Baking & Snack - May 2019 - 108

CO-EXTRUSION

tion, which avoids generating inconsistent temperature
pockets," said Franco Fusari, commercial director and
co-founder, Minipan.

Perfecting the ratio

The proper co-extruder
configuration, between
pump and die, is critical to preserving the
integrity of the dough
and filling.
Handtmann

While preserving dough and filling integrity as it's
pushed through the extruder is critical to finished product quality, weight accuracy and dough-to-filling ratio
are also vital for creating an enjoyable snacking experience. That balance not only lends to an ideal taste and
texture, but it also contributes to weight and product integrity.
"Most cases call for more filling than dough, averaging 40/60 dough-to-filling," Mr. Zelaya said. "The more
filling is introduced to the product, the more difficult it
is to maintain the shape and prevent any leakage." To
get that ratio right every time, Handtmann developed
a three-plate system that allows for optimized shaping
and sealing. This enables the equipment to encrust higher ratios of filling without leaking.
Consistent product flow through the co-extruder is
the key to ensuring accurate weights. Some co-extruders
pulse the filling to allow for a place to cut the product
without the possibility of filling leaking out. "When you
stop a machine that is extruding any product, you will
continue to see the material coming out of the machine,"
Mr. Giacoio said. "Just because the machine has been
stopped doesn't mean the product will stop its flow."
However, pulsing the filling can result in inaccurate
weights. Rheon's co-extruders

As snack technology
evolved to create
co-extruded filled snacks,
it only makes sense that
people around the world
would also gravitate
toward these products.
feature continuous flow to ensure weight accuracy and
even filling distribution.
To accommodate this challenge without relying on
the pulse, Rheon developed a cutting system that mimics the iris of a camera. Six shutters come together to
cut, wrap and seal the product. "Not only that but the
iris keeps time with the extrusion speed and cuts while
matching the speed of what's coming out of the machine," Mr. Giacoio said. "You could say we're cutting it
on the fly."
Minipan's co-extruder head design not only preserves
dough quality but also creates flow consistency. This ensures portion control as filling is extruded into the shell
and sealed into individual snacks.
RBS co-extrusion cookie equipment uses feed rolls,
divider plate, hopper, filler block and die to maintain an
even flow and achieve weight control for each die outlet.
The company focuses on achieving tight tolerances in
its parts as well as assembly. The wirecut head, for
example, is built to tight tolerances so each die
outlet produces identical products. "The key is
to ensure the feed rolls are parallel to the die
and filler block," Mr. Pallottini said. "It is also
important that all outlets are exactly the same
and spaced evenly across the die."
In the company's low-extrusion system for
snacks, the filling is injected by a positive displacement pumping system. "It's important to
note that maintaining a specified dough jacket-to-filling ratio is paramount in achieving a successful co-extrusion process,"
Mr. Eshelman said.

Spotless design
Once a product's integrity is preserved and
weight accuracy is confirmed, the next challenge is keeping the equipment clean. "Microbial

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