In the latest additions to its ‘how to’ video series, Silverson Machines covers manufacturing ice cream mixes and mixing carrageenan, demonstrating the versatility of its high shear mixers.
In over 75 years of business, Silverson Machines has sold mixers to thousands of customers around the world working in the food and beverage industries. One of the first applications for Silverson high shear mixers was the manufacture of ice cream mixes. Now, going back to its roots, Silverson has added a ‘how to’ video on this application to its already extensive library, along with another recently released video on mixing carrageenan.
Whilst these applications require many different mixing processes to be accomplished – deagglomerating, emulsifying, homogenising and powder/liquid mixing to name a few – a single Silverson mixer is able to perform all of these mixing tasks. With the exceptionally rapid mixing action of a Silverson high shear mixer, process times are substantially reduced compared to a conventional mixing equipment, whilst achieving a high quality end product.
How to manufacture ice cream mixes
In this video, Silverson demonstrates how to manufacture ice cream mixes and how a typical premix would be made.
Formulations vary widely, but ingredients usually include milk, cream, skimmed milk powder, fat including dairy fat such as butter or vegetable fat, sugars, flavours, colouring, and emulsifiers. Other ingredients, such as hydrocolloids can be used as stabilisers, so it is essential that the mixing equipment is able to incorporate these ingredients into the mix.
Mixing powders into liquids is one of the most difficult mixing operations. This part of the process can cause issues in production, especially when using conventional mixing equipment such as agitators or stirrers. Many manufacturers using this type of equipment increase their process time and costs by premixing the powders to try to reduce the formation of agglomerates. But, even when premixing the powders, conventional systems do not provide sufficient shear to break down any agglomerates that form.
The action of the high shear mixer disperses any powders without the formation of agglomerates and ensures that the fat and aqueous phase ingredients are emulsified and reduced to a uniform and fine droplet size, which gives the product the desired stability.
Depending on the scale of manufacturing and recipe, the premix may be subjected to further processing with a high-pressure homogeniser to obtain the smallest possible droplet size. With this process, using a Silverson mixer to create a uniform premix offers considerable reductions in process time.
How to mix carrageenan
In this video, viewers can see how Silverson high shear mixers are able to overcome the common problems associated with mixing different types of Carrageenan and create an agglomerate-free dispersion. In particular, the video shows how a Silverson in-tank batch mixer is able to disperse carrageenan as quickly as it is added to the vessel. The high speed, high shear mixing action will rapidly draw the powder and liquid into the workhead, where any agglomerates are broken down as they pass through the precision gap between the rotor and stator. This process is completed as rapidly as possible, cutting mixing times by up to 90%.
Processing times can be further reduced with a Silverson high shear mixer as premixing of gum with other powders or non-aqueous phase ingredients is not required – this also simplifies the process.
Other advantages of using high shear mixing technology include obtaining the maximum yield from raw ingredients. As all the agglomerates in the mix are broken down by the high shear action of the mixer, there is no wastage, allowing the manufacturer to reduce the gum content and their raw material costs.
Find the entire series of ‘how to’ videos on the Silverson YouTube channel.
