Baker Perkins twin-screw extrusion technology

Baker Perkins’ twin-screw extrusion technology can create savings in the production of core ingredients for the food industry. It is suitable for a range of products, including breadcrumb, croutons, gluten-free bread products, modified and pregelatinised flours, rusk for sausage fillings and ice-cream inclusions.

Compared with traditional processes, extrusion can create savings in space, equipment, energy and labour. The process is hygienic, energy efficient and flexible, enabling quick and easy switching between different recipes.

Compared with the traditional process of making breadcrumb by mixing, forming and baking bread before discarding the crusts and grinding, the same product can be made with no waste using only a twin-screw extruder and dryer.

Similarly for croutons, a bread-like texture can be developed in the extruder and the pieces cut to size at the die or a post-extrusion cutter.

Extrusion is also suitable for gluten-free bread products as it can handle the various alternative flours and starches used to make the dough. Screw profiles can be adjusted to achieve the desired characteristics and it overcomes the problems caused by stickiness of the dough.

When used for modified and pregelatinised flours used in products such as instant soups, ready meals, bakery premixes and infant nutrition, the wide range of conditions that can be created in an extruder enables characteristics such as rapid and/or cold water thickening, increased protein or fibre content, improved dispersibility and enhanced texture to be developed.