PLANTBASED

HANDTMANN WHITEPAPER

WHITEPAPER MEAT SUBSTITUTESPART 2 – VEGAN FORMED PRODUCTS

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FOODHANDTMANN

SOLUTIONS

FORMING

PORTIONING

CO-EXTRUDING

DOSING

Why meat substitute products, and for whom?Thanks to the rapidly increasing number of flexitarians, plant-based substitute products as an alternative to conventional meat products are a flourishing growth segment. Flexitarians do eat meat, however, deliberately reduce their meat consumption for the sake of animal welfare, climate protection or health without giving up their pleasure of eating meat as such. Flexitarians therefore fill the gap on the plate left by abstaining from meat with plant-based or vegan meat substitute products. These plant-based meat analogues, meat imitations, meat alternatives, vegetarian meat products or fake meat products, as meat substitute products are also called, imitate the texture, flavour and appearance of real meat products and are also inspired by their designations.

The trend of formed meat substitute productsIn addition to classics such as vegan mince, an increasing number of new meat substitute products can be found on the shelves. Vegan formed products, which are meat substitutes in all sorts of shapes, are currently particularly in vogue. The range of formed products is enormous, spanning from red-meat burger patties and white-meat nuggets or sticks to red/white-striped vegan bacon.

The technological aspects that need to be paid attention to in the production of these products are as manifold as the products themselves. The wide variety of shapes these products can have is owed to different forming systems that can be used for the production of formed products. This whitepaper is intended to impart knowledge about recipes, production processes and deployable system technology.

Why get information now? Are you a start-up or meat-processing company? Are you already involved in the megatrend of meat alternatives? Growth market. Sales growth. Product idea. New business model. Capacity utilisation, .... the reasons why you should look into the subject are manifold.

Taking a closer look at this product segment with all its facets is therefore well worthwhile. Do you agree? Then don’t miss out on our whitepaper on the topic “Production of vegan formed products”. You will benefit from current market information, obtain information on optimal process technology and what to pay attention to in the production of these products or how to optimise your production process.

Valuable information, both for the experienced producer of meat substitute products and for start-ups or meat producers who wish to add such products to their portfolio.

VEGAN/VEGETARIAN/MEAT SUBSTITUTE

WHITEPAPERS SERIES ON MEAT SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS

Vegan/vegetarian products made from vegetables, tofu, soy, chickpeas and moreMeat substitute products

Part 1:Vegan mince

Part 2:Vegan formed products, red & whiteBurger patties, nuggets, balls, Adana, cevapcici, sticks, etc.Vegan bacon

Part 3:Vegan sausage

HANDTMANN SERIES OF WHITEPAPERS MEAT SUBSTITUTES. MEAT ANALOGUES. MEAT ALTERNATIVES.

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SOURCES

Kearney Inc. (2019): How will cultured meat and meat alternatives disrupt the agricultural and food industry?http://media.enfasis.com/adjuntos/146/documentos/000/132/0000132740.pdf

Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik e. V., DILwww.dil-ev.de

Mintel Group Ltd. (2017)www.mintel.com

Barclays Investment Bank (2019): Carving up the alternative meat markethttps://www.investmentbank.barclays.com/our-insights/carving-up-the-alternative-meat-market.html

Statistahttps://www.statista.com/statistics/658587/retail-sales-value-meat-substitutes-germany

KEYWORDS• Meat substitute, Plant-based meat substitute, Vegan meat substitute, Plant protein, New protein, Meat substitute, Vegetarian meat, Fake meat, Meat analogues, Meat imitation, Meat alternative, Plant-based meat, Meat alternative• Plant-based/vegan/meat-free formed products, burgers, patties, nuggets, balls, sticks, fingers, bacon

THE AUTHORDr. Michael Betz holds a doctorate in food technology and is central point of contact for technological and scientific challenges at Handtmann. He deals intensively with current trends and developments in the global food sector and advises customers and prospects systematically on technological issues. In the Handtmann Forum, a technology centre for product and production process development, he supports the practical implementation of new product solutions and approaches on Handtmann systems in a team with other experts. Handtmann Maschinenfabrik is part of the Handtmann Group of Companies and the world leader in the manufacture of filling and portioning technology for the food processing industry. The family-run mechanical engineering firm from Biberach in southern Germany offers modular process solutions for the portioning, dosing, forming and co-extruding of foodstuff. The Handtmann customer base includes both small businesses and start-ups as well as medium-sized companies and large industrial enterprises from all over the world.

