Baking & Snack - October 2019 - 72

FLATBREAD TECHNOLOGY

Stress-free systems
allow bakers to
create pliable, fluffy
flatbreads with a
tender texture.
Rheon USA

said, a cutter can stretch or form irregular shapes, giving the impression of a hand-stretched or artisanal flatbread product.
Moisture content often plays a key role in the makeup process, according to Franco Fusari, co-owner of
Minipan. For medium-hydrated doughs, its Raffinatore
line uses punch-and-fold technology to sheet the dough
to enhance the gluten network and homogenize its cell
structure. The approach is totally different for highly hydrated baked goods. "Extremely gentle handling is a must
because if a technology is too aggressive, it may damage
the dough and jeopardize the final product," he said.
To accomplish this, Minipan places small chunks
of dough onto a specially designed conveyor to allow the sheet to naturally come together and rest. For
gauging and forming, Mr. Franco said the company's
R_Evolution line handles doughs with up to 85% hydration and long fermentations. Those products include the
highly popular Italian Pinsa Romana bread, which features a clean label formula and a traditional rectangular
shape that makes it an alternative to rounded pizza.
Coen Nikkels, manager of marketing and business development for Rondo Industrial Solutions, pointed out
that automating production of very thin flatbreads is a
challenge regarding the product quality and authenticity.
That's because the process is so different from the traditional production methods that create artisanal, handcrafted breads like hand-formed pizza in the old days.
"Modifying existing production lines to run flatbread
products requires a detailed analysis of the dough characteristics - not all doughs run on 'old' lines - and specific shapes and sizes," Mr. Nikkels said. "This will normally lead to additional sheeting equipment in order to
achieve the required thickness - often less than 1 mm
- and other cutting and makeup tools to provide for the
end product." He added that Rondo works with bakers to

72 Baking & Snack October 2019 / www.bakingandsnack.com

streamline changeovers and redesign existing equipment.
Product innovation such as tortillas with superfoods,
crackers with dried fruits or the current onslaught
of pizza snacks also adds complexity to the production process. "The challenges include the extrusion of
doughs with the incorporation of seeds such as chia,
ancient grains and other ingredients, or with creating
gluten-free doughs," said Uwe Benz, head of Fritsch
Technology Center.
Likewise, flatbreads now come in such shapes as
hexagon, D-shapes, ellipse and trefoil. "To produce new
varieties of flatbreads, the punching/cutting tool has to
be changed," Mr. Benz said. "On a dough sheet basis, almost every shape can be produced. The sheeting section
usually remains the same. The width of the dough sheet
can be varied via the folding station. The degree of the
reduction is also adjustable."
Mr. Benz added that handling dough the right way is
not an easy task. "Our SoftProcessing technology is distinctive for its interplay between specific materials, components and functioning principles," he said. "It allows
a high degree of automation and high throughput at the
same time while minimizing the stress on the dough
over the entire production process."
When producing flatbreads, bakers are finding new
ways to take the category to new heights while remaining true to their cultural heritage. For consumers across
the globe, flatbreads provide a visceral way for people to
connect after a busy day or during special occasions.
"When you think of flatbreads, you think of ripping
apart bread to share with friends and family," Mr. Giacoio
said. "It is just like the term 'breaking bread.' Flatbreads
are perfect for dipping, scooping and wrapping. Bakers
are also looking for different shapes and sizes."
And they're searching for new ways to add a twist to
the original Old World product.

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Baking & Snack - October 2019

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