Beyond the Bake: Unlocking Value with Secondary Processing in Your Biscuit Production Line

The journey of a biscuit doesn't end when it emerges perfectly baked from the oven. For many of today's most popular and profitable biscuit products, the crucial next steps involve secondary processing. These post-baking stages are where simple biscuits are transformed into value-added treats, capturing consumer interest and expanding market opportunities.

As manufacturers of state-of-the-art biscuit production lines, we understand that integrating efficient and versatile secondary processing capabilities is key to staying competitive. This article explores the vital role these processes play and the technologies that make them possible.

What is Secondary Processing in Biscuit Production?

Secondary processing refers to any operation performed on the biscuit after baking but before final packaging. These processes enhance the biscuit's flavour, texture, appearance, and overall appeal. They allow manufacturers to diversify their product range, create premium offerings, and respond to evolving consumer tastes.

Coating & Enrobing:

This process applys a layer of chocolate (dark, milk, white), yogurt, caramel, or compound coatings. This can be a full coating, bottom coating, top coating, or decorative drizzles. Which adds indulgence, distinct flavour profiles, multi-layered mouthfeel, and visual appeal.

To complete the coating process, requires coating/enrobing machines. Biscuits travel on a wire mesh belt. They pass under a continuous curtain of precisely temperature-controlled (tempered) liquid coating flowing from a tank, covering the top and sides. Often, a "bottomer" roller or pump applies coating to the biscuit base just before the main curtain. Excess coating drips through the mesh belt, is collected, filtered, tempered, and recirculated. Air blowers and detailing rods can adjust coating thickness and remove excess before the product enters the cooling tunnel. Precise temperature control is critical, especially for chocolate tempering to ensure gloss and snap.

Cream Filling, Depositing & Sandwiching

Cream filling adds fillings like creams(vanilla, chocolate, fruit-flavoured) into biscuits with open structure. Sandwiching adds creams, jams, or caramel between two biscuits while depositing adds layers on top. Creates multi-texture experiences, introduces complementary flavours, and significantly enhances perceived value (e.g., sandwich creams).

Center Filling Machines: A hopper feeds the filling to a manifold with multiple nozzles positioned above the mould conveyor. The depression in the molds are just enough to place the biscuits in the middle of the depression. The nozzles pierce the biscuits, then pistons or pumps accurately push a pre-set volume of filling through each nozzle into the biscuits.

Stencil Depositors: A machine with cut-outs plate (stencil) matching the desired deposit shape is positioned just above the biscuits. Filling is spread across the stencil, filling the holes. As the stencil lifts or biscuits move away, the filling is left on the biscuit.

Sandwich Machines: There are two kinds of biscuit sandwich machine with different technology.

2-6 Line Sandwich Machine: With two vibrating biscuit feed tracks, the machine first feeds biscuit bases, then feed cream/jam onto biscuit bases with cream stencil, later another track feeds the top shells on the top. During the whole process, the biscuits are kept moving by the fork below

Depositing and capping machine: Feeding depositors place filling onto arranged biscuits right from biscuit line, then the capping mechanism (often using vacuum cups or synchronized belts) picks up the tops, aligns them precisely, and places them onto the filled bases.

Sprakling ＆ Decorating:

Applying toppings such as sugar/salt sprinkles, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, seeds, or icing patterns onto the biscuit surface. On the one hand, it adds flavor to the cookies; On the other hand, it boots visual appeal dramatically, allows for themed or seasonal variations, and adds textural elements.

A variety of different equipment are used to achieve different effects, such as powder sprinklors and nut depositors. Often positioned after oil sprayors, enrobers or depositors but before final cooling.

Integrating Secondary Processing into Your Line:

Successfully implementing secondary processing requires more than just standalone machines. It demands seamless integration into the overall production flow. Key considerations include:

Modularity & Flexibility: Compatibility of the line for different types of secondary processings. Can units be added or bypassed easily to produce various products.

Synchronization: Equipment speeds must be perfectly matched to the output of the oven and the requirements of downstream packaging.

Hygiene & Food Safety: Systems must be designed for easy cleaning and sanitation, especially when handling creams, chocolate, and other potentially sensitive ingredients. Stainless steel construction and accessible designs are crucial.

Control & Automation: Precise control over parameters like coating temperature, filling weight, and cooling profiles is vital for consistent product quality. Integrated PLC systems ensure reliability and repeatability.

Space & Layout: Secondary processing units require additional floor space and careful planning within the factory layout for optimal workflow and maintenance access.