Food products

The Shaka® process is advantageous for all liquid-based foods and food recipes, including products that heat by both conduction and convection. Particulates up to about ½ inch or 1 cm diameter can be processed easily with a small increase in process time. Larger particles will require extra time. The Shaka® process has little benefit for solids such as ham or tuna, or for products requiring a very long cook such as re-fried beans.

A number of important advantages flow from the greatly reduced thermal impact of the process. The retention of vitamins, other nutrients and ingredient flavours is much improved, so there are opportunities to reduce salt content significantly. Emulsifiers, stabilisers and modified starches can be reduced or eliminated. ‘Clean label’ recipes are much easier to formulate with the Shaka® process.

Other recipe adjustments such as, for example, reduction in chilli content or addition of new and delicate flavours may also be feasible and advantageous.

Soups

Shaka® processed soups taste fresh, with well-developed flavours and little or no discoloration, vegetables retaining their distinctive colours. The process can preserve delicate flavours and can produce soups comparable to premium chilled products – at substantially lower cost.

Sauces

The Shaka® process can be used with subtle flavours and delicate ingredients. Bechamel and cheese sauces are not scorched and remain white in colour and fresh to the taste. Pasta and meat sauces taste fresher too, as the sterilisation cycle is much shorter.

In conventional processes light coloured sauces, such as Korma, are often acidified and pasteurised to avoid unwanted colour changes, which has the side effect of spoiling the flavour!

With the ultra-fast Shaka® process, Korma and other light coloured sauces can now be prepared at their optimal pH and then fully sterilised, without spoiling the flavour.

Baby foods

You select the best ingredients. The Shaka® process will minimise any loss of flavour, colour or texture of the baby’s food. Studies show that the nutrients should also be better conserved. Both baby and mother should appreciate the premium quality that the Shaka® process offers.

Ready meal products

Because the Shaka® process is so fast, over-cooking, with its ‘tired’ flavours and colours traditionally associated with many canned foods, can be a thing of the past. For many recipes, cooking times and sterilisation times are virtually the same, so your customer can enjoy the fresh tasting flavours of the ingredients you use.

When some ingredients requiring extra long cook times, pre-cooking of these before sterilisation may be advisable.

With the Shaka® process, ready meals from a pack can be much closer to the best home cooked food then ever before!

Spreads and dips

The Shaka® process offers a cost effective ambient option for making top quality spreads and dips.

Crème fraîche, cheese and milk-based products keep their colour and freshness. The shaking tends to improve creaminess and rheology.

Herbs, spices and subtle flavours are retained.

Desserts

The Shaka® process preserves the freshness of the ingredients and avoids the scorching which can lead to off-notes and caramellisation. Many products currently available only in chilled formats could be made in less costly and stable ambient formats.

Beverages

The Shaka® process gives outstanding results with flavoured milk and similar protein containing beverages. The Shaka® process preserves the freshness of the ingredients and avoids the ‘boiled-milk’ flavour associated with many currently available products.

Chopped vegetables

Chopped vegetables, vegetable mixes and ready meals like ratatouille, maintain their colour, texture and flavour much better when sterilised by the Shaka® process. Peas, beans and carrots process easily. Even soft vegetables such as asparagus and courgettes have been processed successfully.

The Shaka® process is not suitable for large section vegetables such as whole beetroots.

Ice Cream

In order to reduce costs and energy consumption it has been proposed to manufacture, sterilise with the Shaka® process, and pack an ice-cream-like product in ambient stable packs for distribution and storage. The packs could then be frozen, only when needed, ready for consumption at home or for sale at distributor outlets.

Careful formulation would be required to avoid excessive crystal formation during freezing and to achieve a palatable consistency.

Established frozen distribution channels may resist such a revolutionary change so this may be an excellent opportunity for one or more new entrants into the huge and profitable ice-cream market!

Pet foods

The Shaka® process has been shown to be many times faster than conventional batch retorting processes with commensurate improvements in product quality. The process works well with a range of cans and other pack forms