HANDTMANN SERIES OF WHITEPAPERSIn this whitepaper, read all about formed, vegan meat substitute products: current statistics on market volume and product launches, the latest production technology and different production methods. Plus optimisation tips for achieving optimum product quality and variety and reducing production costs on top. Benefit from our end-to-end expertise, from the recipe all the way through to the finished product in the packaging.

CONTENTSKeywords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The variety of meat substitute products is ever increasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Process steps in the production of meat substitute products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Step 1: Producing the initial product. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

1.1. What are vegan formed products made from? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

1.2. How is the vegan initial product produced? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.3. Vegan initial product for “white-meat” meat substitute products . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Step 2: Portioning and forming the products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2.1. Forming systems with the “forming and cutting” mode of operation . . . . . . . . 13

2.2. Forming systems with the “free forming” mode of operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

2.3. Forming systems with the “forming and drum forming” mode of operation. . . 19

What is important in the production of formed meat substitute products? . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

1. Precise and gentle filling and portioning technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

2. Purposeful use of inline grinding technology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3. Minimisation of give-away also in multi-lane production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

4. Temperature control adapted to the product . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

5. Flawless process hygiene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

6. Automation options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

The solution: Optimal coordination of product and process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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TREND MEAT SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS

↑ Worldwide product launches in the area of formed meat substitute products (sticks, nuggets, balls and burgers) Own illustration, source: Mintel GNPD

THE VARIETY OF MEAT SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS IS EVER INCREASINGIn Part 1 of our whitepaper series on vegan meat substitute products, we have already examined in more detail the question of where the trend towards meat substitute products originates. Issues like animal welfare, climate protection and the desire for a healthy lifestyle are motivating consumers to question their dietary habits. The number of vegans, vegetarians and above all flexitarians is ever increasing. The latter are the main target group for meat substitute products. Because flexitarians deliberately reduce their meat consumption without, however, giving up their pleasure of eating meat.

Driven by the demand of flexitarians, the range of plant-based meat substitute products has increased considerably in the past years. This trend is particularly strong in North America and Europe. But not only there have vegan meat substitute products become firmly established in retail and gastronomy and their

sales are growing rapidly (→ Infobox). Not only vegan/vegetarian producers, but also an increasing number of classic meat producers are now producing plant-based meat substitute products, so that the range of vegan products is being continuously expanded.

Vegan formed products on the marketIn Part 1 of our whitepaper series on vegan meat substitute products we focused on the trend product “vegan mince”. Part 2 will now deal with “vegan formed products”. This includes classic product shapes such as burger patties, nuggets, balls or sticks, but also specialities such as cevapcici rolls, Adana kebab sticks or vegan bacon, as well as fantasy shapes such as mince twisters and more.

The variety of shapes of vegan meat substitute products is vast, as are the imitated types of meat. Both formed beef and pork meat products, but also products from poultry or fish meat are offered “translated into vegan”.

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INFOBOXMarket volume of meat substitute products

The current sales of meat substitute products are estimated by Barclays at 14 billion US dollars (12 billion euros). Different forecasts predict a worldwide growth in turnover to 140 to 250 billion US dollars (120 to 215 billion euros) by 2029. Kearney predicts a market volume of 450 billion US dollars (385 billion euros) by 2040.

According to Statista, 21,400 metric tonnes of meat substitute products were sold in Germany in 2018. Sales of meat substitute products amounted to almost 230 million US dollars (197 million euros).

Presentation and preparationModern vegan formed products are mostly offered raw or pre-cooked as refrigerated or frozen products. The preparation for consumption does not differ from that of conventional meat products. Vegetarian and vegan meat substitute products are roasted, grilled, baked, deep-fried and more.

Formed products are a strong growth driver in the category of meat substitute products. This becomes evident looking at the large, rapidly growing number of new product launches in the area of formed meat substitute products in recent years.

