At FiE in Paris, Glatt Ingenieurtechnik displayed how fluid bed technology can be used to produce innovative ingredients, perfectly soluble instant powders and reliably stable formulations. The spectrum of solutions presented by the plant engineering and process development specialists ranged from mobile laboratory systems for small quantities and specialities, compact ones for medium volumes and large-scale equipment for mono and campaign production.
Whether they’re for energy bars, weight management shakes or vitamin formulations — especially for vegans — many ingredients require thermal treatment to gain the properties required for trendy formulations and modern packaging solutions. Common hurdles to overcome include stability against other ingredients, high or low temperatures, light, moisture or, as is common practice with established brands, to improve the overall formulation through optimized individual components. In addition to these challenges, discussions at the Glatt stand focused on handling temperature-sensitive microorganisms and oxygen-sensitive ingredients, both of which require inert process conditions.
Glatt’s fluid bed and spouted bed technologies facilitate economical product design and drying by combining spray granulation, agglomeration, microencapsulation and coating into a single step. The processes are also suitable for temperature-sensitive natural ingredients as well as for raw materials with non-uniform shapes. Even particularly fine or coarse particles can be optimized and refined with a functional surface. This allows dry, functionalized, free-flowing granules to be produced from solid particles, solutions, suspensions, dispersions, emulsions and/or other raw liquids in a single step using conveniently adjustable process parameters.
Among the many projects examined at FiE, novel approaches to particle design for new and existing products were proposed and agreements were made to undertake a series of product and process development trials at Glatt’s Weimar Technology Center. Customers are encouraged to collaborate with Glatt’s specialists and participate as they transform concept ideas into product samples, which then can be analyzed in the laboratory, further optimized and prepared for tomorrow’s innovations.
