GEA: Mastering the frying process

It is believed that frying was first invented by the Ancient Egyptians around 2500 BC¹ – so it’s hardly a modern innovation. But why, when so many other culinary trends have fallen out of fashion, has frying not only survived but become one of the most popular cooking processes across the world?

It’s likely that frying was first developed as a practical solution to preserving food and the same is true today – but there’s so much more to it. As well as imparting the delicious flavors and textures consumers enjoy, frying also has technical benefits. Industrial frying is an excellent way for manufacturers to stabilize coatings and enhance the mouthfeel of their products. However, to gain high quality, repeatable results, it’s essential that the process is carefully controlled and monitored.

The fast-paced lifestyles of today mean that convenience foods are remaining consistently popular. Indeed, the global convenience food market is forecast to grow by 7.2% by 2033.² As a result, food processors are constantly seeking ways to maximize the productivity and flexibility of their operations.

Industrial frying is suitable for a wide range of applications including meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables or alt-meat products. Frying systems can be customized to handle a variety of substrates, not to mention being suitable for a wide variety of coatings including battered, breaded and tempura coated products.

GEA ProFry is designed to give processors greater control over the flow, temperature and quality of oil during frying, all of which are critical factors in creating consistently successful end products. (Source GEA)

Three principles of successful frying

As with any industrial food process, there are pitfalls to avoid and challenges to overcome. Oil is a complex and expensive commodity, so managing it effectively saves waste, time and energy and prevents excessive cost being passed on to the consumer. Balancing all of these needs essentially comes down to keeping three principles under control.

Oil flow

The even flow of oil around the products is of key importance in ensuring that they are fried thoroughly across the entirety of the fryer. Since the oil acts as a heat transfer medium, even oil flow results in food that is safely cooked for the consumer, with consistent texture, color and flavor. Alongside these factors, an appropriate flow of oil enables food items to be fully submerged during frying.

Temperature control

Whilst even oil flow supports even cooking, it’s vital that the temperature of the oil is well controlled, preventing undercooking or burning. Different foods require different cooking temperatures to achieve optimal results. Frying at excessively high temperatures can break down the structure of the oil, harming the flavor of the products. Maintaining the correct oil temperature throughout frying ensures that the food is perfectly cooked.

Temperature control is also crucial for safety reasons. If the oil gets too hot, it can lead to smoking, increasing the risk of fire. Regular monitoring and control of the oil temperature is key.

Oil quality

Oil quality also has a considerable effect upon the outcome of industrial frying. There’s the initial quality of the type of oil used, but more importantly, how the quality of that oil is maintained during frying. Degradation of the oil needs to be prevented using an effective sediment removal system.

Taking control of the process

To meet the challenges of industrial frying GEA has launched the latest model of its industrial fryer, the ProFry, introducing enhanced efficiency and functionality. This solution has been designed to give processors greater control over the flow, temperature and quality of oil during frying, all of which are critical factors in creating consistently successful end products.

Balancing oil flow reduces food waste

The key pillars for success, such as the efficient management of flow, temperature and quality of the frying oil, provided the basis for the development of the GEA ProFry. Using an advanced circulation system, the fryer enables an oil flow up to 30% higher than equivalent technology. This balanced and even flow reduces the number of doubles (marriages and twins) where individual products collide and fuse together. In this way food waste is reduced.

It may be that certain applications or coatings require gentle handling or specific parameters when it comes to the flow of oil. Recipes can be pre-programmed into the ProFry’s HMI system, so that exact parameters can be repeated time and again for specific applications. Whilst this is highly convenient, the ProFry’s oil circulation system can also be finetuned during production. This allows the operator greater control, again reducing waste, since manufacturers are not forced to wait until the end of a pre-programmed recipe if things are not going to plan. Adjustments can be made as and when needed.

Recipes can be pre-programmed into the ProFry’s HMI system, so that exact parameters can be repeated time and again for specific applications. Source GEA

Temperature control ensures product quality

Similarly, gaining constant control over the temperature of the oil during frying can be a challenge. In a domestic setting, it’s well known that oil temperature during flash or deep frying can quickly get out of control. And of course, the consequences of this are even greater in an industrial production situation. At best, overheating the oil has detrimental effects on the products. At worst, it could cause serious risk of fire.

