Sparc checkweigher saves free-from bakers ‘ dough ’
We ’ ve got a crisis on our hands ! The recent free-from boom in pop-culture , on top of a growing epidemic of food allergies , has led to free-from products becoming increasingly integrated into people ’ s daily diets . But with prices of key ingredients used in a range of freefrom products soaring dramatically , this industry , worth an estimated £ 652m to the UK , needs to adapt and eliminate costly giveaway .
Rice flour is an integral part of glutenfree bread , cakes , baby food and desserts . With the cost of it rising by 26 %, bakers are scrambling for a solution to keep production costs as low as possible . This is where checkweighing comes in as Charlie
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Graham , European Sales Manager for Sparc Systems explains .
Free-from products typically use expensive ingredients in the manufacturing process ; some costing 2-3 times more than their conventional counterparts . Additionally , due to rising allergens , segregated production zones are critical to eliminate cross contamination . Even more essential given the introduction of ‘ Natasha ’ s law ’ this October .
Understanding the processing formulations in all free-from products is vital . In free-from bakery categories , for example , several processing variables must be factored in to maintain batch-to-batch consistency .
Inspecting up to 12,000 dough pieces per hour , Sparc Systems ’ Hestia Dough Checkweigher provides free-from bakers with unparalleled weighing precision and speed .
Producing high quality and tasty gluten-free bread with comparable volumes and texture requires a degree of experimentation using different flour substitutes . When the perfect free-from dough and process has been achieved , the next challenge is maintaining a consistent weight and bake .