Process / Product quality benefits
- Uniform mashing and consistent vegetable texture
- Continuous, homogeneous soup base preparation
- Prevention of lumps and agglomerates through high-shear rotor-stator action
Previously unsuccessful methods
The customer used a competitor’s inline shear blending system to mash cooked cabbage during transfer from the cooking vessel, but it did not deliver the required consistency for canned soup production.
Insufficient shear intensity failed to fully break down the cooked vegetable structure, resulting in uneven particle size and visible coarse material in the final soup base. Inconsistent flow through the shear zone also created variability between batches and reduced overall product uniformity.
In some cases, additional recirculation or secondary processing was required to achieve the desired texture, increasing processing time, energy consumption, and operational complexity.
Fristam’s solution
Fristam supplied an inline shear blending solution using a Fristam FS shear blender (with a 3522 rotor stator combination) integrated into the transfer line between the cooking vessel and a buffer tank. Cooked cabbage was pumped by a Fristam FL rotary lobe pump through the shear blender, where rotor-stator shearing action mashed the vegetable structure and produced a uniform, process-ready soup base.
Fristam shear pumps apply intensive three-dimensional shearing with extremely small clearances and high tip speeds, creating highly homogeneous products, preventing lumps or agglomerates, and significantly shortening processing times compared with conventional tank-based or lower-shear methods.
Process set-up
1. Sliced cabbage pieces of approximately 20 × 20 mm were cooked in a vessel prior to size reduction.
2. The cooked cabbage was transferred using a Fristam FL 75 Rotary Lobe Pump through the inline Fristam FS shear blender.
3. Inside the shear blender, rotor-stator shearing forces reduced particle size, eliminated coarse structure, and created a uniform mashed vegetable consistency suitable for soup production.
4. The processed product was delivered continuously to a buffer tank at a flow rate of approximately 2,000 kg/h for further soup processing.
A successful outcome with the Fristam FS Shear Blender
The Fristam FS shear blender achieved excellent mashing of cooked cabbage while enabling continuous inline transfer. Processing time was reduced by more than 80%, and overall product quality became more uniform and consistent across production.
Sustainability benefits
- Reduced processing time supporting lower overall energy consumption
- Efficient raw material utilization through improved homogenization
Financial benefits
- More than 80% reduction in processing time to shear
- Improved production efficiency through continuous inline processing
Other benefits
- Capability to process multiphase food products inline
- Suitable for a wide range of viscosities with hygienic, fully CIP-capable operation