Baking & Snack - February 2024 - 88

EXTRUSION
He added low-pressure extruders use a double-screw
configuration, allowing the dough to flow through the
extrusion chamber with the appropriate amount of
backflow around the screws. This backflow controls the
amount of pressure being generated in the chamber,
without impacting dough quality.
" Too much backflow and you sheer the dough and essentially
overmix it. Some backflow is necessary to avoid
building up too much pressure, " Mr. Roesler said.
High-pressure extruders come in a variety of single-,
twin- or triple-screw designs. He said RBS offers highpressure
machines with a configurable single screw that
can be modified depending on the product being extruded.
Single-screw systems handle potato- and cornbased
snacks very well. Alternative ingredients with
higher proteins often need additional screws to manage
dough flow, avoid blockage and heat the ingredient appropriately
through the extrusion process.
Overall, the choice between specialized co-extruders
or single-, double- or triple-screw systems plays a crucial
role in determining the range and complexity of products,
explained Ty Sarajian, president, Axis Automation.
Single-screw options are best suited for less-complex,
less-viscous doughs while double-screw extruders offer
more control and versatility for handling more complex
products and for incorporating delicate ingredients
without damaging them.
" Triple-screw extruders further enhance this control,
especially beneficial for products requiring precise
ingredient mixing and a consistent
texture, " Mr.
Top: Coating and
drying systems can
be clipped on to an
extrusion process to
develop new products
with various
flavors and textures.
Clextral USA
Bottom: Appetizers
and handheld items
are made with fillings
like Philadelphia
cheesesteak or
a Thanksgivinginspired
meal inside
an encrusted dough.
Rheon USA
Mr. Barber suggested twin-screw machines can be
configured differently with varying auxiliary equipment
making more fun snacks with new shapes or more enticing
ones with various flavor combinations. Clextral's autoopen
extrusion barrel design provides quick access to
the screws filled with product and assists with sanitation.
" This allows R&D developers to analyze the extrudate
in each barrel segment and make any screw configuration
adjustments required, " he said.
In the snacking arena, Mr. Roesler noted, low-pressure
extrusion can typically make bread or pretzel-type
snacks as well as other doughs if they can be extruded
and hold their shape after forming. Moreover, the system
offers versatility because the dies where the dough is
extruded can be easily changed.
" One shift, a snack maker can run a standard pretzel
shape, the next shift they could run a braided pretzel
stick, and the next shift, they could run a filled nugget
- all on the same piece of equipment, " he explained.
" With this flexibility comes the ability to think of new
shapes and concepts to apply to extrusion. Bakers can
design custom dies to experiment with the new shapes
and sizes of their snacks. "
88 Baking & Snack February 2024 / www.bakingbusiness.com
Sarajian said.
Specialized co-extruders, he added, enable the production
of multi-layered or filled products.
" Using a co-extruder in combination with a third extruder,
it's possible to produce a cookie with vanilla and
chocolate doughs - each maintaining its distinct flavor,
encasing a chocolate center, " Mr. Sarajian observed.
" This process requires synchronized extrusion of the
doughs side-by-side and precise injection of the filling,
showcasing the innovative potential of extruders in creating
complex, multi-textural and flavorful products. "
Handling a sticky situation
When it comes to delicate or difficult-to handle doughs,
extrusion provides bakers with multiple options.
Handtmann uses an adjustable vane cell feeding system
that offers a much shorter product path, creating less
product contact with metal and less friction to better
maintain dough quality, said Ken Hagedorn, vice president
of bakery sector for the company. The system also
retains the ingredient identity and visual appearance of
delicate inclusions and can handle a wide range of products,
including most gluten-free doughs.
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