Baking & Snack - December 2013 - 79

and help reuse it. "It is not uncommon for such devices
to operate at the 80% level of efficiency and above," Mr.
Giles said.
Heat and Control potato chip batch fryers feature a
full-length hood enclosing the full frying area, replacing the older style of area hoods partially open to the
plant environment. This feature is safer, reduces energy
usage and prolongs oil life. "Exhaust volume is significantly reduced," Mr. Giles said. "This means a smaller,
more energy-efficient exhaust fan can be used. The hood
also retains heat and steam, which blankets the oil and
purges oxygen to reduce oil degradation."
Fryer manufacturers typically offer both natural gas
and electric fuel options. Because utility rates in the US
are usually higher for electricity than for gas, most fryer
operators have traditionally chosen gas. But that is beginning to change, according to Mr. Moline. Actually,
they can have both. The company's Libra fryer offers gas,
electric and hybrid styles.
"Hybrid offers a combination of both fuels," Mr.
Moline explained. "When you need to bring up temperature quickly, as when doing sanitation or starting
up, the gas system does the job. And when you get into
continuous operation, you switch to the electric system
to maintain steady temperatures during long run times."
Sophisticated energy-saving technology is trickling
down from high-volume frying to medium-sized units,
Ms. Kimmerly observed, with pre-mixed gas and PLC
controls now featured on the company's 10-ft fryers as
well as its largest models. Sensor readings taken at short
intervals feed into digital controls programmed to interpret very small fluctuations. "The heating units -
whether gas or electric - can apply to smaller amounts
of heat rather than being 'full on,' " she said.
The new fryers from WP Riehle take advantage of
digital heating controls, using solid state relays.
"Digital [control over]
heating gives the opportunity to introduce 'double
heating power,' " Ms.
Kennedy said. "Some
open and filled products
require significant frying power. If you do not
have it, when the products
are introduced to the fryer,
the temperature of the oil
will dive significantly; the
product absorbs oil and becomes soggy."
Most of the heat of frying
snacks goes into boiling off

moisture from the raw pieces. A post-frying drying system
can drive off moisture as well. Radio Frequency Co., Inc.,
Millis, MA, introduced a custom-engineered Macrowave
dryer that reduces the moisture of fried snack foods to very
low targeted moisture levels. "The new system helps producers of fried foods conveyed through continuous fryers
to meet the challenge of obtaining the appropriate color,
moisture content and moisture uniformity," said Timothy
Clark, president and CEO, Radio Frequency Co., Inc.,
Millis, MA.
The dryer uses radio frequency energy, which preferentially heats and dries the moist portions of the load
being conveyed through the system. It handles products
at bed depths of up to 4 in., thus reducing the length of
the fryer while fostering moisture uniformity without
over-coloring the product.

Totaling cost of production
Frying equipment must be able to justify its capital cost
by delivering finished goods that make a profit. "The
current trend is to reduce costs to a minimum while
maximizing the return on investment," Ms. Kennedy
said. "In the frying world, this just isn't the case."
It's a fact that new generation oils are more expensive
than the partially hydrogenated oils they replace. And
as consumers seek more variety in their fried foods and
snacks, the costs to procure the required ingredients will
increase, too. Premium ingredients will require additional investment in fryer lines, including oil filtration,
sediment removal and enhanced temperature control.
Fortunately, many of these equipment improvements
also aid energy efficiency and sustainability of resources.
Americans love their fried foods - their donuts and
snack chips. It's up to bakers and snack producers to
make these foods as attractive as possible.

Digital control over frying temperature ensures uniform products and reduces
the stress on frying oils.
WP Bakery Group

December 2013 / Baking & Snack / 79

Baking & Snack - December 2013

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