GERMANY | Whether sauces, dressings, dairy products or plant-based alternatives, liquid food today goes well beyond classic beverages.
The challenge for manufacturers: the most varied raw materials, whether in liquid, powder, or paste form, must be precisely dosed and processed stably.
Under the key theme of "Navigate Complexity. Smart. Safe. Sustainable.", Anuga FoodTec reflects the entire process chain from the 23rd to the 26th of February 2027: from raw material preparation through mixing and homogenisation to thermal processing and filling.
The present requirements for flexible process systems become clear in the manufacture of plant-based products based on oats, soy, rice, or nuts. Milling and chopping already lay the foundation for particle size, mouthfeel, and subsequent processing.
During subsequent mixing, high powder ratios must often be incorporated without clumps, and oils, fats and functional ingredients must be distributed evenly.
"New raw materials and shorter product cycles always mean stricter requirements for the process systems. At Anuga FoodTec, the exhibitors show how various processing steps can be flexibly connected with one another and adapt to changing recipes“, says Roland Thiemann, Director Anuga FoodTec.
Between recipe and process control
How differently such solutions can be designed in practice is shown by the system concepts of ProXES and Glass. Depending on the application, ProXES combines processing steps like milling, cutting, mixing, homogenisation, heating and cooling in batch or continuous systems.
For Glass, the focus is on flexibly configurable mixing and process systems. They can process liquids, pastes, and high-viscosity products and, depending on the tool arrangement, gently mix and intensively chop, disperse, or emulsify. The system spectrum extends from laboratory and small systems to industrial vacuum process systems with volumes of up to 2,700 litres.
The suitable system structure depends on, among other factors, product variety, throughput, available space, and investment strategy. Batch systems are primarily advantageous for frequently changing recipes, smaller production quantities and a wide variety of variants. Several process steps, such as mixing, heating, and cooling, can be combined in compact, all-in-one systems.
Continuous systems, on the other hand, are designed for high throughput and consistent product quality. ProXES shows that such processes can also be realised at a large industrial scale with systems for the manufacture of full-fat mayonnaise, which, depending on size, can achieve throughputs of up to 7,200 kilograms per hour.
"Manufacturers that enter into new fields with plant-based products, and especially startups, are confronted with a full range of questions: which process parameters must be adjusted for a scale-up, and how can texture, keepability and flavour also be maintained with high throughputs? At Anuga FoodTec, exhibitors show which solutions are available for this,” said Carola K. Herbst, Deputy Managing Director of the Competence Centre Agriculture and Food of the German Agricultural Society (DLG).
One line for two worlds
Among the trends also reflected at Anuga FoodTec are hybrid lines that manufacture classic dairy products and plant-based alternatives on the same system. Many processing steps are similar – from formulation, homogenisation and thermal processing through fermentation and cooling to fruit dosing and filling.
Crucially, the line is laid out to suit each respective, more sophisticated process. Plant-based recipes often require a more intensive mixing technology, adapted temperature programmes and, depending upon the fibre or particle ratio, a suitable heat exchanger.
The benefit of hybrid lines lies in higher utilisation and greater product flexibility. Existing systems can be expanded to this purpose through additional or exchanged components, changed process parameters and adjusted CIP programmes.
This flexibility affects not only different raw material bases, but also product texture. The continuous lines for chunky products show that liquid food does not necessarily need to be homogeneous. Depending on the execution, particles up to 25 millimetres in diameter can be processed.
Securely controlling product flows
The systems presented at the Cologne fairgrounds are supplemented by appropriate upstream and downstream equipment. This includes pumps that securely and gently transport the product between the individual process steps.
Hygienic axial-flow pumps, like those shown by, among others, Fristam, Jung Process Systems, CSF Inox and INOXPA, cover a broad spectrum of applications: they are suited for low-viscosity but also high-viscosity, shear-sensitive or chunky products.
A retrofit project by Jung Process Systems shows the practical uses: ten threaded spindle pumps replace the existing helical rotor pumps in delicatessen production. The new pumps achieve outputs of up to ten cubic metres per hour and transport products ranging from ketchup to high-viscosity mayonnaise and chunky sauces. They also carry out the CIP process.
However, mastering complex liquid food processes is not achieved by conveyance alone. Automation and monitoring systems coordinate product routes between individual system parts, record process data, and document production.
Product losses, product changes and CIP times as well as temperature and capacity stability can be monitored in this way. Deviations thus become visible earlier and recipe changes more reproducible.
Liquid food in the specialised programme
Anuga FoodTec's supporting programme also addresses this area of focus. The Innovation Stage has dedicated 25 February 2027 entirely to "Processing of Liquid Food".
In focus are technological and strategic questions along the entire value creation chain, including the themes of water and energy efficiency as central adjusting screws of resource-conserving production.
Complementing this, an approximately one-hour guided tour highlights select solutions for liquid and viscous foods.
