Frying undoubtedly brings advantages for many products in terms of taste, crunch and eating experience, but with consumers taking an ever greater interest in the links between food, health and the environment, a demand for healthier fried food options has also grown. In response, many food processors are actively seeking ways of improving the health characteristics of new and existing food products without sacrificing the taste.
To support producers in this journey, JBT has developed the Dry-Fry System; a unique, innovative and healthier way of frying that keeps the great taste while shedding the unwanted side effects that come with deep frying.
Designed to process a wide range of healthier food options while maintaining a ‘just fried’ taste and appearance, the Dry-Fry uses up to 50% less oil to cook battered and breaded products, as well as meatballs, plant-based and vegetarian foods. Perhaps even more significantly, the Dry-Fry enables the use of a far wider range of frying ingredients, including healthier alternatives such as olive oil, which are not fitting for a deep frying process.
Complete line
The Dry-Fry brings together a complete line process that comprises the Stein Ultra V coating line, a fully controllable oil spray system, the Double D Revoband Continuous Protein Oven, an optional oven for fully cooking the product and the Frigoscandia GYRoCOMPACT Spiral Freezer or Chiller. The system works by eliminating the pre-frying stage while at the same time using controlled, significantly reduced amounts of oil, producing healthier, lower fat products that retain an optimum fried taste and texture.
“The Dry-Fry is a healthier alternative to deep frying, which not only uses less oil, but can also make use of ingredients such as olive oil and margarine that are not suitable for deep frying,” explains Bart Kivits, JBT’s Manager for Coating and Cooking Applications. “You also have the advantage of not having to change the oil every few days, so your overall running costs are lower.”
Healthier alternative
The system is part of a Healthier Cooking range of solutions from JBT, aimed at helping customers take advantage of growing consumer interest in healthier lifestyles and eating habits, including the burgeoning market for plant-based foods and meat alternatives. “Consumers are becoming more and more educated on food and are much more open to try new things and pay premium price if they believe it is good for them,” adds Kivits.
The range also includes the JBT Formcook Contact Cooker and JBT Formcook Combi Cooker, which make use of innovations from the continuous movement of products on teflon belts to cooking through forced air and steam heat transfer.