Inadequately heating oil runs the risk of undercooking, or means that products take longer to cook through, reducing productivity. When food is fried for too long a period at a lower than optimal temperature, it may absorb excess oil, resulting in a greasy and soggy texture. Once the oil temperature has been programmed into an industrial fryer, it’s then important to maintain that temperature consistently throughout the process. The ProFry uses an innovative design to aid this, with enhanced hood and kettle insulation to retain that crucial heat.

Sensors in the oil enable control of the process

Last, and possibly most importantly, is the control of oil quality. It’s no good controlling the other factors if the frying oil is degrading and spoiling the products. In a patent pending design, the ProFry comes with a real time, inline oil quality measurement system. Sensors within the oil feed back information to the HMI system, alerting the operator if any data point begins to drift away from optimal parameters. This takes the guesswork out of frying and enables control over the process as it’s happening.

Paying close attention to oil quality is becoming increasingly important. Growing oil prices are driving this trend, so getting the most out of one batch of oil is essential in maximizing productivity and reducing costly wastage. Prior to GEA’s data-driven design, oil quality could only be analyzed offline, at intervals outside of production. So the monitoring system within the ProFry represents a significant step forward in process control.

Unique design and surface treatment of the heat exchanger ensure balanced heat transfer and prevent the overheating of frying oil to promote longer oil life and high-quality products. (Source GEA)

Careful oil filtration brings added benefits in terms of cleanability

Whilst monitoring the quality of the oil, the ProFry uses an active sediment removal system. Frequency drivers adaptively remove settled, suspended and floating sediment as needed, carefully protecting the products as they fry. By promoting the lifespan of the oil in this way, spoiled products are considerably reduced as is waste from excess oil use.

The ProFry has been designed to incorporate a scraper belt, running along the base of the fryer. This removes residual sediment at the outfeed, meaning it is much easier to clean during downtime. However again, design is key. By using polished surfaces, residue is less likely to stick. CIP (Clean in Place) technology has also been incorporated, saving on the water, detergent and human labor needed to maintain the cleanliness of the fryer.

Increased health benefits and reduced waste

Traditionally, convenience foods are not known for their healthy properties – but the ProFry is helping to change all that. The greater process control and flexibility enabled by the ProFry means that healthier - but less stable - oils such as canola or sunflower oil can be used effectively. In addition, by using smart technology to gain more control over what happens in the fryer, precisely the right amount of oil can be used and maintained at high quality. Using technology to your advantage for stringent process control can also greatly reduce the number of spoiled products and doubles.

The ProFry has been designed with sustainability of the entire process in mind. An optional energy measurement system can be specified as part of the solution, providing advanced insights into how energy is being used and what can be done to improve efficiency and thus reduce costs. The ProFry’s smart CIP system also measures water and detergent to ensure that only what is needed is used – again, helping to reduce unnecessary overuse of all resources.

Real-time control prevents failure

Knowledge is power, as the saying goes. And having all the knowledge you need to ensure successful outcomes on an industrial scale puts you in the driver's seat. The advanced production insights and real time control offered by the GEA ProFry mean that food manufacturers need no longer be at the mercy of a rigid, pre-programmed format. Waste can be significantly reduced and fails prevented rather than having to wait until the end of the line when the damage has already been done.

The system's easy-to-use HMI simplifies operation, and the saving of water, detergents, energy use and cooking oil can be monitored and controlled. In the global convenience food market, it's clear that greater use of automation and data should be prioritized to reduce waste and help manufacturers meet growing demand in a sustainable way.

GEA Product Manager Luuc van Lankveld explains: "Every aspect of the ProFry design has been planned by GEA to increase efficiency and productivity. In addition, reliability and robustness are key, as well as the amount of data collected. This allows for better adaptation and prediction of the process. The aim is to use the data to create an intelligent machine - a platform for the present that is also equipped for future developments". Data makes processes transparent. GEA is committed to supporting its customers to gain control over the process, throughout the process. This control offers a significant advantage and with 1650 installations worldwide already the fried food industry is already evolving for the better.

Luuc van Lankveld added: “Our customers say that we really listened to them when designing the ProFry, especially when it comes to its sophistication and new on-screen features - the way the HMI really takes frying to the next level.”

¹https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frying#:~:text=Frying%20is%20believed%20to%20have,cakes%20known%20today%20as%20doughnuts.

² https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/global-convenience-foods-market