Trailblazing Technologies for Manufacturing Tasty, Nutritious Meat Alternatives

These solutions are designed to enhance the quality and taste of meat substitutes while also improving efficiency in production processes. The market for plant-based meat substitutes continues to grow — as does the variety of meat alternatives and innovative end products that can be made with plant-based ingredients. With the ZSK twin screw extruder, high-accuracy Coperion K-Tron feeders, and reliable conveying solutions, Coperion will present cost-effective system solutions that minimize the number of interfaces and ensure all process steps and technologies are harmonized.

Extrusion Technology as the Key to Greater Profitability

Extrusion using Coperion ZSK twin screw extruders has proven itself for years in both research and development as well as manufacturing of plant-based alternative products. The ZSK food extruders excel not only with high flexibility but also with high reliability and product quality. These extruders are specially designed to make optimal use of the unique properties of plant-based raw materials in creating products that are superior in both taste and nutritional value. 

Coperion food extruders achieve maximum rotation speeds of up to 1,800 min^-1. The resulting increased energy input makes it easier to break down the proteins within the process, thus ensuring greater product design flexibility. Moreover, the closely intermeshing screws with a diameter ratio of D_a/D_i of 1.8 create a very large free volume. This significantly improves intake of protein powders that typically flow with great difficulty. Additionally, the process section’s modular construction provides for the greatest possible flexibility. Recipe changes and modifications can be implemented quickly and with little effort by simply changing the screw elements and the process configuration. As a result, this machine makes a variety of products possible from myriad raw materials. 

At IFFA, Coperion will present the MEGAtex S7 cooling die for manufacturing plant-based HMMA (High Moisture Meat Analogues). Following discharge from the ZSK food extruder, this texturizing unit gives the plant protein mass a dense, fibrous structure that closely resembles animal flesh. The MEGAtex S7 allows for variable width and strength as well as various textures for meat substitutes. Coperion has equipped the MEGAtex cooling die with features that simplify its handling and make both recipe and configuration changes possible with just a few simple adjustments in a very short period of time.

Intelligent Feeding Systems 

A significant component of Coperion systems are feeding solutions from Coperion K-Tron, which will exhibit a representative model of the K3 vibratory feeder line at IFFA. These feeders are ideal for gently handling a variety of materials, especially brittle and sensitive ingredients. Innovative K3 vibratory feeders are equipped with a patented drive system and an advanced control unit, achieving a level of accuracy that is 35% higher on average than that of conventional models. Such high accuracy leads to less waste and thus greater process efficiency. Shorter retooling and down times further increase efficiency. These new vibratory feeders deliver feed rates ranging from 1 dm³/hr to 8,500 dm³/hr. 

“Our technologies allow manufacturers to optimize the texture and taste of meat alternatives while maximizing nutritional content at the same time”, explained Stefan Gebhardt, Director of EMEA Technical Sales at Coperion. “By using innovative technologies, and thanks to our many years of process expertise, we can design our systems precisely to the needs of manufacturers. Moreover, at our comprehensive Test Centers worldwide, we can carry out all-encompassing trials with a variety of raw materials.”