Efficient processing of challenging ingredients: Foodtech innovations at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM 2026

Alternative proteins, exotic raw materials and food upcycling are placing new demands on process engineering. At POWTECH TECHNOPHARM 2026, machinery and plant manufacturers demonstrated how even sensitive, moist or poorly free-flowing products can be processed efficiently and gently. The trade fair provided a wealth of inspiration for innovative food products and competitive production.

Written by Dr. Ulla Reutner

Transparent drum mixer with stainless steel mixing tools, containing red, white and black balls. — Mixers, dryers, grinders – these are the top three types of process machinery for the food industry at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM. They are now also used to process exotic products.

They are a perennial highlight at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM: shelves stocked with a wide variety of products in small jars, which have already been processed by the respective exhibitors. It is now worth taking a second look. Because alongside the ‘standards’ such as cereals, minerals and plastics, exotic materials are appearing with increasing frequency. From the food sector, these include insects, prawn shells, algae, fungal mycelium and exotic pulses such as lupins. Anyone looking to process alternative protein sources or ‘next-gen’ foods found what they were looking for at the trade fair in autumn 2026. There are also solutions for food upcycling through the processing of by-products such as pomace and vegetable scraps.

Upcycling and new foods through gentle grinding and drying

Grinding and grinding-drying systems for these new, often difficult-to-process products must be continuously refined. Altenburger Maschinen Jäckering has achieved this with the Ultra-Rotor air vortex mill. The developers of the machine, which is available in sizes ranging from 100 to 20,000 kg/h, ensure particularly gentle grinding thanks to the special design of the grinding chambers and a high air flow rate. This principle is particularly beneficial for moist, temperature-sensitive products when combined with a hot-air generator for the process air. For small batches of material or on-site testing, Altenburger also showcased a 20-foot high-cube container unit made of stainless steel.

Speaker on stage at the Expert Forum presenting a slide on a solution at Emmi — Several exhibitors presented their solutions for food production at the Expert Forum – here, for example, Marcel van den Berghe from Munters with an air treatment solution for optimal spray drying.

Processed raw materials for your next protein shake

The TurboRotor system, presented by Mahltechnik Görgens at the trade fair, is intended for similar applications. In addition to ultra-fine grinding and grinding-drying, it is also suitable for grinding-spray-drying, for example of protein suspensions. Furthermore, it can dry-defibre raw materials. ‘Fat replacers’, which are increasingly being used in the food industry, can also be produced by grinding plant-based materials.

According to Benedikt Wende, Senior Sales Manager at Bauermeister Zerkleinerungstechnik, there is also growing demand for explosion-proof technology, even from countries where this is not strictly required. “Among others, Indian and Pakistani spice producers are importing European machines for cryogenic grinding. They prioritise quality and safety,” explains Wende. Bauermeister’s splitting mills are also used for the mechanical processing of plant-based, protein-rich raw materials, thereby supporting the trend towards vegan foods made from soya, field beans or lupins. The upcycling of plant-based by-products through texturisation can also be achieved. The screenless system design reduces build-up and wear. If required, the mill can be combined with an air classifier.

From batch to continuous processing with minimal shear – for chocolate, ice cream and beyond

Mixing and dispersing processes are at least as important as grinding and drying in the food industry. Food producers benefit from experience gained in other sectors. Tried-and-tested extrusion processes from the manufacture of elastomers and silicones can, in some cases, be adapted for use here. Thomas Malzahn from Entex Rust und Mitschke illustrated this using the example of the planetary roller extruder during a presentation at the POWTECH TECHNOPHARM Expert Forum. Based on a modular system, customised machines are created for complex reaction, cooling, degassing and mixing processes. At the heart of the extruder is a central spindle, surrounded by numerous planetary spindles. “This results in a surface area up to ten times larger than that of conventional systems. Together with extremely precise temperature control, high cooling capacity and variable options for dosing and degassing, this ensures a high degree of dispersion,” explains Malzahn. This enables the extremely gentle production of thermally sensitive, homogenised mixtures for ice cream, protein bars, chewing gum and baby food, whilst combining several batch processing steps into a single continuous process.

Mixing sensitive substances using gravity in a vacuum

Like many mixer manufacturers, Lindor is increasingly faced with customer demands for easy cleanability and flexible machine designs to accommodate frequent batch changes. Dr Michael Kaiser, Sales Manager Germany, observes that sensitive products are increasingly being processed under vacuum. He points to the highlight at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM, the Gentle Touch drum mixer, which is well-suited to this purpose: “It ensures excellent homogeneity with short mixing times, whilst – unlike other mixing principles – it operates using gravity, without paddles or belts.” Sensitive, fragile products are therefore not damaged. Liquid dosing, the heating and cooling of the mixed products, and CIP cleaning are also possible. In the food sector, the mixer is used for muesli, tea and food supplements, amongst other things.

Free-flowing products made from moisture-sensitive raw materials

So how can powdered food ingredients be handled more efficiently, processed with less dust generation and optimally conditioned for subsequent processes or sale? Roller presses play a central role in the compaction and shaping of powdered products. Dry granulation and briquetting increase the bulk density and improve flowability. Sonja Seiler and Dr Patrick Schönfeld from Hosokawa Alpine explained at the Expert Forum how these machines can, amongst other things, increase the density of foodstuffs by a factor of four to five. Special machine designs are suitable for this purpose, featuring roller shaft cooling for sensitive products and a WIP/CIP system that facilitates cleaning. This allows, for example, granulated sugar to be refined into coarse sugar, and protein powders, tea and food supplements to be compacted.

Man in a suit standing next to a large mixer. — The particularly gentle handling of the product being processed was a key focus at Lindor, amongst other things. Dr Michael Kaiser demonstrated the process using the original mixer.

Three trade fair visitors are standing at the stand looking at a smaller exhibit, an eddy current machine with a glass viewing window. — To meet specific requirements from the food industry, major plant manufacturers often collaborate with specialist component manufacturers – such as Azo with Control Concepts, whose system ensures short changeover times.

Cleaning and changeover of multi-product plants faster

The ability to clean plants quickly is crucial for competitive production, particularly when product changes are frequent. To this end, Control Concepts presented a new solution at the AZO stand designed to drastically reduce set-up and cleaning times in hygienic bulk material handling. Eric Esselstyn from Control Concepts demonstrated how the AirSweep material flow system, using directed shock waves, can achieve a reduction of up to 83 per cent, even with adhesive, oil-containing products. As the force acts parallel to the wall, unlike with vibrators, there is no damage to the containers. The system is suitable for, amongst other things, spice mixes, milk and cocoa powders, and baking mixes.

Conclusion: Efficient production of complex foodstuffs

Numerous exhibitors at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM offer suitable solutions for food and feed production. In 2026, there were just over 281 companies, most of them manufacturers of machinery and equipment for the feeding, processing and packaging of bulk materials. The range of products on offer is adapting to the food industry’s ever-increasing demands for machinery capable of handling difficult-to-process products. Manufacturers of convenience foods, vegan foods and food supplements who attended POWTECH TECHNOPHARM gained numerous ideas for optimising their production processes.

Author

Dr. Ulla Reutner

Chemist and freelance specialised journalist