Marel convenience food production uses innovative equipment and solutions to ensure robust and repeatable processing.
By developing an in-depth understanding of your end-product requirements, we can create a complete solution to meet your needs at every step in the processing chain, from raw material preparation all the way through to the packing of your convenience end products.
Whether you’re producing burgers, nuggets, schnitzels or chicken wings, we have a state-of-the-art solution to help you transform your processing. We partner up with you to develop together the route towards the perfect convenience product. Our expert technologists have in-depth process knowledge to provide all the support you need to get the best possible results, increasing automation and food safety to ensure highest quality, on-spec products every time.
Example of solution for chicken schnitzel line
- Integrated production of whole muscle or formed chicken schnitzels
- Consistent and high-quality production of tasty schnitzels
- Entire process line, from raw material to end product
- Fine-tuned communication between the different processes
- Optimal juiciness and appearance
A schnitzel is thinned meat, coated with flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs, and then fried. Originating in Austria, it is popular in all parts of the world, often made using chicken meat. Marel’s Chicken schnitzel line is able to produce high-quality, perfectly coated schnitzels which respond to the requirements of consumers around the globe.
Whole muscle or formed
Schnitzels may be created from whole muscle breast fillet meat. In this case, they need to be sliced in the TSM Profiler or SmartSplitter to present a consistent thickness and weight to the Schnitzel convenience line. It is also possible to create formed schnitzels from meat mass with a RevoPortioner. The meat mass has to be prepared by Marel’s Meat Preparation solutions to achieve the right consistency and viscosity for RevoPortioner to form it into consistent products with uniform shape and weight.
The first step of coating will be done in the Active Flour Applicator. A layer of flour, also called pre-dust, is applied in this stage. The fine layer of flour serves as an adhesive. It also supports the juiciness of product and adds yield. Now the schnitzel is ready for the wet coating. The Active Batter Applicator applies an even layer of batter on the top and bottom side, for the dry coating to stick to the product later on.
Crumb management
The final step in the coating process is to apply crumb. Depending on the customer’s wish, the schnitzels can be covered by fine breadcrumbs or coarse product such as cornflakes, depending on end product requirements. Crumb is applied gently, so large pieces remain intact. Spreading of the crumb on top and bottom is very important, which is why RevoCrumb works with an innovative crumb management system to control the distribution of larger and smaller pieces on the schnitzel.
Now the schnitzels are ready to be par-fried, so they only stay in the GoldFryer for a limited amount of time. This is done to fixate the coating around the products, and to maintain the appearance. After this, the products are not safe to eat yet, so they enter the oven until they reach their desired core temperature, while their juiciness remains optimal.
