​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​A mixer for hummus that is more than a mixer

​​Most mixers used to make hummus are simply what the name suggests - mixers. However, our new mixer option designed for hummus producers, among others, is much more than a mixer. Several process steps can be carried out in the mixing tank including cooking and cooling. Customers using a batch process only need one main piece of equipment to produce hummus and there is no need for extra tanks or cooking equipment.

Heating and cooling of hummus

A standard feature of this mixer is a built-in heating and cooling jacket called a dimple jacket, which uses the surface of the tank wall to transfer the heat. The temperature can be raised gently inside the vessel up to 100°C. If you want to heat up the chickpeas faster, there is the option of direct steam injection. We have developed our own design of nozzles to ensure a long working life.

By choosing a pressure vessel for the mixing tank, customers also have the option of cooking under pressure at 3 bars giving temperatures of up to 135°C. Apart from giving an even shorter cooking time, this form of cooking can give other benefits such as preserving colour and taste.

Fast cooling is just as important as fast heating. The hummus is cooled down by filling the dimple jacket with cold water. If faster cooling is required, flash cooling can be applied whereby a vacuum is used to lower the temperature by faster removal of energy. In cases where even faster cooling or deep cooling to refrigerated temperatures is needed, an external cooler can be connected to the hummus mixer. Fast cooling preserves product quality and saves time so you can empty the hummus earlier and start the next batch in the mixer.

Handles thick hummus

Hummus is a highly viscous product which is not easy to mix properly. The Tetra Pak High Shear Mixer features a double shaft agitator for handling high viscosity products such as hummus, vegetable spreads, cream cheese, sauces and mayonnaise. The two shafts move in opposite directions to ensure correct circulation so the whole batch is mixed evenly. The rotating agitator also prevents the product burning onto the wall of the tank.

Adding particles such as pieces of olives to hummus is becoming popular. A feature patented by Tetra Pak known as a dynamic stator allows the addition of particles without damaging them. To add particles, you can lift up the stator so that the particles do not collide with it. The particles are mixed into the hummus using only the double shaft agitator, not the mixer head.

Easy lifting and loading

Handling chickpeas is easy for operators when it is only a small batch that can be loaded with buckets. But larger quantities require a better solution. This latest mixer model has the option of a bin lifter system capable of lifting bins of 200 litres or 300 litres with the press of a button. The contents of the bin can be emptied automatically into the tank through a large manway at the top. This provides a sanitary and ergonomic way to add ingredients such as chickpeas, beans and other vegetables.

Emptying the tank when the hummus is ready is also easy by using 0.5 bar overpressure in the mixer vessel to expel the contents.

The whole system can be cleaned in place (CIP). For example, strategically positioned CIP nozzles ensure effective cleaning of both sides of the double shaft agitator.

In a typical process for making hummus with a traditional recipe, all the steps, apart from soaking, take place in the Tetra Pak High Shear Mixer. Therefore the mixer is at the heart of making hummus. The mixer is ideal for chickpeas and we can set the process parameters to obtain a hummus with whatever properties you want. We have the equipment and expertise to optimize your process so you can produce the best hummus in the shortest time.​​