratory scarf edge feeders are also a key part of their portfolio. These receive the seasoning from the screw feeders and feed an even curtain onto the product in the seasoning drum. 

“Alongside the scarf edge feeders are our vibratory drum feed conveyors which provide a regular flow of product to the seasoning drum and our innovative space-saving Vibraweigh technology which accurately weighs the product and proportions the amount of seasoning accordingly. We also offer a wide range of stainless steel seasoning drums in different sizes. These have adjustable rotation speeds and angles, as well as specially designed flights to ensure consistent product coverage and vitally, which keep breakage to a minimum, overcoming any quality control issues,” Howard explained.

Peter King, founder of Spice Application Systems says they predominantly – but not exclusively – use electrostatics to apply flavorings and seasonings because they believe it to be the most effective system for flavor application and quality.

“The most important features of our seasoning machines are: firstly, the ability to save customers money by reducing powder wastage; and secondly, ensuring a much cleaner environment, because there is less dust in the air,” the specialist revealed. “Accuracy is everything and our new Loss and Weight System, which fits onto production lines, automatically weighs every item before it reaches the flavoring drum. It means exactly the right amount of flavoring or seasoning is applied to each individual product for optimum taste and guaranteed minimum waste,” he added.

You can read the rest of this article in your complimentary e-copy of the May/June Issue of Potato Processing International magazine, which you can access by clicking here.