Innovative equipment to add value to seeds and nuts
A South African agricultural engineer has developed a soy bean roaster for farmers to process their harvest on-farm as a feed addition.
Roastech's equipment enables farmers and entrepreneurs to add value to seeds and nuts.
This innovative equipment, the first of its kind in the world, can also be used to process a variety of seeds and nuts.
Raw soy beans have a protein content of approximately 40% and an oil content of about 20%, potentially making them an excellent addition to animal feed. However, raw beans are largely indigestible and contain an enzyme that can lead to ammonia poisoning. Proper heat treatment of the beans eliminates both problems, increases storage periods and makes milling easier.
The continuous tumble roaster developed by Fritz Teseling of South Africa-based Roastech, is an efficient, low-tech, affordable machine that can also roast peanuts, maize, coffee beans, pumpkin seeds and most nuts. It can be used to heat sunflower seeds before cold pressing, as well as for the sterilisation of almost any kind of seed.
Teseling explains that the machine consists of four components – a feed hopper; a container equipped with a fan, heating elements and control system; a rotating unit; and a standard incubation and cooling unit. The machine has few moving parts and is almost maintenance free.
Its tumble roasting action results in even baking of all products and shows up toxic seeds and nuts, which is important when roasting peanuts for export, for instance.
The roaster is lower-priced and more energy-efficient than conventional equipment, which uses gas or infrared heating. Processing costs are a few cents per kilogram.
The machines are available in the following capacities 100 kg/hour, 300 kg/hour, 500 kg/hour en 1000 kg/hour with an option of stainless steel, corrosion-resistant steel and mild steel. All units are available for single or three-phase electricity and are movable.
The roaster can also be integrated into a complete turn-key peanut processing business to produce roasted packaged edible peanuts and/or peanut butter for the retail market. This can be a profitable value-adding business in many parts of Africa where peanuts (and other nuts) are readily available.
Contact Details
For more information or to request a quote, contact Fritz Teseling at:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.roastech.com
Article source: Food and Beverage Reporter
