The food industry, from farming to farmer’s markets to supermarkets to restaurants, is a huge part of every individual’s daily life. Fighting for a place in this multi-billion dollar sector thus requires a product that is better than its competitors in as many ways as possible. Food production companies in particular can take advantage of high quality technology, like high pressure homogenizers, to put out this type of product. High pressure homogenization, a form of intensive mixing that can reduce particle size, can potentially replace thermal methods of food preparation and make a big splash in the industry. Keep reading for some critical food applications for high pressure homogenizers.
1. Food Processing
The term food processing encompasses all of the qualities that make a product good- texture, consistency, taste, and appearance. In a study conducted in 2013, researchers showed that tomato juice has an improved consistency and viscosity due to the ability of high pressure homogenization to suspend particles during processing. (1) This alone can elevate a product above its competitors and lead to increased company sales.
2. Lengthening of Shelf Life
Chemical stability is key to determining a food’s shelf life. Because high pressure homogenization uses force and pressure as opposed to heat, preservation of quality, taste, and nutritional content is possible. Additionally, the intensive pressure used to break down particles causes a more stable structure in the resulting food, allowing for a longer period of freshness than would otherwise be possible if the food were comprised of larger particles.
3. Portion Control & Improved Health Status
Compared with other mixing equipment, high pressure homogenizers can achieve impressively small particle sizes. As indicated above, this confers huge benefits for the product itself. But interestingly enough, the consumer’s health may also benefit. One study showed a significant increase in growth among fish who ate pellets with reduced particle size. (2) And another, conducted among adult men, indicated that smaller particle size can reduce food intake and boost satiety, both of which contribute to improved health status. (3) Finally, the ability of a high pressure homogenizer to use pressure as opposed to heat preserves critical nutritional components that are naturally found in a food, allowing them to be available for consumption.
Pion: High Quality Particle Size Reduction Equipment
A food’s ability to have its intended effect can be attributed to a wide variety of factors, in particular particle size and consistency in size. Every food manufacturer should therefore consider each as food production processes are established. The first step in synthesizing a food product with high bioavailability is purchasing equipment that will achieve consistent particle size distribution. One such example is the high pressure homogenizer by Pion. Their products are trusted by researchers and lab managers around the world for key benefits, such as production of nano/micro emulsions, dispersions, and suspensions; importantly, this equipment can achieve consistent particle sizes at or below 100 nm, a key benefit for any product coming from the food industry.
Learn more about how Pion's BEE brand homogenizers can aid your particle size reduction process by contacting us today.
