GEA has introduced the GEA ProCoater, an advanced wet coating machine engineered to help food processors achieve exceptional batter stability, consistent coating pickup, and elevated line efficiency.

Designed for the rapidly expanding market of coated convenience foods — including poultry, pork, fish, cheese, plant-based, and hybrid products — the new system addresses longstanding industry challenges such as complex coating recipes, tight quality tolerances, and skilled labour constraints.

Advanced batter stability and foam reduction

As consumer demand for crisp textures, visual appeal, and innovative alternative proteins grows, maintaining precise control over the coating stage becomes critical.

At the core of the ProCoater’s performance is its innovative, patent-pending guided return flow system. Traditional wet coating processes frequently suffer from air entrainment and foam formation, which destabilise the batter curtain and create surface defects like voids and white spots.

GEA’s guided return flow system slashes air entrainment and foam generation by up to 80 percent. This creates a remarkably calm, steady batter flow and a uniform curtain that maintains peak coating performance across extended production runs and a wide spectrum of batter viscosities.

Smart engineering for enhanced process control

To simplify operation and maintain accuracy on the factory floor, the ProCoater integrates several key mechanical and pneumatic features:

• Adjustable scrapers: enable operators to make real-time, fine-tune corrections during active production without needing to stop the line.
• Smart air knives: deliver even blow-off across the full belt width, guaranteeing accurate coating weight and a uniform visual finish.
• Optimised infeed & positioning: features an optimised infeed transfer for smooth product entry, alongside a patent-pending batter retention plate and an optional bottom batter layer supply device. These elements ensure complete bottom-side coverage while keeping items securely positioned to prevent floating or drifting.

Boosted yield and reduced waste

For food manufacturers, the combination of these features translates into a highly controlled wet coating process from start-up to shutdown. Consistent batter pickup directly reduces product giveaway, rework, and B-grades, while efficient batter utilisation improves overall yield and maintains superior line hygiene.

To accommodate diverse facility footprints, capacities, and product portfolios, the GEA ProCoater is available in belt widths of 400, 600, and 1000 millimeters.

“With the GEA ProCoater, we focused on giving processors reliable control over one of the most quality-critical stages in coated food production,” said Ben Kop, application specialist at GEA. “By stabilising batter flow and simplifying adjustment, the machine helps operators achieve consistent results with less intervention and greater confidence.”

To support successful deployment, GEA complements the machinery with dedicated application expertise, food technology support, and access to its global Technology Centers. These facilities allow manufacturers to test products, validate processes, and trial new recipes under real-world production conditions, minimising risk when bringing new coated food products to market.