Nofima Mat in Stavanger has become the first institute in the world to install a new autoclave of industrial size (900 mm) with Shaka agitation. This means we can offer the Norwegian food industry a unique opportunity to be first to test this new technology.
The Shaka agitation principle
According to CCFRA and the suppliers, the new Shaka principle (see figure) has been shown to give much faster heating of foods than either static or rotary autoclaves. This is especially true for partly fluid foods such as baby food and sauces, but also for solid products in brine or similar. This makes it possible to produce foods with better nutritional value and better quality in terms of colour and taste, while browning may also be avoided. Process time will also be shorter, thus reducing consumption of water and energy.
The figure shows a simplified model of the Shaka system. The products are held within a basket which is moved back and forth with the aid of a rotating axle.
The new technology allows the production of products that would previously have been unsuitable for heat treatment or were limited to a low level of heat that gave a shorter shelf life than desired. We expect a number of new products to see the light of day when the Shaka technology becomes more widespread and we know that large companies have commenced a lot of product development work.
