The test line gives food processors, especially the smaller ones, an opportunity to trail production methods for their products.
A range of flakes and powders such as baby foods, lactose, starches and other products can be produced with drum dryers in food-grade conditions, Nizo stated.
" Product-development projects will benefit from the availability of scientific backup in making rapid improvements and achieving results." the research centre stated.
GMF-Gouda manufactures machinery for drying, solidification and steam-peeling processes. Nizo is a food research centre. Nizo said its food research's pilot plant will now offer drum drying facilities for the semi-industrial scale production of batches for purposes such as market tests or the optimisation of the production process.
Under the agreement GMF-Gouda will supply a complete drum-dryer line comprised of mixing tanks, a scraped-surface heat exchanger, a jet cooker, a drum dryer, a double drum dryer, and a powder mill. GMF-Gouda will also provide the necessary production-process expertise.
Drum dryers are suited to drying extremely glutinous and viscous products. They are also suitable for drying slurries with a low viscosity.
"Drum dryers offer a high capacity and low product loss, and this - in combination with a number of other extremely favourable properties, such as the absence of material circulation and the lack of accumulation of product residues - renders them ideally suited to a wide variety of trial production runs," Nizo stated in a press release today.
Processors will also be able to make use of Nizo's pre-treatment and final-processing equipment along with the on-site analytical laboratory. Nizo offers experienced operators and the necessary research experience, the centre stated today in a press release.
Nizo is an independent food research centre with a staff of 200. The food research agency carries out confidential research projects for clients in every segment of the food and beverage, ingredient and life-sciences industries.