The processing systems for luxury goods call for simultaneous economic efficiency at maximum quality in order to retain the organoleptic value of the products. Over 120 years experience in process technology form the basis for customer-specific and high-tech solutions for grinding and processing luxury foods such as coffee and tobacco. A variety of machines and systems implement this know-how in order to improve the competitiveness of our customers.
With more than 800 flavouring substances, coffee is one of the most aromatic foodstuffs. As the result of Maillard and degradation reactions during drying, roasting and storage, the flavouring substances are influenced and developed in that amino acids and secondary plant compounds are transformed.
Oil is an important carrier substance for flavourings in coffee. The higher the oil content, the better the flavours are able to develop. Translated into the technology of mechanical size reduction, this means a gentle processing for maximum oil retention, for example by means of cryogenic grinding with nitrogen or conditioned air. Due to the regional differences in cultivation and varieties coupled with the influence of different preliminary processes, the ultrafine grinding of coffee is a complex process.
Processing tobacco is a challenge:
The fibrous and silicate-rich plant acts in an extremely abrasive manner on mills and systems. At the same time, the tobacco plant is a very sensitive natural product. In spite of the demands of processing caused by drying, cutting, cleaning and grinding, the constituents must be retained if the characteristic aroma and flavour are to be preserved. Cross-contamination must be avoided at all costs to ensure maximum purity.
To improve the handling of tobacco, Hosokawa Alpine AG offers process-technological solutions for compaction of the tobacco dust. Thanks to this processing step, the flow properties are improved and the bulk density increased and as a result, the capacity of bearings and machine are better exploited.
