From raw material to formable mix
Potatoes, carrots, beetroot or pumpkin are washed, peeled and cooked. The vegetables are then size-reduced and blended in batches with spices, binders and other ingredients. The result is a mix that can be formed and holds together during frying.
What holds the mix together
Cooked potatoes contribute starch and bind the mix. How much additional binder is needed depends on the recipe, the water content of the vegetables and the piece size. Evenly cooked vegetables are the most important prerequisite.
Colour and flavour come from the vegetables
Beetroot gives the burger a strong red colour, carrot and pumpkin an orange tone and sweetness, celeriac a savoury note. Many manufacturers therefore run several raw materials on one line and change the recipe several times a week.
Plan for recipe changeovers
For veggie burgers, short changeover times are often more important than maximum hourly output. Adjustable cooking times, controllable mixing times and machines that can be cleaned quickly make the difference. Beetroot stains heavily, so in the production sequence it should come last wherever possible.
Forming, frying, freezing with partners
Forming machines, belt fryers and freezers come from specialised manufacturers. EIMA includes the handovers to them in the 3D model from the very start: transfer heights, cycle times and controls fit together before anything is built.