PROCESS STEPS IN THE PRODUCTION OF MEAT SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTSThe production process for vegan formed products basically involves the following steps:

1. Producing the initial product: grinding and mixing technology is used for this purpose.2. Portioning and forming the initial product: vacuum fillers are used for this purpose. a. Shaping the product and separating the individual formed portions: forming systems coupled to the vacuum filler are used for this purpose. b. Depositing the formed individual portions onto a conveyor belt or depositing directly into or onto containers. c. Recording and controlling the product weight: using automated process as an option. d. Transferring the individual portions to downstream process steps: transfer e.g. to breading and deep-frying line, froster, thermal treatment (e.g. cooking) or directly into the packaging 3. Packaging of the end products: usually MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) trays, thermo-forming packaging or vacuum packaging are used.

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1.2. HOW IS THE VEGAN INITIAL PRODUCT PRODUCED? In the production of vegan mince, process technology from meat processing is used. The preparation of the initial product includes the processes of grinding, mixing and dispersing. Mainly cutters and grinders, but also ultra-fine grinders and mixing technology, are used for this. When using dry protein texturates (TVP) or fibres, these must first be rehydrated. The raw materials are therefore often mixed with water in separate containers and left to swell several hours to one day before production. If wet-textured protein is used (HME or HMMA), pre-swelling is not necessarily required due to the high water content.

In the next step, further constituents are added to the rehydrated texturate particles. The order of adding the ingredients strongly depends on the recipe and is described below by way of example for a vegan mince.The vegetable fat is ground to the desired final grain size and mixed in the mixer with the pre-swelled protein texturate particles (TVP).

Practical tip: Much more time-saving and flexible than several hours of static pre-swelling is the use of efficient mixing technology for rehydration. The pre-swelling time can sometimes thus be reduced to a few minutes, depending on particle size and water temperature, which is also beneficial from a microbiological point of view. At the same time, the process is simplified, as separate pre-swelling containers are no longer required. It is crucial that the rehydration of the particles and fibres is complete before further water-retaining constituents are added.

Practical tip: The grain sizes of texturate and fat particles need to be matched to the subsequent forming and portioning process. → See Part 1 of the whitepaper series for details.

Let us take a closer look at the first process step and examine what characterises the initial products for these diverse products and how they are produced.

STEP 1: PRODUCING THE INITIAL PRODUCT

The majority of the vegan, formed meat substitute products are imitating products made from red meat such as beef or pork. The basis for such meat substitute products is usually a vegan mince product mostly reddish in colour due plant-based colouring agents or

colouring foodstuffs. The composition and production process for vegan mince has already been described in great detail in Part 1 of the Handtmann whitepaper series and will only be briefly outlined here once again.

1.1. WHAT ARE VEGAN FORMED PRODUCTS MADE FROM? Vegan mince, as the basis of vegan formed products, is a finely ground product, consisting essentially of plant proteins, water, vegetable fats and oils, spices, binding agents, colourings and aromas. In order to give vegan mince a meat-like texture, the plant proteins are mainly used in textured form (→Infobox). Textured, plant-based starches and fibres are also used in such products.

Some products also contain edible mushrooms. In vegetarian mince, chicken egg or milk components may also be used as ingredients. Modern vegan formed products from vegan mince are offered either raw or pre-cooked. Both variants are easily perishable and are therefore offered refrigerated or frozen.

High moisture extrusion Low moisture extrusion

Textured plant proteinTexturing is used in the production of plant-based meat analogues. Fibrous to sponge-like structures similar to meat are produced from plant-protein-water mixtures in extruders by targeted heating and mechanical processing at high pressures and subsequent cooling. Two different methods are available:

Main protein sources for meat analogues are soy beans, peas and wheat. Instead of HME (high-moisture extrudate) the term HMMA (high-moisture meat analogue) is frequently used.

