Making Protein Bars
Find innovative production technology for making protein bars and connect directly with world-leading specialists
In NASA's early years, a research program was established on how to provide food for astronauts while in space. In fact, in the 1960s, nutrition bars were launched with a label called "Space Food Sticks" because they were designed to allow astronauts to eat them easily while wearing their helmets. Protein bar manufacturing equipment is used to mix ingredients, extrude the mixture at a set temperature, cool the product before cutting it to size, coating it, and allowing it to cool to prepare it for packaging.
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What protein sources are used for your protein bar?
The protein content of a protein bar varies depending on the manufacturer’s recipe. But what makes one bar more protein than another? A complete source of protein contains all 9 essential amino acids. For instance, whey and casein, obtained from pasteurized milk processing, have all 9 amino acids. Other protein sources include dehydrated egg whites and plant-based proteins like soy, pea, brown rice, and hemp. However, plant-based proteins lack some essential amino acids; so to make them a complete source of protein, they are mixed with other proteins that contain the missing essential amino acids.
Aside from protein sources, protein powders used in the bars are also available in different types. Protein concentrate is a type of protein powder made up of 60-80% protein with the rest of the ingredients coming from fats and carbohydrates. Protein isolate powders have around 90-95%, so they have a higher protein content than protein concentrate. They come from protein concentrate but with the fats and carbohydrates removed. The last type of protein powder is protein hydrolysates. This type of protein goes through additional processes by heating with acid, or adding enzymes, for easy body absorption when consumed.
Mix, extrude, and cool your ingredients using protein bar manufacturing equipment
The protein bar manufacturing process starts with protein powders of your choice, such as whey or casein, mixed with other ingredients like dried fruits, nuts, and seeds in an industrial mixer. After thoroughly mixing the ingredients, the mixture has a paste-like texture; this may cause some parts of the product to stick to the surfaces of the mixer and then need to be scraped off. The mixture is then conveyed to an extrusion machine, where it is heated and extruded to a bar shape.
A conveyor belt transports the bars to a guillotine which cuts them into the required size where they will later be with chocolate or other flavors. After enrobing, they are cooled in preparation for packing.
How to increase the protein level in your date bars
To meet the demand for more nutritious and healthy snacks, a study was made about the protein level of date bars using two different sources of protein bars. Dates contain a good amount of carbohydrates and other nutrients but lack protein. During the development of the bars, protein sources such as whey protein concentrate and vetch protein isolate were incorporated.
It was found that the protein content of the date bars was significantly higher using both sources of protein. The level of protein content increased to 7.55%. The test also involves the evaluation of the physicochemical properties and sensory characteristics of the date bars over time. Their taste was not affected.
Insect protein as an alternative source for your protein bars
Another source of protein currently utilized in protein bars is insect protein. Insects, such as crickets are rich in protein. For making protein bars, these edible insects are roasted and ground to make high-protein flour. Then they are mixed with other ingredients to improve the flavor and go through the same extrusion process as with other protein bars.
Having crickets as a source of protein is more sustainable than whey or soy because whey is part of dairy production that contributes high levels of methane gas to the environment and soy that is used for production requires large amounts of pesticides. Crickets, on the other hand, require less food and water to produce making it easier for mass production.
Processing steps involved in protein bars making
Which protein bars technology do you need?
Clarifiers for plant protein recovery
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Pick and place robotic system for confectionery decoration
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Vertical baggers for confectionery packaging
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Cooling drum for seasoned extrudates
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Three-side sealing flow pack machine
In high-speed packaging environments, creating secure packages quickly and efficiently...
Food and confectionery twin-screw extruder
In the food and confectionery industry, maintaining consistency and quality dur...
Bar forming line for protein bars
Producing protein bars and other similar products often requires specialized lines to han...
Extruder and depositor for protein bar manufacturing
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Side seal shrink packaging machine
High-speed packaging in industrial settings often requires reliable and versatile machin...
Automated packaging and case packing for snack bars
Efficiently packaging snack bars in high volumes can be challenging, ...
Horizontal flow wrapper for food packaging
In the food industry, producing visually appealing and securely sealed packages...
Continuous bar production line for confectionery
In the confectionery industry, producing bars like candy, protein, and ce...
Forming solution for candy and cereal bars
Producing candy, protein, or cereal bars requires precise control over slab thi...
Continuous extruder for protein bars and super foods
For manufacturers looking to produce consistent and high-quality pro...
Guillotine cutter for confectionery
Confectionery products such as marshmallows, licorice candies, and fudges come out of e...
Entry-level cereal bar making machine
Cereal and grain bars are increasingly popular, both as snack foods and as functional...
Industrial vacuum cooker
Batch cookers can be highly inflexible and inefficient, relying on maximum fill levels to operate we...
Display tray cartoner machine
Packaging products usually require a great deal of flexibility to comply with demand from mark...
Medium-speed flexible wrapping machine for chocolates
Larger scale wrapping of individual chocolate products demands gent...
Strand forming machine for 2 masses
Form two-ingredient mixes into the shapes and layer combinations required for your fina...
Strand forming machine for 3 masses
Form three ingredient mixes into the shapes and layer combinations required for your fi...
Strand forming machine for creamy mixtures
Turn your ingredients mixture into strands and slabs for further processing int...
Strand cutting machine
Cut continuous strands and slabs of your ingredient mix into bars, strips, and other final product sha...
High-speed strand cutting machine
Cut continuous strands and slabs of your ingredient mix into bars, strips, and other fina...
Longitudinal strand cutting machine
Cut continuous slabs of your ingredient mix into spaced strands for further processing ...
Entry-level automatic cereal bar machine
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Slab forming machine
Turn the mixture of your ingredients, into continuous slabs for processing into bars, stands, or other s...
Strand forming machine
Form ingredient mixes into strands and slabs for further processing into bars, and other final product...
Small scale nut grinder
Many confectionery and bakery processes rely on the uniform grinding of raw ingredients such as nuts,...
Entry level cereal bar cutting table
The small-scale manual production of crunchy cereal bars, brittles, and similar produc...
Entry level cooker for cereal bar production
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Automatic stretch wrapping machine for medium speed
For secure, automated stretch wrapping at medium speeds, the key is e...