Dough Docking Device for Blister Prevention in Snack Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Blistering in snack products during frying or baking occurs due to trapped steam, leading to appearance issues and product breakage, as the outer surfaces dry faster than the center, causing delamination and forming hollow voids.
Innovation Solution
A method and system involving dough preparation with controlled moisture content, pre-heating to reduce moisture non-uniformity, docking with adjustable pins to create small holes, and dehydration to minimize blistering, using a docking device with varying pin lengths and an angled backing plate to manage steam release and product handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the outer surfaces of the dough pieces are allowed to dry during frying or baking, then moisture is removed from the surface, but a skin forms that prevents steam escape and causes blistering
Solution Approach 1:
The dough is pre-heated before frying or baking to reduce moisture non-uniformity and prevent rapid surface drying that would form a skin. This preliminary action prepares the dough to release steam more uniformly during the main cooking process, preventing blistering while still achieving the desired moisture removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking pins create localized holes at specific positions on the dough pieces, allowing steam to escape from targeted areas. This local modification enables controlled steam release without requiring the entire surface to remain moist, resolving the contradiction between moisture removal and blister prevention.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If docking pins are used to create holes for steam escape, then blistering is reduced, but the product has visible holes affecting appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The docking pins are designed with optimized parameters including small diameter, specific spacing patterns, and controlled penetration depth. These parameter changes allow the holes to be small enough to minimize visual impact while still providing sufficient steam escape pathways to prevent blistering.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking pattern creates localized escape holes only where needed for steam release, rather than uniformly affecting the entire surface. This localized approach allows most of the product surface to maintain its intended appearance while providing targeted steam escape pathways.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the dough is pre-heated to reduce moisture non-uniformity, then blistering is controlled, but additional process time is required
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-heating step is integrated into the overall process flow as a brief preliminary action before the main frying or baking operation. By performing this moisture equalization step first, the subsequent cooking process proceeds more efficiently with uniform steam release, preventing the need for extended cooking time to address blistering issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The pre-heating process uses optimized temperature and time parameters to achieve moisture uniformity quickly. By controlling the heating parameters appropriately, sufficient moisture redistribution occurs in a short duration, minimizing the time penalty while effectively preventing blistering.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method and system effectively reduce blistering by creating a semi-rigid dough that can withstand docking without breaking, minimizing hole visibility and maintaining product integrity, achieving a moisture content below 4% and cohesiveness for reduced blister formation.
Implementation Method 1
The steam accumulates between the outer surfaces of the dough pieces during frying or baking. The trapped steam causes the sides of the dough piece to separate, or delaminate, forming a hollow void.
Implementation Method 2
Upon frying or baking of fabricated snack products, the moisture within the dough is converted to steam causing the pieces to expand.
Implementation Method 3
dehydrating the preforms to a moisture content of less than 4%
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for controlling blisters. The method begins by mixing the ingredients to form a dough with a moisture content between about 35% and 60%. The dough is sheeted and cut. Thereafter, the dough is pre-heated to reduce the moisture content to between about 10% and about 45%. The preforms are then docked and dehydrated. The docking system, in one embodiment, has a backing plate and a docking device with at least two docking pins of varying lengths. The docking device is adjustable relative to the backing plate. The system also has a removing plate which removes preforms from the docking pins.