CEREX- Connecting nature and technology since 1995

Headquartered in Switzerland, CEREX manufactures processing technologies for the food, feed, and non-food industry. CEREX manufactures highly durable equipment that has proven over the years in terms of seamless energy efficiency, food safety, and hygiene which allows exceeding the highest standards in the industry.

CEREX provides prominent technologies for:

Nuts & Seeds – Roasting/Blanching

Granola & Muesli – Mixing/Drying

Breakfast Cereals – Flaking/Drying/Toasting

Sweets & Savoury Snacks – Coating/Drying

Convenience Food – Cooking/Drying

Grains & Cereals – Puffing/Drying/Coating

Material Handling – Storage/Transfers

Among CEREX’s portfolio of machines, systems and technologies, the CEREX puffing system is very remarkable.

Michael Bichsel, member of the owners’ family of CEREX AG, shares that CEREX’s unique puffing systems can puff any grain or cereal in a controlled way, up to 12 times expansion, and yield up to 98%. The puffed products offered by CEREX include durum wheat, soft wheat, Khorasan wheat (Kamut), spelt, oats, oat grits, rice, amaranth, quinoa, millet/sorghum, barley, buckwheat, popcorn, field corn, foxnuts, and moderately puffed chickpeas among others.

CEREX’s unique puffing technology

Siddharth Dalal, country head, CEREX India, says, “With significantly decreased energy consumption against other puffing technologies. Combined with readiness for operation of 98%, without an operator, the production costs for puffed cereals are kept to the absolute minimum.”

When talking to Mr. Dalal, he mentions various benefits of the CEREX puffing systems such as:

+ High production flexibility

+ Unsurpassed energy efficiency thanks to multiple energy recuperation

+ Lowest running cost

+ High output

+ Sanitary design

+ Supreme food safety

+ High level of automation ensuring reproducibility and low labor cost

+ Fully controlled expansion

+ Highest availability

+ Designed for 24/7 operation

+ Unsurpassed yield

+ Extraordinary readiness for operation

+ Low maintenance

+ Capable of running without permanent operator

+ Fairly self-cleaning design of various elements

“With the unit capacity of 350kg/h or 700kg/h (basis: puffed wheat with a bulk density of ~70kg/m³) and an unsurpassed yield, it is the first and only choice for high-capacity puffing installations. For large-scale operations, the latest design has a record 1,400kg/h capacity,” mentions Siddharth Dalal.

Michael Bichsel proudly adds, “CEREX is the only provider of the Bichsel Puffing process in the world.”

The puffing process explained in steps

1. Raw materials- CEREX puffing systems can process various grains. Product changes are easy and require a maximum cleaning time of 30 minutes.

2. Puffing- The product is uniformly permeated with hot air and superheated steam. The highly uniform energy distribution achieved throughout the cereal ensures a narrow grain size distribution of the puffed product, resulting in high yields.

3. Screening- The puffed product passes through a sorting unit with a tumbler sieve. Here, the various grain sizes are separated by screen inserts of varying mesh sizes.

4. Big Bag Station- The puffed and screened product is now filled into Big-Bags or bins and prepared for coating or individual packaging.

5. Coating- Fluid-bed dryers, coating drums, and dryers are used for spraying and drying the product.

6. END PRODUCTS- The end product is packed in the final stage either in “bags” or in “bags in boxes”.

Talking about the special features of the puffing systems, Michael Bichsel elaborates, “Our cereal puffing systems operate 24/7 in an industrial environment. With three times less energy input against guns and readiness for operation of 98%, without an operator, the production costs for puffed cereals are kept to the absolute minimum.”

Coating systems with a mix of High and Low Brix technology

Explaining the coating systems developed by CEREX, Bichsel says, “CEREX has developed the High-End-Brix coating process to prevent shrinking of puffed grains while at the same time maintaining high versatility. This is a mix of High- and Low-Brix technology.”

CEREX coating lines are popular for coating flaked or puffed or extruded products. For each of these three product categories, CEREX offers a specifically designed coating line. Some products include sugar flakes, honey-coated puffed wheat, choco-coated balls, and sugar-coated puffed wheat.

At ANUTEC-International FoodTec India 2022

The CEREX team is excited to participate in the upcoming food expo ANUTEC, India's largest international food and drink technology fair.

Siddharth Dalal, country head of CEREX India shares that at the event, CEREX plans to showcase various product samples, systems, and innovations for visitors to see, feel, and experience themselves. He believes it would be a new experience for visitors and expose them to CEREX's innovative technologies and solutions.

Meet the CEREX team live from 14 to 16 September 2022 at booth No. A 17 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai.

Register now to be a part of the most awaited event for the F&B industry and earn your e-badge in your inbox.

Disclaimer - All rights for this technical article has been reserved by CEREX AG. FoodTechBiz (OPC) Private Limited has published this article with prior approval from the copyright holder.