food-blending-drying-equipment | PK Blenders

Foods

Our blenders and dryers for food applications feature a sanitary design with stainless steel construction in the product contact area. Whether you need to blend, agglomerate, and/or dry, PK has you covered with successful food applications like instant soups, fruit cocktails, frozen vegetables, and soup mixes. Other food processing applications include efficient, consistent and uniform blending of fragile snack foods, gravies, seasonings and coatings into salads, relishes and other food products as well as pet and animal foods. In addition, food manufacturers rely on our process equipment to consistently produce sterilized and dried powdered cocoa, as well as dried cereals and instant soups, with precisely formulated product in every batch.

Product Solutions

Cross-Flow Blender

Cross-flow mixing action improves product circulation and blend uniformity – ideal for coffee bean flavoring, tea leaf flavoring and potato chip seasoning.

Double Cone Blender

Bottom and top cones with stainless steel product contact for sanitary applications such as mixing and blending food ingredient pre-mixes.

Slant Cone Shell Blender

Stainless steel construction provides hygienic, corrosion-resistant food blending and processing.

Twin Shell Blender

Highly customizable and scalable blender for sanitary processing of a variety of food applications.

Solids Processor

A self-contained blending and drying processor in a single machine.

Zig-Zag Continuous Blender

Quick blending of seasonings into fruit cocktails, soup mixes, frozen vegetables, relishes, and animal foods.

Engineered for the Consistency & Quality Demands of Food Processing

Food processing applications require precise control over blend uniformity, moisture content, ingredient distribution, and sanitation to ensure product quality and production efficiency. Patterson Kelley (PK) provides precision blending, drying, and powder processing solutions engineered for the unique demands of food manufacturing.

PK Blenders are purpose-built to handle powders, granules, seasonings, baking mixes, proteins, starches, additives, and specialty food ingredients with equipment designed to maintain product integrity, improve flowability, and deliver repeatable results from R&D through production scale. Our systems support demanding applications, including dry ingredient blending, flavor incorporation, moisture reduction, and continuous food processing.

Food Processing Pain Points We Solve

Blend inconsistency in seasoning and ingredient mixes

Segregation of fine and coarse food particles

Moisture variability affecting shelf life and flowability

Dust generation and sanitation concerns

Scale-up inefficiencies from lab to production

Cross-contact and allergen control challenges

Inconsistent feed to downstream packaging or processing systems

Optimize Your Food Processing Line

We help food manufacturers achieve consistent, high-quality output while improving efficiency and reducing variability.

PK engineers work directly with R&D and production teams to design systems tailored to:

Ingredient density and particle size distribution

Required blend uniformity targets

Moisture and temperature control requirements

Throughput and production rate goals

Scale-up from lab or pilot testing

Facility layout and sanitation requirements

Engineered for Food Powder Processing

Integrated Drying & Conditioning

PK drying solutions like the Solids Processor (SP), Tubular Vacuum Dryers, and Continuous Tubular Vacuum Dryers provide controlled moisture removal and conditioning to improve flowability, shelf stability, and downstream packaging performance.

Scalable Systems

Food manufacturers benefit from PK’s ability to support every phase of product development. From lab-scale testing with the Blend Master and bench-top units to full-scale production systems with sanitary, food-grade construction.

High-Uniformity Ingredient Blending

PK’s blending technologies, including Twin Shell, Double Cone, Cross-Flow®, Slant Cone®, and Zig-Zag® Continuous Blenders, are engineered to deliver exceptional blend consistency across food powders, seasonings, baking mixes, proteins, and specialty ingredients.

Why Choose Patterson Kelley

Food Manufacturers Need:

Consistent ingredient blending and distribution

Controlled drying for moisture-sensitive products

Sanitary equipment designed for food-grade environments

Scalable systems from R&D to production

Improved flowability and packaging consistency

Solutions that support allergen and dust control

PK Benefits

Consistent blend uniformity for food formulations

Reduced segregation between ingredients

Energy-efficient drying and blending options

Custom-engineered systems for food processing challenges

Reduced cleaning and changeover time

Long equipment life with dependable reliability

Proven performance with powders, granules, and specialty ingredients

Technical Advantages

Repeatable blending with optimized vessel geometry

Sanitary stainless-steel construction options

Precision control of speed and fill levels

Vacuum drying for heat-sensitive ingredients

Dust-tight and containment-ready configurations

CIP-ready and easy-to-clean designs

Batch data capture and process monitoring

Custom engineering for food processing applications

Scalable Systems From R&D to Production

Food processors benefit from PK’s ability to support every stage of product development. From lab-scale testing with Blend Master and bench-top units and pilot-scale trials to validate blend uniformity and moisture control to full-scale production systems with sanitary process features, PK ensures performance at every step.

Our lab testing service allows you to bring your food formulation to PK and validate blending and drying methods before investing in equipment.

Applications Across Food Manufacturing

PK supports a broad range of food processing applications:

Seasoning and spice blending
Protein powder and supplement mixing
Baking mix and flour blending
Flavor incorporation and coating
Moisture removal and ingredient conditioning
Snack seasoning applications
Batch or continuous food processing
Powder preparation for packaging and filling

System Integration Capabilities

PK equipment integrates seamlessly into food production environments, including:

Material transfer and conveying systems
Dust collection and sanitation controls
Sifters and particle sizing systems
Vacuum transfer and pneumatic conveying
PLC-based recipe and batch management
Packaging and filling system integration

Food Processing FAQs

How do PK blenders improve ingredient consistency in food processing?

PK blenders use optimized vessel geometry and controlled mixing action to evenly distribute ingredients and reduce segregation between fine and coarse materials.

Why is moisture control important in food powder processing?

Proper moisture control improves shelf life, flowability, blend stability, and downstream packaging performance.

Can PK equipment support allergen-sensitive food production?

Yes. PK systems can be designed with sanitary finishes, dust-tight containment, and easy-clean configurations to support allergen control and changeovers.

Is lab testing available before purchasing production equipment?

Absolutely. PK’s lab services allow food manufacturers to validate blend performance, drying efficiency, and scalability using their own materials.

Can PK systems integrate into existing food manufacturing lines?

Yes. Our engineers design systems that integrate seamlessly with conveying, packaging, dust collection, and automation systems already in your facility.

We Have The Solution For Your Process.

Regardless of the processing industry, PK has been providing solutions to processors for more than a century.