• MIXING

Mixing/blending is the unit operation in which a uniform mixture is

obtained from two or more components by dispersing one with the
others.
• The larger component is sometimes called the continuous phase
and the smaller component is called dispersed phase.
• It has no preservative effect and is intended solely as a processing
aid or to alter the eating quality of foods.
• It has very wide applications in many foods industries where it is
used to combine ingredients to achieve different functional
properties or sensory characteristics (color, texture, taste ,flavor
and aroma).
THEORY OF SOLID MIXING

In contrast with liquid and viscous phases it is not

possible to achieve completely uniform mixture of
dry powders or particulate foods .the degree of
mixing is that is achieved depends on:
1.The relative particle size, shape and density of each
component,
2.The efficiency of the particular mixture of the
components,
3.The tendency of the materials to aggregate and
4.The moisture content, surface characteristics and
the flow characteristics of each components.
• In general, materials that are similar in shape ,size
and density are able to form a more uniform mixture
than are dissimilar materials.
• During mixing operations differences in their properties also
causes unfixing of the components parts. The uniformity of the
final product depends on the equilibrium achieved between the
mechanism of mixing and unfixing, which in turn is related to
the type of mixer, the operation conditions and the component
foods.
• In some mixtures uniformity is achieved after a given period
and the unfixing begins.it is therefore important in such cases
to time the mixing operations accurately.
• if a two component mixture is sampled at the start of mixing
most samples will consist entirely one of the components.as
mixing proceeds ,the composition of each sample becomes
more uniform and approaches the average composition of
mixture.
• One of the method of determining the changes in composition
is to calculate the standard deviation of each fraction
 THEORY OF LIQUID MIXING
• The component velocities induced in the liquids by a mixer are
as follows;
• To achieve successful mixing the radial and longitudinal velocities
imparted to the liquid are maximized by baffles ,of center or angle
mixer shafts, or angled blades.
• To mix low viscous liquids adequately turbulence must included
throughout the bulk of the liquid to entrain slow moving parts with
faster moving parts.
• A vortex should be avoided because the adjoining layers of the
circulating liquid travels at the similar speed and the entrainment
does not takes place. The liquid simply rotate around the mixer.
• In high viscosity liquids paste or doughs,a different action is needed
mixing occurs by
1.kneading the material against the vessel wall or into other material,
2.folding unmixed food into the mixed part,
3.shearing to stretch the material.
• Efficient mixing is achieved by creating and recombine the fresh
surfaces in the food as often as possible. However the material does
not easily flowit is necessary either to move the mixer blades
throughout the vessel or to move the food into the mixer blades.
🞭 Most liquid foods are non- Newtonian (their consistency changes
with rate of shear).the most common types are psuedoplastic(eg-
sauces) in which consistency decreases with respect to shear
rate, dilatant(eg-corn flour and chocolate) in which consistency
increases with shear rate and viscoelastic(bread dough) which
exhibit viscous and elastic properties including stress
relaxation ,creep and recoil.
🞭 The rate of mixing is characterized by mixing index. The mixing
constant depends upon the characteristics of the mixer and the
liquids. The effect of the mixer characteristics k is given by
 EQUIPMENT FOR MIXING
The selection of correct type and size of mixer
depends upon the type and amount of foods
being mixed and the speed of operation
needed to achieve the degree of mixing with
minimum energy consumption. Mixer are
classified into types that are suitable for

1. Low or medium viscosity liquids ,

2. High viscosity liquid and pastes,
3. Dry powders and particulate solids.
MIXER FOR LOW AND MEDIUM VISCOSITY
LIQUIDS

A larger number of designs of agitators are

used to mix liquids in baffled or unbaffled
vessels.
1. Paddle agitator
2. Impellor agitators
3. Multiple paddle agitators
4. Propeller impellor
5. Turbine agitators
6. Other mixers
MIXER FOR HIGH VISCOSITY LIQUID AND
PASTES

1. Slow speed vertical shaft impellor,

2. Twin shaft horizontal blades(z-blade or
sigma blade mixers),
3. Planetary mixers,
4. Continuous rotor shaft mixers ,( eg-
screw conveyors)
5. Multi agitator systems,
6. Other mixers.(eg-butter churns ,bowl
choppers, rollers etc.)
MIXER FOR DRY POWDERS AND PARTICULATE
SOLIDS

• These mixers have two basic designs: tumbling

action of rotating vessels and the positive movement
of the materials in screw types.
• They are used for lending grains ,flours and
preparation of powdered mixers( for example cake
mixers and dried soups)
• Following are the types of mixers
1.Tumbling mixers (eg- drum ,double- cone,Y-
cone, V-cone mixers),
2.Ribbon mixers
3.Vertical screw mixers
 EFFECT ON FOODS
• The action of mixer has no direct effect on either the
nutritional quality or shelf life of the food but have
indirect effect by allowing the components of mixer to
react together.
• The nature and extent of the reaction depends on the
components involved but may be accelerated if
significant heat is generated in the mixer.
• For example ,gluten development is promoted during
dough making the stretching and folding action which
aligns, uncoils and extend protein molecules. This
allows disulphide and hydrogen bond to form and
develop the strength of the gluten structure and
hence to produce the desired texture in the bread.
• It increases uniformity of the product by evenly
distributing ingredients through the bulk.
SIGMA BLADE MIXER