TwinLab-F 20/40: Laboratory extruder for the food and feed industry

With the TwinLab-F 20/40, Brabender offers a laboratory extruder that is particularly convincing due to its surprisingly flexible application possibilities in product development

In the food and feed industry, new products have to be continuously developed, existing formulations optimised and processes adapted to changing requirements or raw material qualities. The tasks of a laboratory extruder are therefore complex.
 

Compact but flexible at the same time: Thanks to its modular design, 
the Brabender TwinLab-F 20/40 can be used for a wide range 
of applications in the food and feed industry.
Image credit: Brabender

Tailor-made solutions for the laboratory
The new TwinLab-F 20/40 is a laboratory-sized twin-screw extruder with a modular, food-grade design that can be used for a wide variety of experiments in the food and feed sector. Conveying, kneading and mixing elements can be combined according to the process sequence. Different die geometries allow any shape of the extrudate. Cold formed products such as noodles and indirectly or directly expanded products such as feed or aquafeed pellets, flat bread or snack food can be produced on a laboratory scale as can textured protein.

Four liner openings at the top and two at the side allow the addition of ingredients such as solids and liquids at several process points. Optionally, a dosing unit can be used. Over the length of the extruder, four heating and cooling zones ensure the optimum temperature in each process area. The horizontal division of the liner allows evaluation of the screw configuration after the test and facilitates cleaning, saving time between test runs.
 
An investment that pays off
The use of a laboratory extruder has clear economic advantages over test series on extruders that are otherwise used in ongoing production. In tests with the TwinLab-F 20/40, only a fraction of the raw material quantity is used, as in comparable tests on large-volume extruders. Formulations, textures and sensory properties of food can be tested in advance.

In addition, less time is required for assembly, modification and cleaning of the test setup. If you add the loss of production during test preparation, test execution and subsequent recommissioning using a production extruder for your trials, it quickly becomes clear that using the TwinLab-F 20/40 quickly returns the investment.

Compatible with MetaBridge
The TwinLab-F 20/40 is controlled via the MetaBridge software, which is equipped with a user-friendly, intuitive interface. Several measuring instruments can be connected to each other and measurement data can be automatically evaluated. In addition, the software allows simultaneous control of several laboratory instruments.

For more information visit the Brabender website, HERE.

View a video on the BrabenderTwinLab-F 20/40, HERE.

The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by Perendale Publishers Ltd

For additional daily news from aquaculture around the world: aquaculture-news