Source: Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik e. V., DIL

High moisture extrudate (HME)• High water content >40 %• Fibrous, meat-like texture• No pre-swelling in water necessary

Textured vegetable protein (TVP)• Low water content <35 %• Sponge-like texture• Pre-swelling in water necessary

↑ Efficient rehydration of dry protein texturates and fibres in the mixer (Inotec VarioMix mixer)

PREPARATION AND PRODUCTION

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↑ Unloading the ready mixed vegan mince product after mixing (Inotec VarioMix mixer (left) and close-up of a vegan mince product with white coconut fat particles (right) Source: Handtmann

Methyl cellulose (MC, E461) is produced from cellulose by chemical modification. Due to its particular functionality, it serves as thickening and texturing agent in meat substitute products. For example, MC is the only polysaccharide capable of forming gels when heated. In terms of consistency, products containing MC can be processed very well by machine prior to heating. The heat-induced gel formation of the MC during product preparation lets water escape from the MC gel, which is sensorily perceived as juiciness. MC gels are also reversible, so that the gel disappears during cooling, but the water binding is retained. MC is available with different thermal functionalities. During production, the product must undercut a certain specific minimum temperature (e.g. 10 °C) to activate the MC functionality.

INFOBOX METHYL CELLULOSEAn ice-water mix as well as binding agents, colourings, spices and aromas are added next. Crucial here is the quick and efficient mixing of all the recipe components without excessive temperature increase.

The ready mixed vegan mince product should have a meat-like reddish colour and a cuttable consistency. If the fat component is added in solid form, the fat particles are visible in the product as white dots. Recipes using liquid fat are either homogeneously reddish in colour or may contain other light-coloured components to imitate the fat particles.

1.3. VEGAN INITIAL PRODUCT FOR “WHITE-MEAT” MEAT SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS A comparable initial product without the reddish colouring and with an adapted composition can be used for formed vegan meat substitute products imitating products made from white meat such as poultry or fish. These formed products include, for example, nuggets, fish fingers or formed escalopes. In addition to the texturates, this product group

frequently uses other vegan/vegetarian fibres in combination with thickening agents, gelling agents and other constituents for texturisation.

In this case, the fat component is mostly added in liquid form, which means that visible, coarse fat particles are usually not contained.

↑ Pre-swollen protein texturates of different particle sizes (left) and pre-ground vegetable fat (right) Source: Handtmann

↑ Vegan/vegetarian fibres (left) as well as initial products produced with them for formed, white meat substitute products such as nuggets or sticks (right) Source: Handtmann

After mixing the vegan initial product, in a second step the product is portioned accurate to the gram and formed into the desired end product shape. This

process step uses system technology, the so-called forming systems.

Practical tip: The method of introducing the individual ingredients and the correct processing temperature depend on the thickening agents, gelling agents and fat components used. → See Part 1 of the whitepaper series for details.

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2.1. FORMING SYSTEMS WITH THE “FORMING AND CUTTING” MODE OF OPERATION In forming systems that operate on the principle of forming and cutting, the vacuum filler pumps the vegan product into the auxiliary device. There it is pressed out horizontally by forming nozzles and cut off immediately at the nozzle with a blade or wire. Different product diameters and geometries can be achieved through variation of the forming nozzles.

The product length and thickness can be varied by the cutting frequency.

Products such as nuggets and sticks, but also vegan mince or cylindrical products, such as cevapcici rolls are counted among the formed and cut meat substitute products.

Single-lane forming systems with the “forming and cutting” mode of operationThe performance range of the single-lane, manual forming system is operator-dependent. The operator gives the portioning signal and the cutting of the portion is done

manually. For the production of 100  g burger patties, for instance, a production volume of up to 0.23 metric tonnes per hour can be achieved. The mince skewer with a portion weight of 60 g shown in the illustration can be produced at approx. 50 kg/h.

↑ Typical vegan formed products that can be produced using forming systems with the “forming and cutting” mode of operation. Source: Handtmann

↑ Manual MSE 441 cutting unit (manufacturer: Handtmann) for the manual, single-lane production of vegan formed products. The illustration shows the production of a vegan mince skewer with rectangular cross-section.

SYSTEM SOLUTIONS

STEP 2: PORTIONING AND FORMING THE PRODUCTS

Forming systems take care of forming the product and separating the individual formed portions. Since both smaller start-ups and craftsmen as well as medium-sized companies and large industrial producers have added vegan formed products to their portfolio, the spectrum of the process technology involved is rather vast. The variety of forming systems ranges from simple, manually-operated, single-lane solutions to fully automatic single- to multi-lane systems. We can distinguish different modes of operation of forming systems, which will be examined in more detail below.

