RBS Adds Snack System to Its Innovation Center

Reading Bakery Systems (RBS) has added an automated expanded snack system to its Science and Innovation Center in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, US.

The installed expanded snack system facilitates real-world production of a wide variety of expanded snacks from corn, rice and other cereal ingredients. The new system is suited to production of corn curls and balls, but can be used to produce a wider variety of expanded snacks, including ribbons, popcorn shapes, rings and more.

“The RBS expanded snack system allows for versatility and efficiency in snack food production processes,” said Joseph Cross, product line manager of mixing and extrusion technologies at RBS. “We are continually developing new shapes and formulas for this system at our Science and Innovation Center. We invite potential customers to come to the center, work with us to create samples and help develop their business plan.”

The RBS expanded snack system includes a ribbon blender, an ingredient transfer system to automatically refill the extruder, a high-pressure extruder and a pneumatic transfer system to move extruded products to the tumble dryer. The high-pressure extruder is capable of operating at variable speeds to adjust to the exact processing needs of each product.

The 30,000 square foot RBS Science and Innovation Center is a fully-equipped and licensed food processing research and development facility. The center, which opened in 1996, moved into a new facility seven years ago and boasts a complete line of RBS equipment capable of producing a wide range of baked snacks and other food products. In addition to the expanded snack system, customers also have access to batch and continuous mixing, a variety of forming processes and convection and radiant baking equipment.