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EP-4606231-B1 - PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SNACKS

EP4606231B1EP 4606231 B1EP4606231 B1EP 4606231B1EP-4606231-B1

Inventors

  • FERRACIN, Guglielmo
  • DI NUNNO, DAVIDE

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20250128

Claims (17)

  1. A process (100) for producing snacks, said process (100) comprising the steps of: - dosing (101) a pre-established amount of plant protein isolate or concentrate in powder; - adding (102) a pre-established amount of water to the pre-established amount of plant protein isolate or concentrate so as to obtain a hydrated mixture; - mixing (103) the hydrated mixture so as to obtain a dough; - vaporizing (104) the dough; - force-feeding (105) the dough into a first screw conveyor; - extruding (106) the dough in a second screw conveyor; - forcing (107) said dough into a die so as to provide elongated strings; - cutting (108) the elongated strings into a plurality of snacks; - toasting (109) the snacks.
  2. The process (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of vaporizing (104) takes place before the step of extruding (106).
  3. The process (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of adding (102) a pre-established amount of water to the pre-established amount of plant protein isolate or concentrate takes place in a twin shaft pre-mixer (3).
  4. The process (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of mixing (103) has a duration of 3 minutes to 8 minutes.
  5. The process (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step of mixing (103) takes place in a single shaft mixer (4).
  6. The process (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in step of toasting (109) the snacks are subject to at least one air flow having a temperature comprised between 100°C and 300°C.
  7. The process (100) according to claim 6, wherein in step of toasting (109) the snacks are subject to at least one air flow having a temperature comprised between 150°C and 250°C.
  8. The process (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said plant protein isolate or concentrate is one of the following: pea protein isolate, soy protein isolate, lentil protein isolate, fava beans isolate, chickpea isolate.
  9. The process (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pre-established amount of plant protein isolate and the pre-established amount of water are in a ratio of 30%- 15%.
  10. The process (100) according to claim 9, wherein the pre-established amount of plant protein isolate and the pre-established amount of water are in a ratio of 23% - 18%.
  11. The process (100) according to any one of the claims 1 to 10, wherein the plant protein isolate has a percentage of protein of 80% or more.
  12. The process (100) according to any one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein the plant protein concentrate has a percentage of protein comprised between 50% and 80%.
  13. An apparatus (1) for producing snacks (10) according to the process (100) of claims 1 to 12, said apparatus (1) comprising: - a doser (2) for dosing a pre-established amount of plant protein isolate or concentrate in powder; - a twin shaft pre-mixer (3) where water is added, said twin shaft pre-mixer (3) being arranged downstream the doser (2); - a single shaft mixer (4) configured to mix and add vapor to the hydrated mixture so as to obtain a dough, said single shaft mixer (4) being arranged downstream the twin shaft pre-mixer (3); - a first screw conveyor (7) configured to force-feeding the dough, said first screw conveyor (7) being arranged downstream the single shaft mixer (4); - a second screw conveyor (8) for extruding the dough, said second screw conveyor (8) being arranged downstream the first screw conveyor (7); - a die (9) arranged downstream the second screw conveyor (8) so as to receive the dough and provide elongated strings; - cutting means (11) arranged downstream said die (9) and being configured to cut the elongated strings into a plurality of snacks (10); - a toasting chamber (12) configured to toast the snacks (10).
  14. The apparatus (1) according to claim 13, wherein the doser (2) is a gravimetric doser.
  15. The apparatus (1) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the first screw conveyor (7) has a longitudinal axis that is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the second screw conveyor (8).
  16. The apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein the second screw conveyor (8) is a twin screw.
  17. The apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 13 to 16, further comprising: - conveying means (13) arranged downstream the cutting means (11) and configured to receive the snacks (10) from the cutting means (11); - a steel tube (14) arranged downstream the conveying means (13) and upstream the toasting chamber (12).