All the forming systems described are used as auxiliary devices to a vacuum filler, which serves as a pump and control unit. The production output of each forming systems is highly dependent on the product produced, the portion shape and size and the subsequent process steps. The performance data listed are therefore merely exemplary and intended to roughly classify the forming systems in terms of performance.

↑ Vegan Adana kebab Source: Handtmann

↑ Vegan mini rissoles Source: Handtmann

↑ Vegan cevapcici Source: Handtmann

↑ Vegan nuggets Source: Handtmann

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With automatic, single-lane systems, the system operator simply has to signal the start and stop of the continuous portioning process. The individual portions are then formed, cut and transported automatically.

The automatic, single-lane forming system has a performance range of up to 100 cycles per minute. A performance of 0.48 metric tonnes of product per hour can thus be achieved for the production of the sticks (80 g) shown in the illustration.

The line for vegan mince also works according to the “forming and cutting” mode of operationThe line for vegan mince described in the first whitepaper also works single-lane according to the “forming and cutting” mode of operation. After forming, a travelling blade separates the continuously ejected product strand into individual portions. With the use of suitable hole plates or adapters, this line can also produce special shapes such as cevapcici sticks, rib burgers or twisters.

The line has a performance range of up to 200 portions per minute. For the production of cevapcici rolls (5x40 g), for example, up to 2.4 metric tonnes of product can be produced per hour.

↑ SE 442 cutting unit (manufacturer: Handtmann) for the automatic, single-lane production of vegan formed products. The illustration shows the production of a vegan stick.

↑ Handtmann line for vegan mince with GMD 99-3 (or GMD 99-2) mince portioner for the automatic, single-lane production of vegan formed products. The illustration shows the production of vegan mince (top left), vegan cevapcici (top right), vegan mince twister (bottom left) and vegan rib burger (bottom right).

Single-lane system for vegan baconThe Handtmann system for vegan bacon works single-lane according to the “forming and cutting” mode of operation. This is a co-extrusion application and requires two vacuum fillers. These pump two differently coloured initial products into a variable

co-extrusion forming nozzle. There, the two products can be combined in various ways to produce different product appearances in the ejected strand. After forming, the product strand can be continuously separated by a travelling blade into individual portions.

The multi-lane forming system has a performance range of up to 250 cycles per minute. For the 8-lane production of nuggets (20  g), the performance is adapted to that of the downstream breading and deep-

frying line, e.g. working at an output of 0.77 metric tonnes of product per hour. A production volume of 2.3 metric tonnes per hour can be achieved for the 12-lane production of cevapcici sticks (40 g).

Multi-lane systems with the “forming and cutting” mode of operation With multi-lane, automatic forming systems, the vegan product fed by the vacuum filler is evenly distributed to multiple lanes by a flow divider before forming and cutting. As an additional option, the multi-lane forming

system can either deposit the formed products automatically onto the conveyor belt or supplied racks or trays. The individual portions can here as well be cut with a wire or a blade, depending on the product.

↑ Variable Handtmann co-extrusion nozzle for vegan bacon (left) and one of the bacon product appearances produced with it.

↑ FS 510 forming system (manufacturer: Handtmann) for the automated, 6- to 24-lane production of vegan formed products. The illustration shows the production of vegan nuggets with suitably shaped forming tubes.

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2.2. FORMING SYSTEMS WITH THE “FREE FORMING” MODE OF OPERATION In forming systems that operate on the principle of free forming, the vacuum filler pumps the vegan product into the auxiliary device. There the product is pressed through forming nozzles with a mostly round cross-

section, which determine the product’s cross-section. The product is then given a three-dimensional shape and is separated into individual portions by superimposed, precisely controlled hole plates moving on defined paths.

Different product diameters and product cross sections can be achieved through variation of the forming nozzles and different hole geometries in the hole plates.

Products such as burger patties, balls and cylinders as well as 3D shapes such as dumplings, drops or segmented products such as Adana kebab sticks are counted among the free-formed meat substitute products.

