Dried Non Vegetarian Food Processing Plant & Machinery Solutions

Raw fish, prawn or meat is washed and then salted, brined or cooked according to the product. Salting and cooking draw out water and set the protein before the drying stage begins.

Material is spread on trays or a moving belt and dried in heated air until it reaches the target dryness. Air temperature and flow are controlled so the surface does not case-harden and trap moisture inside.

Heat-sensitive items such as prawn, egg and pet treats can be frozen and dried under vacuum instead of hot air. Freeze drying removes water from the frozen material under vacuum, so the piece keeps its shape and rehydrates when water is added.

Dried material is broken down into floss, flakes or powder and screened to the size the buyer wants. Oversize is returned to the mill so the batch leaves at one particle size.

Moisture is measured on the dried batch, and the holding area is kept dehumidified before packing. Dried protein picks up moisture from the air, so the room condition matters as much as the dryer.

The dried product is weighed and filled into pouches, sealed with a nitrogen flush and cased. A gas flush and a tight seal are what keep dried protein from going rancid on the shelf.