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The Technological Innovations In Sweets And Snacks
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Sunday, 16 September, 2018, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Ruchika Gupta
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Food industry is going through a paradigm shift in the way it has made itself available to the consumer. Apart from right recipes and production practices, high quality is attributed to right raw materials being sourced along with storage and handling. With global awareness of food, its ingredients and the nutritional info; it is obvious to see a course correction in the reverse mode, i.e., at the production end.
Storing Raw Materials
Manufacturers are aware today that to get the best product rolling, it is not only important to source the highest quality ingredients, it is also crucial to store them properly. Unless they are stored in the right manner, the sourcing goes for a toss. Storage of raw materials using plastics, synthetic materials and so on has become a passé.
Manufacturers are now spending a decent chunk of their investment in ensuring that perfect storage solutions are created. While storing, it also needs to be ensured that each raw material is carefully kept under right temperatures. Machine manufacturers are rolling out great products such as air purifiers with HEPA filters, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and germicidal UV lights for sterilisation to maintain quality of these raw materials.
HEPA Filters
It is important that while storing raw materials they are kept in the cleanest environment including the air around them. HEPA filters are used to trap 99.97% of air particles that have a size greater-than-or-equal-to 0.3 µm.
Humidifiers
It is necessary to maintain correct air humidity since it helps in maintaining the quality and freshness of food. It also helps avoid drying of food. There are different types of humidifiers available: Electrode Steam Humidifiers, Atomiser-based, Heater Steam-based and Pressurised Steam-based ones.
Dehumidifiers
Since optimal temperature is crucial for food and packaging industries, dehumidifiers play important roles in assuring the food quality. Most often cool temperatures are maintained to ensure that food products do not get spoilt. If there is even a slightest bit of moisture in the air, it could condense on the surface of food which facilitates great conditions for bacterial development and thereby affecting the quality. Dehumidifiers extract the water particles from the air making it hostile for bacterial growth.
Germicidal UV Lights
They are used for surface, air and water sterilisation, wherein it kills viruses, bacteria, yeast and fungi in seconds. They can also extend shelf life and nutritional value. They are used in filling equipment, conveyor belts, transport containers and on surfaces where food can come in contact with them.
Machines For Production
Another key factor is the machine in which these products are produced. In the case of Khakhras, slow cooking for long time ensures the best output. Originally Khakhra is handmade and slow-cooked on the Tava. But when it comes to large-scale making, the handmade process would be time-consuming.
Instead of opting for instant roasting, we were able to achieve the result through slow cooking by getting a machine where multiple roasting plates equivalent to Tava were present. This enabled us to produce large number of Khakhras at once.
Similarly there are machines for making different food items such as Namkeen Making Machines, Snacks Making Line, Pani Puri Making Machine, Murukku Making Machine, Farsan Machine, Khakhra Making Machine, Namkeen Making Line, and Chips Production Machine. Food manufacturers have to be careful in the selection of raw materials used in these machines to get the best possible results.
Packaging
Last but not the least, finally a great product is out, but what if it’s not rightly packed with the right packaging material? Earlier, packaging was given little importance. What type of material were allowable to come in contact with the food were not given an in-depth thought. However, this is not the case at present. Today when a product is being conceptualised, it starts with how the packaging should be and what material should be used for the same. Only when it is finalised, the development of the food product comes into picture. Packaging of product to maintain its freshness, taste, aroma along with its look and feel is the key. And to do so, we are at par with what the world offers. Machineries which were a distant dream earlier are now available at arm’s length in India. And thanks to the stringent rules laid by FSSAI, they ensure that nothing but the best is offered to consumer. This gave way to world-class machinery to step into India and a whole new market opened up. Manufacturers are now spoilt with a variety of choices, right from nitrogen filing machines, vacuum machines to oxygen absorbers and humidity removers. Fillers or filling machines are used in packaging of food and beverages to fill them into a pouch or a bottle without human contact.
Nitrogen Filling
Using nitrogen gas to remove oxygen during food packaging is a safe practice widely used throughout the food industry. Nitrogen gas helps to provide a pressurised atmosphere preventing the package collapse.
Volumetric Filler
When you are looking to pack a food product which is in liquid, gas or paste form, fillers such as Volumetric and Volumetric Piston Fillers are employed to achieve the process. A reciprocating piston measures out a predetermined quantity and fills the containers and pouches.
Vacuum Machine
Vacuum packing involves removal of air from the package prior to its sealing. It is usually done to remove oxygen from the container thereby extending the shelf life of food. When there is absence of oxygen, it limits the growth of aerobic bacteria and fungi as well as prevents the vaporisation of volatile components. All of our snacks products are vacuum-packed ensuring highest quality while they reach our customers.
Oxygen Absorber
Sometimes oxygen absorbers are added to enclosed packages to remove or decrease the oxygen level. As in the case of Vacuum Packing, it also helps in extending the shelf life and prevents from food getting spoilt.
Finally, it’s up to the brands’ consciousness and awareness to select the right path, give consumers nothing but the best and ensure that the products are intact until validity.
(The author is vice-president, sales and marketing, Gulabs. She can be contacted at
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