Rosenqvists Multi-Zone Chips Frying System

Rosenqvists Food Technologies have designed the Multi-Zone Chips Fryer to give the final product the desired characteristics, for optimal control of the frying process. The frying system consists of a frying pan, drum oil filter, oil circulation pump, and a tube heat exchanger.

The frying stage of the potato chips process is the part where texture, color, bite, crispiness, and overall quality is defined. Rosenqvists Multi-Zone Chips Fryer system uses a minimum of oil, resulting in high-quality potato chips with a longer shelf life. Low total oil volume results in a low oil turnover per minute and lowers FFA (Free Fatty Acids) values.

The hood is designed so that a steam cover will be formed above the oil surface, protecting it from the surrounding air. Protecting the oil from light and oxygen is an essential criterion for the quality of your final product.

The Multi-Zone frying system consists of six main parts:

• Fryer pan
• Continuous drum filter
• Oil circulation pump
• Heat exchanger (for thermo oil or high-pressure steam)
• Daytank
• Discharge holding belt

The frying pan has multiple oils in and outlets. The temperature profile along the pan is easily set and adjusted. For separation of the incoming slices, a flow-injection-side-turbulent-system (FIST) is installed in the first part of the fryer pan. In the final frying zone, a cold-adjustable temperature zone or a CATZ pump is installed making it possible to reduce the frying temperature slightly in the end where the risk of Acrylamide build-up is highest.

In the fryer hood, a paddle belt and a submerged belt are mounted. The paddle belt maintains an accurate frying time in the first section. The submerged belt conveys the product bed with a precise regulated speed. All of the oil in the frying system is filtered every 30 – 45 seconds through the continuous drum filter.

A perforated rotating steel drum filters the oil. Particles are scraped off and removed by a waste auger. The heat exchanger, placed close to the fryer, can be heated by thermo oil or high-pressure steam. By adjusting the temperature profile and retention times in the different sections of the fryer pan, normal chips and batch or kettle-style chips can be produced.

Automatic-set point temperature adjustment (ASTA) is fully integrated into the controls of the frying system making it possible to cope with production variations.