Creative Kettle Technology

Advances in kettle cooking technology have allowed food companies to improve culinary integrity of foods while increasing throughput. Advances such as computerization, improved agitation, high-pressure steam and automated lids have resulted not only in increased productivity, convenience and better energy efficiency, but also in improved product quality.

Innovations are driven by market demands, with new research ultimately dictated by customers, notes Eric Sparks, director of product development, Park 100 Foods, Tipton, IN. Consumers are looking for more fresh products in their soups, and this has led to the development of food-processing equipment— including new kettles—that can protect the integrity of fresh products, he says.

As newer kettles have improved the quality of fresh soups, sales have risen. Sales of fresh refrigerated soup, bouillon and stock grew 45% from mid-2005 to mid-2006 in the United States, according to “What’s Hot Around the Globe,” a report from ACNielsen, Schaumburg, IL.

Newer agitation systems that gently lift particulates protect the integrity of foods, especially in thin products— such as chicken noodle soup. In the old paddle systems, the speed needed to be turned up in order to keep the particulates from settling to the bottom. This was especially true during packaging, when particulates needed even distribution when filling individual retail packages.

“Some of the old-fashioned paddles would beat the living integrity out of some products,” Sparks says.

Although this issue was sometimes overcome through use of a two-step fill system—depositing noodles into individual containers first, then broth, vegetables and chicken in a second filling step—new kettles eliminate the need for two steps.

When Kettle Cuisine underwent its recent $6 million renovation at its plant in Chelsea, MA, the company added two high-pressure steam kettles. The new kettles are horizontal, with tight-fitting lids. Lids on steam kettles result in a 60% energy-use reduction when simmering foods, according to the Food Service Technology Center (FSTC), San Ramon, CA. New kettles with tighter-fitting lids reduce product loss due to evaporation.

Newer automated lids also offer advantages over older, hand-operated ones. When lids are lifted by hand, they might incur damage, which can reduce efficiency. Hydraulic lids fit better and are safer. Some of the newer systems will not operate unless the lid is closed.

Another safety feature of the new high-pressure kettle cookers is the ability to heat and cool products faster—an important feature for products that require hot filling and quick chilling.

A major benefit of the new high-pressure steam kettles is they can cook at higher temperatures than the company’s older, spherical kettles. Steam kettles cook by conduction as heat passes directly from the walls of the kettle into the food. The pressure of the steam determines the maximum temperature of the kettle.

Healthier foods are also possible because of advances in kettle cookers. For some soups, the amount of fat used to sauté onions or for other functions can be reduced, notes Volker Frick, executive chef, Kettle Cuisine. The level of fat reduction varies, but for the meat soups, the added fat can be reduced by one-half, since meat inherently has fat that can carry the flavor, he says. With vegetarian soups, the company has to be careful to not lose important flavor notes.

“With the high-pressure kettles, we can brown the onions in less time and cook a larger volume at once,” Frick explains, adding that when the onions were prepared in the braising pans, they had to be hand stirred. With the new kettles, after the onions are caramelized, the seasonings, wine and beef stock are added all to the same vessel.

Less manual labor is needed to produce larger batches, and a batch can be produced in half the time, says Frick. The actual cooking time after sautéing the onions is about the same—40 minutes—but the sautéing of the onions is completed much faster, he notes.

Braising pans can also be eliminated in recipes that call for searing meat. Using braising pans is very labor intensive, says Jerry Shafir, founder and president. Meat is seared at a temperature of 400°F, so if someone does not pay close attention, the meat can burn. Another limitation is that braising pans only hold 30 lbs. of meat. The new kettles can sear 80 to 100 lbs. of cubed meat in just a few minutes.

“We are still trying to cook like in restaurants, only on a larger scale,” says Frick. “This involves adapting old technologies to new equipment, while staying true to the process. It’s like using a sauté pan on the stove, only now our tools are bigger.”

EFFICIENT AUTOMATION 

Another important new feature of Kettle Cuisine’s expansion is recipe-management software, Shafir says. The system prompts operators when to add ingredients, in addition to controlling time and temperature. “Our operation is more complex than it was at one time. We used to have 20 to 40 recipes, now we have in excess of 100,” Shafir notes. Computerized controls validate that required temperatures for products are reached and if HACCP plans are met.

Kettle Cuisine’s recipe-management software also allows automation of the agitation system. The speed and direction of the paddles, as well as whether a rest period is need during stirring, can be programmed into the system. And, once the recipes are perfected, they’re likewise programmed into the control panel.

As improvements in technology allow more home-style soups and other foods to be marketed to consumers, the soup market is expected to continue to grow.

Efficiently meeting increased demand often requires an investment in technology that can deliver soups with high culinary flavor without unduly affecting the bottom line.

Ann Przybyla Wilkes is a freelance writer and communication consultant, with more than 20 years experience writing about the food industry. She has worked as a QC manager for S&W Fine Foods and has served as the vice president of communications for the Snack Food Association. She has an M.S. in food science and can be reached at aswilkes@verizon.net.