Processors of steam-cooked products such as chilled fresh pastas can select steaming technology that couples affordability with the hygiene, reliability and performance advantages, says FMC FoodTech, the manufacturer of the GyroCompact S6 steamer. The steamer incorporates the self-stacking FrigoBelt conveyor already used reliably in the company’s inline freezers.

“We’ve taken the GyroCompact technology from our self-stacking freezers and replaced the refrigeration system with a steam-injection system and a modified enclosure than can withstand high temperatures,’ says Ingmar Pahlsson, product line manager of Chicago-based FMC FoodTech.

The inline, self-stacking steamer provides even product steaming across the belt width. Its two-zone cooking approach offers a mixture of saturated and dry steam. As the product enters the bottom of the spiral, it encounters saturated steam, which condenses on the product to cook it. The steam enters the belt stack from the top, where it hits a hood that covers the top tiers of the spiral, creating a zone of dry steam. The product has been cooked by the saturated steam by the time it reaches the dry zone, where excess surface water is removed. The steamer can be used for foods that are steamed or gently cooked such as corn on the cob, sausages and poultry fillets, or to pasteurize packed products.

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