Smoking gives products a characteristic flavour. But how do you maintain good ventilation when smoking large volumes? VSD has developed an industrial smoker for various food manufacturers.
Food smoking is an age-old process that initially served to preserve fish and meat. In time, consumers grew to appreciate the characteristic smoky flavour it creates. Therefore, today the process is also used to lend that characteristic flavour to cheese, vegetables, tofu, salt and various beverages, such as whisky and tea (lapsang souchong).
Traditional
Traditionally, smoking is done using a smoker. The products are hung in a row, and the smoke carries the solid particles contained in the air (such as tar ) upwards. This is a great method for small-scale smoking. However, the food industry also works with large and sensitive products such as blocks of cheese, fish fillets and fillet steaks. These cannot be suspended upright, but must be laid down on racks. For this reason, VSD has developed a smoker for the food industry that uses a horizontal air flow.
Cheese industry
The smoker with horizontal air flow was originally designed for cheese manufacturers. Cheese is made in large blocks, and these cannot be put upright because that makes them expand sideways and lose their shape. Yet because of the way in which cheese is cut into slices, it is important that it retains its shape.
