FOOD & BEVERAGES

Process technologies for tomorrow.

PROCESS SYSTEMS FOR DRYING OKARA

Okara is a soy bean pulp that occurs as a by-product during the production of soy milk and tofu. Most okara worldwide is used as animal feed and the rest mainly as a natural fertilizer or compost. However it also has potential for human consumption, in that it adds texture to baked goods and is a nutritional protein enhancer.

This is increasingly seen as a valued opportunity for food manufacturers to make valuable use of a waste by-product, but only if the processing challenges of producing low moisture, fine particle sized, protein preserved powders can be addressed.

These challenges include the ability to produce a low moisture product that will be subject to less risk from deterioration yet remain unaltered in colour, taste or mouthfeel by any drying or grinding processes. On the market today are machines capable of meeting these challenges. These can grind, classify and dry to produce a stable product, eliminating several stages of powder handling typical in more traditional processing systems.

Drying, milling and classification in one machine

Hosokawa Micron’s DMR flash mill dryer for example, uses flash drying technology for thermal damage prevention and nutrient preservation resulting in a low moisture product being less prone to deterioration and degradation.

Okara is usually obtained as a suspension with a solids content between 15% and 20%. Powerful grinding and classifying in the DMR offers a short process time and delivers fine particles that are smooth to the tongue. The unit's easy clean process reduces adhesion in the machine for better throughput.

Energy efficient and system-compact, the machine combines drying, de-agglomeration/milling and classifying in one piece of equipment, drying temperature-sensitive products safely and economically within a matter of seconds, thus helping to meet the demands and challenges of producing food as cheaply as possible. It delivers a lump-free, defined and homogenized particle size final product output with a moisture content of about 5%.

Okara processing and sustainability

With the capability to handle moisture content fluctuations from a few percent up to more than 80 percent in suspensions, slurries and pastes, Hosokawa Micron's DMR uses about 30-40 percent less energy per kilogram of evaporated water than conventional dryers.

As many companies globally now are challenged with day-to-day energy reduction, emissions and pollution reduction, cutting this much in energy consumption presents a significant step forward. As a result, the DMR flash dryer supports the shift to more sustainable processing of okara.

TESTING & PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

Test Centre in Doetinchem, the Netherlands Test Centre in Doetinchem, the Netherlands

Our test and process development centre in the Netherlands offers unique possibilities for testing your product to determine the most efficient process, system or plant prior to final design. We can provide laboratory-level as well as production-sized trials.

Whether you wish to test a single machine or a complete powder processing system, the same skilled and experienced staff are here to help ensure that your requirements are met, and that you are entirely satisfied with the results. Our principle is to deliver high performance yet affordable solutions that meet our customers' demands and long term challenges.

We also have rental equipment available for batch drying.

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

To learn more about our equipment and systems for processing okara, contact us:

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SUSTAINABLE PROCESSING SYSTEMS

Hosokawa Micron B.V. is certified according to ISO 14001. Our certification covers all environmental themes of ISO 14001: air, soil, energy, waste, water, noise and hazardous substances. In addition, Hosawa Micron was awarded an EcoVadis Silver Medal for its sustainability achievements. EcoVadis determined that the company was among the top 7% of companies rated by EcoVadis in the special machinery industry.

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