Fachpressemitteilung
29 May 2018
These results have been achieved through a number of innovative features which deliver improved accuracy on working parameters across the line, leading to top performance in dough formation, pre-drying and the drying process.
The Pavan brand – founded 1946 – is the origin of the Pavan Group which was acquired in its entirety by world-leading technology group GEA in November 2017. Today the Pavan brand is a synonym for state of the art machines and manufacturing lines for the production of dry pasta. Its product department designs and builds complete turnkey automated manufacturing lines, Thermo Active System (TAS) dryers and provides auxiliary plant engineering and production line supervisor services, as well as remote customer services.
MULTIDRIVE technology applies an evolved version of the Thermo Active System, an approach to dehumidification specifically engineered by Pavan. TAS technology includes drying and stabilization stages. It maintains the product in a plastic and porous state throughout the process and deters the Maillard reaction. The rapid reduction in the water content of the pasta and the progressive temperature increase block the expansion of the starches and activate protein coagulation, thus improving color and cooking performance. MULTIDRIVE technology is based on the continuous control of thermo-hygrometric conditions, via the application of very high gradients of temperature increase and decrease rates; optimized exhaust air extraction and a multiple pulse ventilation system. These features represent an evolution of the well-known Pavan Thermo Active System technology.
Thanks to the evolution of the Thermo Active System, MULTIDRIVE lines have a more compact drying area which is a footprint reduction of 25%. This means lower investment costs for manufacturers given that less space is required for its installation.
Normally, the drying phase requires more energy on a pasta line than any other phase; however, the pre-dryer and dryer in the MULTIDRIVE line have been designed so that each flow of air extracted and injected into the dryer is optimized in terms of both quantity and path in order to minimize thermal dispersion and to reduce the energy required to bring the air to the correct thermo-hygrometric condition. As a result, the MULTIDRIVE technology guarantees a global energy savings of 30% compared to a traditional pasta line with the same capacity.
The MULTIDRIVE technology utilizes a milestone-technology introduced by Pavan: the extensive application of vacuum which it uses throughout the entire process of dough formation, from ingredient dosing to extrusion. The vacuum process minimizes the development of reducing sugars. This means less starch is released during cooking and less stickiness. With total vacuum the hydration of the semolina is more homogeneous, thereby reducing defects and white specs. The vacuum also allows for the addition of a greater quantity of water during the mixing stage which improves the formation of gluten. The evaporation effect caused by the vacuum lowers the temperature of the semolina during the mixing and extrusion stages; this prevents thermal stress and results in a pasta which has better cooking performance.
The gentle shaping stage also results in pasta with brighter colors. The complete vacuum blocks the enzyme polyphenol oxidase which is responsible for the oxidization of the semolina pigments, thus preserving the amber yellow colors imparted by the carotenoids and flavonoids. The vacuum also deactivates the enzyme lipoxygenase, which otherwise will renders colors grey and promotes the development of unpleasant odors due to the oxidation of the lipids. The partial deactivation of alpha and beta amylase leads to a reduced occurrence of what’s known as the Maillard reaction where the pasta turns brown during drying.
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GEA ist weltweit einer der größten Systemanbieter für die Nahrungsmittel-, Getränke- und Pharmaindustrie. Der 1881 gegründete und international tätige Technologiekonzern fokussiert sich dabei auf Maschinen und Anlagen sowie auf anspruchsvolle Prozesstechnik, Komponenten und umfassende Service-Dienstleistungen.