By Francisco Hernández Ortiz , Global Food Projects Director , HRS Heat Exchangers
Heat exchangers help produce Spain ’ s iconic soup
By Francisco Hernández Ortiz , Global Food Projects Director , HRS Heat Exchangers
As a country Spain is well known for its cuisine , with iconic dishes such as paella , patatas bravas , tortilla , Serrano ham and churros , all recognised and enjoyed around the world .
Another famous dish , particularly associated with the southern region of Andalusia , is the cold tomato soup gazpacho . Although less familiar overseas than some of Spain ’ s other culinary exports , it is hugely popular in its home country .
From humble origins as a summer dish for local farmer and their families , gazpacho has gained popularity with both Spanish families and tourists thanks to its refreshing properties and distinctive fresh taste . As demand has grown , so has commercial production , with large scale modern production beginning in Murcia in the 1990s .
Salmorejo , which has become particularly popular recently , is similar to gazpacho but thickened with bread , meaning it is eaten from a bowl using a spoon , while gazpacho is usually drunk as a cold soup . Most manufacturers of gazpacho now also produce salmorejo .
These premium gazpacho and salmorejo products are made using good quality fresh vegetables , with a minimum amount of processing , and are often sold as ‘ unprocessed ’ products , with a short shelf life and higher price , often in smaller plastic bottles which allow consumers to see the product on the shelf . Although 1-litre waxed card and PET bottles remain the most common packaging , larger formats for families , and smaller portions for people living alone or couples without children are also widely available .
HRS Heat Exchangers have been providing pasteurisation solutions for gazpacho for almost 30 years ( we supplied out first unit in 1996 ), as well as heat exchange solutions to help cool vegetables during the early stages of manufacture , and we have solutions for more viscous salmorejo products .
Because of their thick , viscous nature gazpacho and salmorejo require tubular heat exchangers – rather than plate heat exchangers ( PHEs ). Depending on the recipe they may contain content such as grains , bread or vegetable fibres ( particularly those products designed to be ‘ authentic ’ or ‘ homemade ’). Most lines are now used to produce both gazpacho and salmorejo , so equipment needs to be flexible and able to handle the thicker products . In practice this means food grade HRS MI Series multi-tube heat exchanges , designed to maintain product freshness according to the required production capacity .
As a cold soup , keeping the distinctive freshness is a challenge , so any pasteurisation process must be as gentle as possible . That means making it as fast as possible , with the lowest possible temperature lift , followed by immediate cooling . Pressure is typically maintained between 16 and 25 bar , although
Since then , more and more food and drink producers have added gazpacho to their product range . As well as large suppliers ( often supplying heavily pasteurised product in large quantities ), recently smaller companies have begun to bring more premium gazpacho and salmorejo products to market .
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