Hielscher Ultrasound Technology

Ultrasound In The Food Industry

The production of natural, health-promoting food with improved nutrient profile and aroma require alternative food processing techniques such as ultrasonic homogenisation, preservation and ultrasonically-assisted extraction (UAE). The use of ultrasonic food processing offers major advantages being a non-thermal, purely mechanical method, which results in improved final products, decreases processing time, and solvent consumption (for extraction of active compounds), and is environmental-friendlier.

Ultrasonic food processing offers manifold applications and is a safe, reliable and cost-efficient technology to produce high-quality foods and beverages. Installation and operation of industrial ultrasonic processors is simple, requires only little space and allows to process large quantities for commercial production.
Ultrasonic food processors can be easily combined with other techniques such as heat or pressure treatments in order to improve the outcome of existing equipment by using synergistic effects.
Ultrasonic extraction for the production of potent ellagitannin supplementsBeside mixing, homogenization and extraction, ultrasonic processors are applied to improve emulsification, crystallization, freezing, degassing, drying, filtration, pasteurisation and sterilization, etc. High performance ultrasound is used to process vegetables, fruits, grains, oils, milk and dairy, honey, sugars and confectionary, purees, juices, smoothies, sodas, beer and liquors.

Hielscher ultrasonic processors are used in food manufacturing for:

Ultrasonic flow cell reactors for the processing of high-quality food products.

Ultrasonic inline processing

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UP400St agitated 8L extraction setup

Ultrasonic extraction of botanicals with ultrasonicator UP400St

High Performance Ultrasonicators for Food Processing

UIP4000hdT flow cell for inline sonication on industrial scaleHielscher Ultrasonics’ industrial ultrasonic processors are high-performance ultrasoniators, which are precisely controllable and allow thereby for reproducible outcomes and continuous product quality. Being capable to deliver very high amplitudes, Hielscher ultrasonic processors can be used for very demanding applications. Amplitudes of up to 200µm can be easily continuously run in 24/7 operation. The robustness of Hielscher’s ultrasonic equipment allows for 24/7 operation at heavy duty and in demanding environments.
Customers are satisfied by the outstanding robustness and reliability of Hielscher Ultrasonic’s systems. Hielscher ultrasonicators reliably run in fields of heavy-duty application, demanding environments and 24/7 operation and ensure thereby efficient and economical processing. Ultrasonic process intensification reduces processing time and achieves better results, i.e. higher quality, higher yields, innovative products.
By means of consistent application of special materials, as e.g. titanium, stainless steel, ceramic or glass of different grades, the compatibility of the technique with the process is guaranteed.
Ultrasonic processors are operator-friendly and convenient machines with low maintenance and a relatively low cost.

Hielscher Ultrasonics assists you from first test to the commercialization of your application.

From feasibility testing to process optimization and industrial installation – Hielscher Ultrasonics is your partner for successful ultrasonic processes!

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Facts Worth Knowing

How Does Ultrasonics in Food Processing Work?

Ultrasonic food processing is a well established technology used for food processing applications such as mixing and homogenization, emulsification, extraction, dissolving, degassing & deaeration, meat tenderisation, crystallization as well as functionalization and modification of intermediates and final food products. Being installed a since decades in food production plants, Hielscher ultrasonic food processors are sophisticated and developed to meet the industry requirements. Ultrasonic processors apply physical forces created by power ultrasound waves, which results in the generation of cavitation.

What is Acoustic Cavitation?

Acoustic cavitation, also known as ultrasonic cavitation, is the growth and collapse of minute vacuum bubbles in an ultrasonic field generated in liquids or slurries. The cavitation bubbles grow during the alternating high-pressure / low-pressure cycles, which are compression and rarefaction phases respectively. After having been grown over several alternating pressure cycles, the vacuum bubble reaches a point where it cannot absorb more energy so that the bubble implodes violently during a high-pressure cycle. During the bubble collapse, locally extreme conditions occur including extreme temperatures of up to 5,000K with very high heating and cooling rates, pressures of up to 2000atm and corresponding pressure differentials, and liquid jets with up to 280m/s velocity. In these cavitational “hot-spots”, locally extreme forces create physical conditions, which result in mixing, extraction and increased mass transfer.

Ultrasonic / acoustic cavitation creates highly intense forces which opens the cell walls known as lysis (Click to enlarge!)

Ultrasonic food processing is based on acoustic cavitation and its hydrodynamic shear forces