Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/694455
STiR tea & coffee industry international 37 SALIM ARIA NOUSH (Ltd) Expertly Brings You The Best Of Iranian Teas and Herbals. ISO 9001:2008 Certificate. I ISO 10002:2004 Certificate. I HACCP Certificate. I HALAL Certificate. I info@ salimaria.com Tel : +98 21 5589 4000 I Fax : +98 21 555 900 15 visit salimaria.com Bob Downing, Michael Abrams, Pamela Vanover and Dorrine Sheldon at the Flavor Waves Lab, founded by Abrams in 1996 Mountains of macadamia nuts are reduced to their flavorful essence, one of many popular flavorings for specialty tea and coffee adding "If not, it's like trying to mix sand and golf balls; they just won't stay blended." Abrams emphasizes the critical importance of ingredient size to insure tea and herbs align. "Otherwise, you will obtain very uneven blend- ing as well as hot spots, and experience separation issues as smaller particles settle to the bottom," says Abrams. "Bulk densities must be as close as possible for all dry ingredients when dry blending happens," he said. In response to these concerns Sensient may increase both the particle size and density of the flavor to ensure an even mix. Vane type mixers pose additional challenges simply through the sheer force used while mixing the components. Individual particles must be robust enough to withstand the mixing process. "Compacted and encapsulated powder fla- vors are cost effective and often able to meet the needs of most blended products," says Smith. "But occasionally a more, robust extruded particle that is typically more costly, needs to be used." The bigger picture Determining the right formulation goes beyond equipment. Heat is a signifi- cant concern as some flavors become unstable when the flavor is applied after grinding or flavors are uneven when applied directly to the coffee bean. "Providing detailed information increases the likelihood of delivering the right product sooner," said Tim Schnittker, Hertz and Selck. "Understanding the raw material is key as it will help guide the direction that the flavor needs to go," he said.