Novel cooking cuts production time

Following more than 15 years of working together, the two firms have agreed to partner to ensure the delivery and installation of the PDX Reactor and its accompanying control system worldwide.

The PDX Reactor is an advanced industrial steam cooker, which is said to significantly speed up production times. It enables the reduction of salt and saturated fats from products, while improving product quality, and ensuring improved texture of soups and sauces. There are believed to be around 10 UK food and drink firms using the PDX technology.

Recent trials ​

In recent trials at the National Food Manufacturing Technology Centre in Lincoln the PDX made 500kg of cheese sauce in just six minutes, compared with the 70 minutes it had previously taken.

In another example, the reactor made 1,000kg of tomato sauce in six minutes, compared with one hour by traditional methods.

“The PDX Reactor is a fluid processing system that can mix, heat and pump simultaneously with unrivalled performance,"​ said Siemens Industry’s partner development manager Michael Stow. "It not only improves product quality, but speeds up production times and reduces waste, ensuring efficiencies across operations.”

Revolutionise ​

Olympus Automation’s strategy and marketing development manager Jake Norman, said: “By partnering with Siemens we can ensure a high-quality complete solution for customers looking to revolutionise their production of soups and sauces. In addition, we can be sure to offer a full service and support team for our customers offering technical advice and maintenance expertise.”​

PDX works by generating a supersonic vapour flow and shockwave using steam. The low pressure energy wave can be used to transport material and entrain or mix multiple powdered ingredients. The reactor vessel has no moving parts to clog or block and can be incorporated into a cleaning-in-place system.

Process automation specialist Olympus Automation acquired the rights to sell the PDX sonic mixing and cooking technology following the collapse of its former owner Pursuit Dynamics in March 2013.

In 2005 BPT Skerman installed a PDX system at a factory at Histon, near Cambridge, for dissolving sugars in solution during the manufacture of Robertson’s and Hartley’s jam, marmalade and jelly. The jams and jellies business was owned by Premier Foods but was subsequently sold to Hain Celestial in 2012 for £200M. The PDX equipment is still in use at the plant.