The Benefits of Using BCH’s Food Processing Equipment for Making Liquorice and Starch Gels

30 March 2023

Author: Lee Fish, Technical Sales & Process Engineer (Confectionery)

Liquorice and starch gels are popular confectionery products that require specialised processing equipment to produce high-quality finished products. The ingredients used have unique characteristics that can make them challenging to process, which is why it is essential to use the right equipment for manufacturing them.

BCH offer a range of food processing equipment that is specifically designed for the production of liquorice, starch gels and many other types of confectionery.  

Liquorice cooking systems can be both batch or continuous depending on customer requirements. Liquorice/starch gels are typically manufactured from wheat flour, starch, sugar, molasses, glucose syrups, fruit purees and flavourings that are blended to make a slurry. The slurry produced is cooked until the starch particles swell and transform into a gel. The liquorice can then be extruded into various shapes through a wide range of die profiles.

BCH’s guillotines offer the capability of efficiently cutting a range of article lengths in preparation for further applications such as coating with sugar. 

Here are some of the benefits of using BCH Ltd.’s equipment for making these specific items:

Precise Temperature Control

Liquorice and starch gels require precise temperature control during processing to ensure that they reach the correct consistency and texture. BCH’s specialised equipment delivers accurate temperature control at low pressure, which helps to ensure that the end products meet the desired quality standards.

Enhanced Production Efficiency

The processing equipment from BCH is designed to deliver high levels of efficiency, which can be a significant advantage in the production of liquorice and starch gels. The equipment allows manufacturers to process the ingredients more quickly and efficiently, reducing production time and operating costs.

Consistency and Quality

By using BCH’s equipment, manufacturers can achieve a high degree of consistency and quality in their liquorice and starch gel products. The equipment is designed to deliver precise control over processing variables, resulting in a consistent product with the desired texture and taste.

Customisation

BCH’s food processing equipment can be customised to meet the specific needs of manufacturers. This allows the equipment to be tailored to the unique characteristics of liquorice and starch gel products, ensuring that the finished products meet the exact specifications required.

Overall, BCH Ltd.’s processing equipment is a critical component of the production process for liquorice and starch gels. With precise temperature control, enhanced production efficiency, consistent quality, and customisation options, the equipment can help manufacturers to produce high-quality products that meet the unique demands of these popular confectionery ingredients.

Case Study – Six Colour Liquorice System

Recently, BCH were commissioned by internationally renowned manufacturers to develop a high capacity Liquorice and Sugar paste co-extrusion system.  We designed a solution that allowed the delivery of two colours/flavours of sugar paste to the process, as well as six colours of liquorice. 

We also automated the production of one of their existing product lines that relied on high levels of manual labour and created excessive waste from off-cuts.

The line is now fully operational delivering high quality products with the previous waste issues completely removed from the process, and a significant reduction in labour required to operate the line.

To find out more about BCH’s Liquorice and Starch Gel Systems contact info@bchltd.com or call +44 (0) 1706 852122