Research firm ttz Bremerhaven developed the MicroTec chamber as part of the NanoBAK project, a European Commission funded scheme to find an energy-efficient production system for the baking industry.
It is now commercially available on an industrial scale sold by Systemkälte GmbH, a manufacturer from Wetter, Germany.
How it works
Small droplets are created through ultrasound that produces a mist which delivers humidity to the fermentation process.
The developers claim that the climate chamber with nano-aerosol humidification uses 50% less energy than conventional fermentation.
Sonja Guttmann, project manager Baking and Cereal Technology at ttx Bremerhaven, told BakeryandSnacks.com: “This unit is already used in industrial baking. The largest ultrasonic humidification unit could produce 12 kg aerosol per hour.“
She said that bakers could benefit from improved heat conductivity that would increase product quality without drying out or splitting the crust.
She added that the technology could also boost shelf-life and deliver energy savings.
Initial outlay
Asked what the initial investment would be for an industrial baker, Guttman said: “The MicroTec technology is available in industrial scale up to 12 kg aerosol per hour globally."
“The investment costs for the humidification system are between €4,000 (small unit) and €12,000 (large unit).”
NanoBAK was a collaborative three-year project funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme with a €1.4m investment.
The project was coordinated by ttz Bremerhaven, but industry players such as Lantmännen Unibake Wolfram Ungermann also helped with the development.