Baker Perkins expands equipment for gummies with new ServoForm Mini line
Ahead of its attendance at Gulfood Manufacturing, UK-based equipment group Baker Perkins has extended its range of systems for the functional and medicated gummy and jelly market with a new starch-free depositor with enhance processing ability, writes Neill Barston.
The company, which recently gained honours at the World Confectionery Award at the World Confectionery Conference for its ServoForm Flexi line, has further extended its portfolio with the ServoForm Mini+ (pictured below).
As the business noted, the newly extended line meets demand for high-viscosity recipes and centre-filled gummies, particularly liquid centre fills, by including a mould lift feature. It is an extension to the range of proven 50kg/hour ServoForm Mini depositors, of which more than 150 have been sold.
The mould lift synchronises raising and lowering the moulds with the depositing cycle. The effect is high-accuracy positioning, and crucially a clean separation, without tailing, of the thin strand of viscous syrup between one deposit and the next. It is also vital for centre-filling to keep the filling and casing separate.
Baker Perkins has also worked with Rousselot on the development of gummy caps using their SiMoGel fast-setting gelatin product. Gummy caps is a new delivery format for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products that combines a chewy casing with a liquid centre-filling.
According to the company, filling is prepared and deposited at ambient temperature to avoid heat degradation of high-value active ingredients. To maximise the benefit it is vital that the filling and casing streams do not mix during the depositing process and this was a major driver behind the introduction of the ServoForm Mini+.
The development of the ServoForm Mini+ follows the recent introduction of the ServoForm Flexi starch-free depositor with outputs up to 250,000pieces/hour.
The ServoForm Flexi solves problems associated with conventional starch moulding, including the mogul, for the health, functional and nutraceutical sectors – high costs, poor hygiene, and the impossibility of validation.
The Flexi meets the needs of manufacturers looking for the hygiene and simplicity of starch-free depositing but with the longer setting times and versatility of moguls. Products using gelatin, pectin, carrageenan or blends as the gelling agent can all be handled.
Two versions of the ServoForm Flexi are available: a single depositing head gives outputs up to 125,000 pieces/hour; a longer machine with two heads can produce up to 250,000pieces/hour. It can produce both conventional and functional confectionery,
Hygiene, accuracy, economy and efficiency compared with traditional methods including the starch mogul make starch-free depositing the first choice for producing gummies for healthcare markets including supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) pharmaceuticals. Functional ingredients include vitamins, minerals, protein, fibre, CBD, Omega-3, probiotics and energy supplements while pain relievers, cough suppressants and antihistamines are typical OTC ingredients.
Baker Perkins is at Gulfood Manufacturing at the Trade Centre Arena, stand S-K4.