Systems aid thermal processing for drinks manufacturers

Hall 4.1, Stand: C051

As the Anuga FoodTec event makes a welcome return in 2022, HRS Heat Exchangers will be showcasing its DSI Series of Direct Steam Injection pasteurisers and sterilisers.

Developed in response to the rising global demand for plant-based ‘milk’ drinks and products, the DSI Series joins the existing HRS range of pasteurisation and sterilisation solutions. The benefit of sterilising using direct steam injection is the speed of the process, with sterilisation temperatures of 100 to 145 °C. being reached in around a second, much quicker than the fastest heat exchanger systems.

For products such as plant milks, this rapid heating prevents cooking of the product and formation of caramel-type compounds which can darken the product or produce unwanted flavours. Some products, such as oat milk, also benefit from the additional dilution with water which the steam  injection provides.

Direct steam injection isn’t just limited to the production of plant milk. It is also suitable for a range of extended shelf life (ESL) dairy products as well as ow viscosity products with small particulates such as soups and sauces, non-dairy creams, and starch-based products.

The DSI Series is not the only recent innovation for drinks manufacturers from HRS. The new HRS I Series offers de-packs and crush (the IC Series) and melt (IM Series) frozen fruit juice (a process also sometimes known as re-melting) ready for storage or further processing.

The IC Series features a roller conveyor which feeds individual drums into a tipper that empties them into the crusher. Here, a specially designed spiked roller crushes the solid ice into an icy slush, which is then transferred to the IM Series re-melting device. Capable of handling up to 60 drums (12,000 litres) per hour, the HRS I Series uses a number of HRS heat exchanger technologies together with ice crushing to re-melt both large and small chunks of ice, providing optimal rates of heat transfer and energy efficiency.

You can learn more about HRS Heat Exchangers’ comprehensive range of thermal systems for food and drink manufacturing on Stand C051 in Hall 4.1 at Anuga FoodTech in Cologne, between the 26th and 29th April 2022.