Description

The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for producing snacks. In particular, the invention finds application in food industry, where it is felt the need to produce healthier products. On the market there is an assorted offer of puffed snacks. These snacks have a relative low content of proteins (usually no more than 60%). There are already known products showing higher content of proteins and grains due to their beneficial health properties. For example, document EP 2725924 B1 discloses a method for preparing extruded legume micro pellets. In fact, legumes are recognized as meeting the challenges of healthy diets. The method according to document EP 2725924 B1 comprises steps of preconditioning, extruding, cutting, and drying a legume flour-based mixture. The legume micro pellets so obtained contain 70 % to 90% legumes, have a moisture content of 8 & to 12% and a density of 700 to 850 g/L. Other known processes for extruding legume micro pellets are shown in WO 2011/011456 A2 and US 6 274 189 B1. There is still felt the need to produce snacks which are even healthier and exhibit better aroma and texture properties than prior art snacks. In this context, the technical task at the basis of the present invention is to propose a process and apparatus for producing snacks, which overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art. The stated technical task and specified objects are substantially achieved by a process for producing snacks, the process comprising the steps of: dosing a pre-established amount of plant protein isolate or concentrate in powder;adding a pre-established amount of water to the pre-established amount of plant protein isolate or concentrate so as to obtain a hydrated mixture;mixing the hydrated mixture so as to obtain a dough;vaporizing the dough;force-feeding the dough into a first screw conveyor;extruding the dough in a second screw conveyor;forcing the dough into a die so as to provide elongated strings;cutting the elongated strings into a plurality of snacks;toasting the snacks. According to a preferred embodiment, the step of vaporizing takes place before the step of extruding. According to one embodiment, the step of adding a pre-established amount of water to the pre-established amount of plant protein isolate or concentrate takes place in a twin shaft pre-mixer. In particular, the step of mixing has a duration of 3 minutes to 8 minutes. According to one embodiment, the step of mixing takes place in a single shaft mixer. Preferably, in step of toasting the snacks are subject to at least one air flow having a temperature comprised between 100°C and 300°C. More preferably, in step of toasting the snacks are subject to at least one air flow having a temperature comprised between 150°C and 250°C. For example, the plant protein isolate or concentrate is one of the following: pea protein isolate, soy protein isolate, lentil protein isolate, fava beans isolate, chickpea isolate. Preferably, the pre-established amount of plant protein isolate and the pre-established amount of water are in a ratio of 30%- 15%. More preferably, the pre-established amount of plant protein isolate and the pre-established amount of water are in a ratio of 23% - 18%. According to one embodiment, the plant protein isolate has a percentage of protein of 80% or more. According to another embodiment, the plant protein concentrate has a percentage of protein comprised between 50% and 80%. The stated technical task and specified objects are substantially achieved by an apparatus for producing snacks according to the proposed process. The apparatus comprises: a doser for dosing a pre-established amount of plant protein isolate or concentrate in powder;a twin shaft pre-mixer where water is added, the twin shaft pre-mixer being arranged downstream the doser;a single shaft mixer configured to mix and add vapor to the hydrated mixture so as to obtain a dough, said single shaft mixer being arranged downstream the twin shaft pre-mixer;a first screw conveyor configured to force-feeding the dough, said first screw conveyor being arranged downstream the single shaft mixer;a second screw conveyor for extruding the dough, said second screw conveyor being arranged downstream the first screw conveyor;a die arranged downstream the second screw conveyor so as to receive the dough and provide elongated strings;cutting means arranged downstream said die and being configured to cut the elongated strings into a plurality of snacks;a toasting chamber configured to toast the snacks. Preferably, the doser is a gravimetric doser. According to one embodiment of the invention, the first screw conveyor has a longitudinal axis that is substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the second screw conveyor. According to one embodiment of the invention, the second screw conveyor is a twin screw. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises: conveying means arranged downstream the cutting means and configured to receive the