Coperion ZSK Food Extruder for Plant Based Proteins in Hybrid Design

Coperion ZSK Food Extruder for Plant Based Proteins in Hybrid Design For its ZSK Food Extruder, Coperion has developed a hybrid solution for manufacturing meat substitute products. With only a minimum of retrofitting effort, both texturized vegetable protein (TVP) and high moisture meat analogues (HMMA) can be produced on this ZSK Food Extruder, providing manufacturers of meat substitutes maximum flexibility to be able to profitably react to changing market demands, even on short notice. Coperion’s co-rotating ZSK twin screw extruders are used in the
manufacture of both TVP and HMMA. Previously, the food extrusion system’s configuration differed for each application: While the ZGF centric food pelletizer is attached to the process section for manufacturing TVP in order to cut the product directly at the nozzle plate, HMMA is discharged using a specialized cooling die which produces a product strand exhibiting a texture closely resembling that of genuine meat.
Using a newly developed adapter solution from Coperion, the ZSK Food Extruder’s discharge can now be changed over from a ZGF to a cooling die in record time. The machine’s operator personnel can perform the changeover; no electrician is needed. The ZGF is first opened and moved to the side. Next, after the nozzle plate is opened by loosening a few
screws; the nozzle is switched using the adapter, and the cooling die is flanged. The same principle functions just as quickly in reverse when performing product changeovers from an HMMA process to TVP.
The Food Extruder’s design, with feeding and process section, remains largely unchanged in most cases. In combination with the self-cleaning profile of the extruder’s twin screws, product conversion is completed in a few minutes.
Ask our experts for more detailed information about this technology or learn more about the innovative food process solutions of Coperion on www.coperion.com