Jungbunzlauer and Gericke enable tricalcium citrate for infant formula dry mix dosage

Continuous dry mixing installation for infant nutrition

High quality calcium salts are indispensable nutrients for infant nutrition. Tricalcium citrate, a bio-based mineral is the most used organic mineral in this sensitive application because of its excellent nutritional fit, i.e. high bioavailability and compatibility.

However, from an infant formula production standpoint, added calcium salts may show abrasive effect during liquid processing and induce fouling deposits during the heating step, which pose challenges to effective processing. Consequences are lower throughput, increase of cleaning time and intervals as well as wear and tear of the equipment.

These issues and related costs can be reduced dramatically in case the calcium salt addition is shifted from wet to dry dosage. For this, two prerequisites need to be addressed: Top-notch ingredient quality and suitable high-end powder processing equipment.

Jungbunzlauer micronised, ultra-fine tricalcium citrate M1098 is a highly dispersible calcium salt, which enables easy preparation of the baby milk without sediments at home, and thus reliability concerning calcium level for the infant. It is approved for dry mix dosage by complying with the strictest microbiological requirements. Additionally, Jungbunzlauer offers special multi-layer packaging, which enables the transitioning of the calcium salt into the high-risk hygienic zone of dry mix addition.

Major producers of nutritional products trust in Gericke technology for the formulation and dry mixing of infant, adult and dietary nutrition and supplementation. Highest recipe accuracy, traceability and efficient mixing ensure constant quality. The fully automated processes include the precise gravimetric feeding at several process steps and homogenous mixing of base powder with carbohydrates, minerals, trace elements, probiotic supplements and flavours. The dry mixing installations are realised as batch or continuous process. These safe and energy efficient technologies can be validated in the Gericke test centres up to a capacity of 4 t/h. 

This way, infant formula manufactures can improve margins and postpone Capex by switching from wet to dry added calcium via combining high quality Jungbunzlauer tricalcium citrate and Gericke powder feeding and mixing.

Jungbunzlauer is one of the world’s leading producers of biodegradable ingredients of natural origin. The Swiss-based, international company’s roots date back to 1867. Today, Jungbunzlauer specialises in citric acid, biogums, gluconates, lactics, specialties, special salts and sweeteners for the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry, as well as for various other industrial applications.

The Swiss Gericke Group has been designing and manufacturing equipment and systems for modern bulk material processes, as well as providing design and consultation services, for more than 125 years. Gericke bulk materials processing technology can be found throughout the world in many sectors including the food, chemical, pharmaceutical, plastics and construction material industries.