New crispy snack technology for microwaveable products
In addition, test series at Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research claims thatthe microwaveable products had maintained their technological and sensory properties, even after long-term storage of more than nine months.
Increased shelf life
According to the Swiss licensing operation, the crispy snack technology also has a significantly reduced fat content as it does not have to be fried by the consumer before consumption. This is due to the technology’s “unique manufacturing” process which means that approximately 70 percent less fat can be achieved for the product compared to commercial products.
“The specially-formed batter crumbs on these foods absorb less fat during the production process. Because of this, the finished product contains significantly less fat and is therefore healthier,” said the company.
The product can also be prepared in a microwave without using active packaging, according to the company.
Axel Graefe, the sales and marketing director for Crisp Sensation Holding told BakeryandSnacks.com that the company was currently in the process of launching the technology after starting the process in July. "We are talking to customers, posing our concepts and business models," he said.
The new coating technology is now ready to come to market for breaded frozen food manufacturers to incorporate into products such as chicken nuggets, fish fingers, cheese and vegetable sticks.
Crisp Sensation Holding SA said: “It is simple and straightforward to implement Crisp Sensation in almost any regular production line. Naturally, a few adaptations are required, but these can be put in place simply, quickly and without major alterations.”
Requirements for production include a nitrogen freezer as the finished products need to be frozen quickly to an extremely low temperature.
Taste panel
The technology was tested by a taste panel who were given chicken nuggets with the new coating and reference products from a Dutch market leader. The samples were prepared in microwaves with and without ‘crisp’ functions as well as in a convection oven.
The company claims that in all cases, the Crisp Sensation snacks were found to be significantly crispier than the commercial product.
As an operation licensed in Switzerland, Crisp Sensation’s headquarters are located in Geneva, while Research and Development take place in application laboratories in the UK and the Netherlands.
“Since the 1990s, efforts have been under way to develop a technology to render frozen and breadcrumbed foods suitable for crisping in microwaves and ovens. Crisp Sensation has developed and perfected a way of bringing these findings up to a full-scale production model. We have now reached the point where we are able to launch this technology worldwide,” said the company.
Crisp Sensation offers its globally patented technology to manufacturers of frozen breadcrumbed snacks of any kind as well as to large-scale and system gastronomy suppliers. Customers can use the Crisp Sensation technology under licence from the company.
