Interfood: the contribution of processing equipment to cooked meat products
Ham before cooking. Image: Interfood
Selecting the right processing equipment can be the difference between a highly successful cooked meat product and one which vanishes without a trace in what is a highly competitive market, according to Interfood Technology, the supplier of choice for many of the world’s leading food manufacturers and brands.
One of the keys to success is consistency in the quality of the product and that is where reliability and controllability of the processing equipment is crucial.
Interfood offers a wide range of equipment used in the production of cooked meat products, from stand-alone machines to fully integrated processing lines. The KK Universal-Circulation System from Maurer Atmos is a good example, offering solutions specifically developed for the controlled cooking of products in the shortest possible time. It is characterised by its high production capacity at a low investment cost.
The KK is available with data capture systems to give full visibility of the process graphs on a large user-friendly HMI and networked to a workstation. Heated by steam or electricity, the equipment can be easily integrated into the factory. Loading and unloading doors are interlocked to ensure the high and low care production areas are segregated from each other. In addition to cooking, the KK system can also pasteurise, with the option available to add the process of showering with cold water.
The machine requires only a small footprint, with the potential for tailored solutions to specific requirements. Alongside the KK, Interfood also offers the Maurer Atmos ASR range. Known as the ‘all-round-system’, the ASR is an ideal solution for smoking and cooking products, offering a wide variety of flavours and colours. Roasting is also a process associated with cooked meat products and for such applications
Interfood offers the Afoheat Select Infrared Roaster. A continuous roaster, the Select combines the efficiency afforded by a combination of gas-fired infrared radiation and convective heat. It is ideal for developing surface colour and flavour, or for setting glazes and coatings on a wide range of meats including slicing logs, poultry, burgers and sausages (as well as seafood, vegetable, plant-based or bakery products if required).
Customisation is at the core of the design concept, with each machine designed and built to meet the specific customer requirements. It can be used for roasting and searing of both bulk and convenience foods, and can work with products in their raw, cooked, chilled or frozen states. In addition to operating as a stand-alone solution, it can also be integrated into a continuous thermal processing line. The control system adjusts the power and fan speeds of each burner independently to ensure precision results, with the capability to roast and sear on up to four sides simultaneously with minimal loss in yield and reduced energy costs compared to batch systems.
For applications which require grill marking, there is the Afoheat Select Grill Marker. This enables the application of authentic chargrill stripes to a wide range of meat products to achieve significant shelf-appeal. It can be integrated with the Infrared Roaster and the Afoheat Select Flame Searer to create a single unit for combined grilling and bar marking.
