German cereal maker expands...with help from APV Baker
breakfast cereals at a major new plant in Germany. Food producer
Nordgetreide is opening the new facility near Saarbrucken - an
ideal location to serve the western European market.
The project represents major expansion for Nordgetreide, whose other breakfast cereal plant at Falkenhagen, near Berlin, also uses APV Baker equipment.
The new plant will manufacture a variety of products, including flaked, directly expanded and puffed cereals. APV Baker will supply technology such as flaking rolls, a cooker extruder and three coating systems.
According to the British technology provider, two methods of cereal cooking are offered by its equipment.
Twin-screw extrusion is the basis for products that add interest and variety to the sector, with the ability to respond to market demand via rapid changeover between products, APV Baker said. Twin-screw extruders process and cook ingredients via a combination of heat, mechanical shear and moisture addition; flavours and colouring can be added directly into the barrel.
The alternative of traditional rotary pressure cooking is specified for high output flaking and shredding lines. APV Baker flaking rolls are used to form individual flakes for a wide variety of cereals.
Coating enables cereal makers to offer added-value, innovative products with enhanced flavour and appearance which can target specific market sectors such as children and health-conscious adults.
APV Baker offers systems for low-and high-solids coating. Low solids coating plants are typically used for frosted and glazed flakes, rice and directly expanded cereals; the solids level of the syrup is generally 70-80 per cent. High solids systems are used when the moisture within the coating might migrate into the cereal and collapse the structure: products such as puffed wheat require these coatings, which typically contain 97 per cent solids.
