24 SNACKING

More healthy snacks, please!

With a growing trend for health-conscious eating, product innovation relies on flexible equipment to perfect
bakery products. Now snack manufacturers have that flexibility in a new automated solution to make
pita chips, developed by Reading Bakery Systems (RBS).

+ Consumer preferences for nutri-

tional and dietary snacking op-
tions are always changing and ex-
up to 1,000kg/h, depending on the
number of oven zones.

panding. Over the past two years, The pita and crisp doughs are more
these dynamics have only gained in sensitive than traditional wheat-based
amplitude, with people seeking health cracker doughs and need more flexible
benefits, nutritional balance, immunity sheeting and baking parameters, which product expands into ‘pillows’, after
support in addition to unique taste ex- this system provides. “This combination which our pita dicer is used to cut
periences. Product development follows of sheeting, baking and drying technol- these ‘pillows’ into pita chips. The dicing
suit, with plenty of options to explore, ogy is what makes this system unique machine can create various rectangular
combining various types of healthy and exclusive to RBS,” Pocevicius ex- shapes and sizes.”
ingredients. “This means system flexi- plains. The system comprises Thomas
bility is an absolute must for snack The system is designed to be able to
manufacturers,” said Joe Pocevicius, also accommodate other types of
European sales manager for Reading “The beauty of the line is its crisp snacks, by simply bypassing the
Bakery Systems. Pocevicius also ob- ability to produce a variety of proofer and dicer used for pita chips
serves there is a growing need to and directing the products from the
crisps from different dough
transform manual or semi-automated rotary cutter straight into the oven. A
production processes into large-scale types, including potato, wheat, variety of crispy snacks can be pro-
industrial processes as businesses are multi-grain, rice, corn masa, or duced, made from wheat, potato, rice,
scaling up. “This is exactly what we’ve corn masa, and other ingredients. The
accomplished with our pita system,”
other flour-based doughs.“
system can work with both batch or
he explains, “we have transformed a Joe Pocevicius, European sales manager, RBS continuous mixing, depending on the
manually-made product into a reliable, level of automation needed by the
high-quality industrial process.” The L. Green sheeting and gauging equip- snack manufacturer. RBS always rec-
system is aimed at providing a turnkey ment, a rotary cutter, followed by a ommends continuous mixing whenev-
industrial production system for pita SPECTRUM multi-pass proofer. This is er possible, for a more consistent
chips, a staple among healthy snacks, a special addition to the standard product, and more efficient process.
while also being able to run different equipment line-up of the multi-crisp
types of crisps. technology, designed to develop the The SPECTRUM Multi-Pass Dryer per-
pita chip dough. A SPECTRUM convec- forms the final production step. Its role
The drawing board tion oven is next, for which the heat is to reduce the moisture in the prod-
The newly-launched system to produce application process was optimized for uct’s core, which improves its overall
pita chips is based on the multi-crisp this product. Post-bake slicing has quality and storage characteristics as
technology that was designed and been added, performed with a pita it prevents the occurrence of hairline
customized for this product by RBS. It dicer, to expose the inside of the pita. cracks that can subsequently cause
is a modular system with a capacity of RBS explains: “During baking, the pita crisps to break (the ‘checking’ issue).

www.bakingbiscuit.com 01/2022
 SNACKING 25

© RBS
The post-bake dryer also makes it is achieving product consistency. It our customers reach their sustain-
much easier to control the product’s also counts towards improving pro- ability goals, such as energy-efficient
color. cess efficiency, with high throughput and low-emission ovens, but we’re
in a significantly smaller footprint: “We also incorporating sustainability into
Compared with previous technology, achieve 42 meters of proofing in a our own manufacturing and business
the new line is the first flexible system 9-meter long enclosure with an auto- processes. “ These sustainability efforts
that can automate the production of matic PLC-controlled environment,” can be seen in the new pita chip sys-
pita chips, as well as multi-crisp prod- RBS explains. It is designed to optimize tem, as well. For example, the oven
ucts. Pocevicius summarizes: “The the process, as it features a full enclo- and dryer have been designed for a
beauty of the line is its ability to pro- sure around the machine, for better reduced operational footprint, for lower
duce a variety of crisps from different chamber efficiency. Moreover, mainte- operational energy costs, and for
dough types, including potato, wheat, nance is made easy thanks to multiple cleaner exhaust emissions. “We can
multi-grain, rice, corn masa, or other enclosure doors to clean and inspect even offer this line with zero emissions
flour-based doughs. Product-wise, this the equipment. by offering the oven and dryer with fully
means baked potato crisps, other electric heating,” RBS notes. Together
gluten-free crisps, wheat and cheese Flexibility, sustainability and more with its ovens, the company delivers the
crisps, in addition to pita chips. Inter- Additional products can be easily SCORPION ® 2 Oven Profiling System,
esting flavors can, of course, be added added into production: the new recipe which allows manufacturers to maxi-
to any product. It’s a game-changer is selected and the rotary cutter die is mize their operating efficiency by meas-
for manufacturers that want to innovate changed – if a different shape is re- uring the oven and dryer’s temperature,
their snack portfolio and maximize quired. RBSConnect helps streamline air velocity, heat flux, and humidity.
production capabilities.” changeovers, incorporating recipe- Automation is also an important part of
driven systems that make controlling sustainability; automated systems are
the line easy. For sheeted crispy simpler to operate and easier to main-
snacks, the product possibilities on tain. To achieve this, the RBSConnect
this line are endless. However, the control systems provide data analysis
specialist notes, more traditional, lami- and diagnostics to ensure the line is
nated and sheeted crackers cannot running within optimum parameters.
be produced on this line. These types
of snacks would need Direct Gas-Fired The new production process made
oven zones and additional layering possible with this pita line aims to meet
equipment. RBS can assist snack manu- the need for equipment flexibility,
facturers to develop new products for designed to specific needs, to deliver
this system and to improve their pro- consistent product quality with a redu-
A new, multi-pass proofer duction processes, at its Science and ced footprint. Interesting product de-
The new, environmentally-controlled Innovation Center. velopment opportunities are ahead.
multi-pass proofer specifically addres- +++
ses the needs of the pita chip dough Process optimization also plays an
and is instrumental in its correct de- important role in increasing sustaina-
velopment. It controls the temperature bility, for pita chips and any type of
and humidity, which affects the flavor, snacks. It is an important aspect for
color, and texture of the final product. RBS, too: “Not only are we designing
The key benefit of this new equipment equipment and processes that help

www.bakingbiscuit.com 01/2022