Depending on the production volume, the “free forming” mode can be operated on single or multiple lanes. Manual solutions are not available for this mode of operation; in all instances the systems used are automatic. The product shape can be purposefully adjusted by a flattening belt and different structuring rollers integrated downstream of the free-forming process.

↑ Forming and cutting unit of the Handtmann forming systems for free forming (FS 520, FS 521, FS 522), consisting of the superimposed hole plates that move on circular paths. This patented piece of technology allows the production of free-formed, three-dimensional shapes with a round cross-section (e.g. balls, cylinders, ovals, cones, discs, segmented cylinders).

↑ Typical vegan formed products that can be produced using forming systems with the “free forming” mode of operation.

Single-lane forming system with the “free forming” mode of operationThe single-lane forming system has a performance range of up to 250 cycles per minute for the production of burgers and of up to 400 cycles per minute for the production of balls. For the single-lane production of 13 g veggie balls, a performance of approx. 0.3 metric tonnes of product per hour can thus be achieved.

Two-lane forming system with the “free forming” mode of operationWith multi-lane, automatic forming systems, the vegan product fed by the vacuum filler is evenly distributed to multiple lanes by a flow divider before free forming. The two-lane forming system has a performance range of up to 250 cycles per minute. For the two-lane production of 13 g veggie balls, a performance of up to 0.39 metric tonnes of product per hour can be achieved.

↑ MBF-1 forming system (manufacturer: Verbufa) for the automatic, single-lane production of vegan formed products. The illustration shows the production of vegan burger patties with flattening belt and structuring roller.

↑ FS 522 forming system (manufacturer: Handtmann) with patented 3-hole plate system for the automatic, two-lane production of vegan formed products. The illustration shows the free forming of vegan, segmented rolls, which are subsequently flattened, similar to Adana kebab.

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Multi-lane forming system with the “free forming” mode of operationThe multi-lane forming system works with a 6- to 8-lane flow divider and can, as an additional option, either deposit the formed products automatically onto the conveyor belt or on supplied racks or trays. The multi-lane forming system has a performance range of up to 250 cycles per minute.

For the 6-lane production of 100  g burger patties, performances of up to 3.6 metric tonnes of product per hour are feasible. For the production of balls (13 g) using the 8-lane flow divider, a performance of up to 1.5 metric tonnes can be achieved.

↑ Handtmann FS 520 forming system for the automated, multi-lane production of vegan formed products. The illustration shows the 6-lane production of vegan balls with direct depositing onto containers.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT IN THE PRODUCTION OF FORMED MEAT SUBSTITUTE PRODUCTS?

1. PRECISE AND GENTLE FILLING AND PORTIONING TECHNOLOGY

2.3. FORMING SYSTEMS WITH THE “DRUM FORMING” MODE OF OPERATION Drum forming machines are usually designed for large production output and particularly suited for the mono-production of e.g. vegan nuggets or burger patties.

The vacuum filler pumps the vegan product into the auxiliary device, where, on a rotating drum, cavities in the shape of the desired end products are filled with the fed product. Compressed air then ejects the formed individual products from the drum onto a conveyor belt.

The drum forming machine has a performance range of up to 220 cycles per minute. With a conveyor belt width of 1,000 mm, this corresponds, for example, to 250,000 nuggets or up to 5 metric tonnes of product per hour.

There are, however, other modes of operation for forming systems, for example as forming plate systems, which are usually not operated with vacuum filling machines and are therefore not considered in detail here.

Critical aspects can be identified at all stages of the production process for vegan formed products and special attention needs to be paid to these aspects. The

aspects of particular importance for the forming and portioning process will be examined below:

The use of suitable forming and portioning technology for the gentle, quality-conserving and efficient pumping and portioning of the initial product is crucial in the production of high-quality vegan formed products. Handtmann VF 800 series vacuum fillers are used as

basic modules of the described forming systems. They work with the volumetric feed principle of the vane cell feed system, where the vegan product is fed without swirling over a, by comparison with other systems, relatively short product path.

↑ GEA MaxiFormer drum forming machine (manufacturer: GEA) for the multi-lane production of vegan formed products. The illustration shows the production of vegan nuggets.

TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Video: “Free forming” for the production of vegan formed products

The video demonstrates the two-lane production of various product shapes. The free forming with three superimposed hole plates can be used for the production of a wide variety of product shapes without having to convert the machine. The basic technical components of the shown Handtmann line are a VF 800 series vacuum filling machine and a two-lane FS 522 forming system with flow divider.

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2. PURPOSEFUL USE OF INLINE GRINDING TECHNOLOGY

3. MINIMISATION OF GIVE-AWAY ALSO IN MULTI-LANE PRODUCTION

The mechanical stress on the product is very low due to the small contact surface with moving parts. Undesirable smearing of fat and protein particles is avoided and a clear product appearance is achieved. This effect is particularly noticeable with vegan products, because in many products the vegetable fat (e.g. coconut fat) contained is usually added in an isolated, free form and not as structured fat or, as with meat products, as cellular fat. As a result, there

is a strong tendency for smearing under uncontrolled mechanical stress, as the fat is not surrounded by a protective skin. For the multi-lane production of formed meat substitute products, the Handtmann forming systems also work with servo-driven flow dividers. The servo drive of the flow dividers minimises pressure fluctuations in the system and thus reduces unwanted mechanical stress to a minimum.

Depending on the texture of the initial product and desired appearance of the end product, the described forming system can or should be used with or without an integrated inline grinding system. When it comes to preserving the fat and texturate particles or the structure of other recipe components, an important step has already been taken with gentle feeding of the product. If, for example, fat particles or other recipe components should not only be evenly distributed but also clearly visible in the end product, it is also necessary to choose the appropriate inline grinding technology. In most use cases, the use of a standard inline grinding system without further adjustment of setup and process parameters will result in satisfactory end product quality. However, if the production process is aiming to achieve an optimum product appearance, then the cutting set setup and grinding parameters should be adapted to the specific recipe. Handtmann inline grinding technology offers a variable ratio between feed system and grinding speed thanks to its separate grinding drive. It can be used to flexibly adjust

the mixing and grinding intensity in the inline grinding system. Product appearance and texture can thus be precisely controlled with the variable inline grinding speed. This is not possible with inline grinding systems with a fixed ratio between feed system and grinding speed.

Uniform fibre length in the initial product to be formed is beneficial for an accurate forming and separating process, especially for formed products with small portion weights. This is where an inline grinding system is advantageous. An inline grinding system, however, is not feasible and necessary for all types of initial products. When using vegetable fibres, grinding processes must be dispensed with to preserve the fibres in the best possible way throughout the production process. For these products, the gentle vane cell feed system and the servo-driven flow divider offer ideal processing conditions, only without integrated inline grinding system.

During the portioning and forming process, it is important to prevent unnecessary over-portioning, the so-called give-away, and to efficiently utilise the costly initial product. Crucial for minimum give-away is high weight accuracy of the individual portions.

All Handtmann vacuum filling machines operate with vane cell technology and pump the vegan product with maximum portioning accuracy into the forming systems. There, the servo-driven flow dividers, in case of multi-lane production, ensure exact separation of the filling product onto multiple lanes.

Temperature control during the portioning and forming process also plays an important role. In this context, not only the microbiological sensitivity of the initial product comes into play, but also other handling-related factors, which can have a decisive influence on the process as well as the final product quality. As a rule of thumb, the lower the process temperature, the firmer the consistency and the poorer the adhesion of the product to be formed. This applies in particular to initial products containing the frequently used functional

constituent methylcellulose. If the temperature is excessively high, the products are very sticky and less dimensionally stable, which has a negative effect on the forming process and the machine’s ease of movement. Other recipes, however, can be easy to process even in a higher temperature range, e.g. ambient temperature. The melting range of the fats contained must be taken into account in temperature control, as must the temperature requirements of downstream process steps.

