CO2 dough cooling
During the mixing of food dough, the kinetic energy produced by friction between moving mechanical parties is transformed into heat, with the consequence that the temperature of the dough increases and unwanted changes in the characteristics of the final food product may result.
SOL is able to provide a wide range of solutions for controlling dough temperature during the mixing process by using CO2.
Several factors, such as the type of mixing and mixer used, the fluid dynamics of the ingredients in the dough, the timing of mixing operation, can lead to increases in the temperature of the dough resulting in unwanted changes in the characteristics of the final product. These changes often lead to the deterioration in product quality or the cost of the further processing required.
In the thermoregulation of food dough, carbon dioxide (food additive E290) is introduced directly, coming into contact with the food and the ingredients present in the mixer in its solid form, as dry ice or snow carbon dioxide from liquid CO2, by means of a special device designed and manufactured by SOL that is installed on the cutters or mixer. SOL is also able to supply a system designed to control the temperature of the dough and automatic injection of liquid CO2.
SOL technology for the cooling of dough is used in meat processing and in the production of pasta and confectionary products where production processes often involve producing mixes of several ingredients, and as such it meets the strictest food safety requirements emerging from the HACCP analysis of companies within the sector.