Mixing And Blending, Powder Flow, Food Texture, Bulk Mixing, and Food Processing news and information Mixing And Blending, Powder Flow, Food Texture, Bulk Mixing, and Food Processing news and information

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Mixing and Blending
Mixing and blending are terms that have specific meaning in the food industry.  Most food processing experts use the word mixing to describe the process of combining wet and dry materials.
Blending is the term used to describe the process of combining only dry ingredients.  The term blending is generally reserved for powders, flakes and granules of varying bulk densities and particle size that require gently blending and minimal contact with blender blades.
Agitation is often used synonymously with the term mixing. However, in food processing, agitation is used to ensure the mixing process to get a homogenous mix is completed faster.
Many industries require the mixing of free-flowing powders. The art of mixing involves different dilution geometries (a geometry is a way of combining unequal amounts of fine powders to ensure an equal distribution).
The geometric mix used depends on the size distribution, shape, particle density, composition and internal structures.  Other properties include flow ability, bulk density, mixture quality, dustiness and properties of segregation.
Industrial mixers are used to do the blending and mixing.  The shape and hardness of the materials being mixed affects the horsepower required to run the mixer.  The type of mixer used in a production line varies depending on the materials that need to be mixed or blended. Paddle mixers are often the best choice for production line mixing because they are easy to clean, have less surface area, and have a minimal number of parts.
Mixing and blending is generally a sub-process within an overall process cycle so when placing a mixer it is important to consider how it integrates into the whole system. That includes impacts to both upstream and downstream product handling.