Raw formed meat substitute products are easily perishable products. Grinding during production of the initial product ensures a greater product surface area and facilitates the growth of microbes. Good process hygiene prevents possible microbial contamination of the product. Maintaining cold product temperatures during processing yet again minimises the growth of micro-organisms. The process technology used for the production of formed meat substitute products must therefore feature state-of-the-art hygienic design.The latest hygienic design is inherent in all Handtmann systems. Smooth external surfaces and angled or curved surfaces guarantee fast water drainage. Small

gap widths, short seal lengths and few edges ensure that there are no dirt traps, the cleaning work needed is also reduced and a high level of hygiene is guaranteed. An automatic cleaning programme for the feed system as well as an optional, patented, automated pre and interim cleaning of the hopper via a spray head help ensure hygienic production conditions.The VF 800 vacuum filler continually monitors by means of integrated sensors and indicates whether critical product and process parameters, such as temperature or pressure, are within the specified tolerances. Heating in the inline grinding process is very low at < 0.5 °C due to the gentle and optimised product guidance.

The forming and separating process is controlled by the vacuum filling machine with maximum precision. Thanks to this interplay, individual portions formed on single as well as multiple lanes are produced with maximum weight accuracy and a deviation in weight of less than 1 %. In addition, a weight regulation module is also available for Handtmann lines. For this, the forming systems are equipped with a checkweigher. A checkweigher and a sorting belt for the ejection of over-

and underweight portions can be integrated in single- and two-lane forming systems in order to control and monitor the portion weights. The interface to the vacuum filling machine handles the communication and continuous weight control during production to ensure the specified target weight. This results in formed meat substitute products with minimum give-away.

4. TEMPERATURE CONTROL ADAPTED TO THE PRODUCT

5. FLAWLESS PROCESS HYGIENE

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Flexible systems, which can be used to automatically produce a wide variety of product shapes, offer clear advantages to the producer of formed meat substitute products. Apart from the possibility of product innovation, rationalisation effects and reduction of personnel costs, impeccable process hygiene through the reduction of manual intervention is also worth mentioning.With the MFL multi-forming line, Handtmann offers an effective, automated overall solution for the process steps of portioning. forming, inserting paper underneath the individual portions, portion weight

monitoring with reliable ejection and tendency control as well as depositing the products into trays. The line is ideally suited for the automated production of free-formed products (e.g. balls) as well as product shapes that can be produced on the mince line (e.g. mince, cevapcici).

The individual machines are easily controlled as a turnkey solution through the Handtmann vacuum filler. The entire line can be started/stopped from all the modules and the process solution can be digitally networked at any time.

6. AUTOMATION OPTIONS

↑ MFL multi-forming line (manufacturer: Handtmann). The basic technical components of the MFL are a VF 800 series vacuum filling machine, a GD 451 inline grinding system with separately driven cutting set as well as a GD 452 grinding attachment, a GMD 99-2 mince portioner or the single-lane, automatic MBF-1 forming system (manufacturer: Verbufa), a VPI paper inserter, a WS 910 weighing system (checkweigher), a VRB 260 retraction belt and a Buffer Stand 1000 tray denester (manufacturer: Intray).

As there are a number of points to be considered in the production process of formed meat substitute products. The end product quality that can be achieved is already defined during the production of the initial product. Here it is important to ensure efficient rehydration of the texturates and homogeneous mixing. Consistency and temperature of the vegan initial product and the fat used must be suitable for the subsequent process steps. Because maximum product quality can only be achieved if the product properties and the portioning technology used are correctly matched. Handtmann technology for formed meat substitute products offers producers every possibility for such product-specific adjustments. The different modes of operation and the flexibility of the Handtmann forming systems allow the production of a great variety of products in the most

diverse shapes. The systems meet all requirements concerning production output, product protection, portioning accuracy and process hygiene.

The present whitepaper is intended to provide producers of formed meat substitute products with information on how they can close the mentioned gaps when transferring product technology aspects to the forming and portioning process. Our technology experts at Handtmann are available to provide you with advice and support for in-depth product-specific adjustments. Contact us.

Contact your Handtmann point of contact

Read more about it in our next whitepaper:

Meat substitutes Part 3 Vegan sausage

More information at www.handtmann.de/en/vegetarian-vegan

THE SOLUTION: OPTIMAL COORDINATION OF PRODUCT AND PROCESS

THE SOLUTION

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Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KGHubertus-Liebrecht Str. 10-1288400 BiberachGermany

Tel.: +49 7351 45-0Fax: +49 7351 45-1501 sales.machines@handtmann.dewww.handtmann.com/food