In plant-based food, texture sells as much as flavour: the smoothness of a cashew cheese, the fibrous bite of a meat-free burger, the clean cut of a plant-based sausage. All of these textures come from mixing binders, plant proteins and fat at the right speed and in the right order. With their powerful motors and cutting and mixing power, KITPRO cutter mixers are suited to producing every kind of product a plant-based diet needs.
What it brings to Plant-Based Products
The advantages that make the difference in this application area.
Powerful motor, high torque
A dense cashew mass or hydrated protein does not strain the motor; up to 22 kW on the industrial models.
Perfect homogeneity
Binders, plant proteins, fat and seasoning are spread evenly in a single bowl; every portion has the same texture and taste.
The texture you want, via speed control
High speed makes cashew cheese silky, low speed keeps the fibrous structure of a meat-free patty. The recipe sets the texture.
Reverse rotation and timer
Reverse rotation blends without cutting; the timer option makes every batch finish in the same time with the same result.
Meat-free burgers and patties, step by step
In plant-based meat products the cutter mixer sits at the centre of the process, from the binder gel to the final mass. A typical flow:
- 01
Protein hydration
Textured vegetable protein (TVP) or high-moisture extrudate is soaked in water; the fibrous structure takes up water at this stage.
- 02KITPRO
Binder gel
Cold water or ice goes into the bowl, a binder such as methylcellulose is dispersed at low speed, then turned into a gel with the consistency of shaving foam at high speed.
- 03KITPRO
Fat emulsion
Vegetable oil, water and protein or binder are emulsified at high speed, so the fat is spread through the mass as fine droplets.
- 04KITPRO
Final mixing
Hydrated protein, gel, emulsion, seasoning and flavouring are blended briefly at low speed or in reverse, keeping the fibrous texture intact.
- 05
Forming
The homogeneous mass is formed into burgers, patties, nuggets or sausages; the tilting bowl speeds up emptying.
- 06
Cooking and packing
Depending on the product: pre-cooking, chilling or freezing and packing. Methylcellulose gels when heated and holds the product together.
From R&D to series production
Plant-based products are often developed in a small kitchen and then scaled up to a factory. A KITPRO for every stage:
DIV · VegiCut
Cashew cheese, cashew yoghurt and spreads; recipe development and small batches. The VegiCut VC8-S brings 300-3,600 rpm, reverse and timer together on a single dial.
20-30 L · 45-65 L Series
Meat-free burger, patty and nugget mass, and larger batches of cashew-based products. Powerful motor, speed control and reverse rotation; fast emptying with the tilting bowl.
L120IV · L200IV · Jacketed Series
Factory-scale plant-based meat and sausage mass; 15 and 22 kW motors, motorised tilting and Euro-bin discharge. Jacketed models for recipes that need heating.
Where the cutter mixer fits in plant-based food
A very wide range of plant-based products rests on the same basic task: turning a solid raw material, or ingredients that do not mix with each other, into a single stable, homogeneous mass. In cashew cheese that means soaked cashews becoming a smooth cream; in a meat-free burger it means plant protein, binder and fat becoming a mass that holds together.
In industry the standard machine for this job is the cutter mixer (bowl cutter). The same technique developed in the meat sector for emulsion products is now used to bring together plant protein, methylcellulose, fat and iced water. The powerful motors and cutting and mixing power of KITPRO machines make it possible to produce these masses with perfect homogeneity and the desired texture.
Cashew cheese, cashew yoghurt and similar products
Cashew cheese and cashew yoghurt are among the best-known plant-based dairy alternatives. The basic method is simple: cashews are softened by soaking in water for several hours, then processed with water, lemon juice or a culture until they become a smooth cream. For cultured products this cream is then left to ferment; cheeses go on to shaping and ripening, yoghurts to setting.
Quality is decided by the smoothness of the cream: a cashew cheese that feels gritty on the tongue does not sell. A high-speed cutter mixer turns cashews into a silky mass in a single batch, and the scraper arm integrated into the lid brings material stuck to the wall back to the blade. The same method is used for almond, hazelnut or oat-based cheeses and yoghurts, plant-based creams and spreads.
Meat-free products: homogeneous mixing of binder, protein and fat
Making meat-free burgers, patties, nuggets and sausages brings together ingredients that behave very differently: hydrated plant protein, binders such as methylcellulose, pea, soy or wheat protein isolates, vegetable fats, fibre, seasoning and flavouring. Methylcellulose dissolves in cold water and gels when heated, which is what holds the pieces together in the cooked product.
The cutter mixer blends and homogenises all of these ingredients perfectly: the binder is first dispersed at low speed, then turned into a foam-like gel at high speed; the fat is spread evenly through the mass as an emulsion. In the final mix, low speed or reverse rotation protects the fibrous structure of the protein. The result is a mass that is the same in every portion, with the bite you are aiming for.
Speed control, reverse rotation and timer
Plant-based production asks for two opposite jobs in the same bowl: powerful high-speed cutting for the binder gel and fat emulsion, and gentle low-speed blending so the fibrous protein is not crushed. Inverter speed control makes it possible to do both in one machine, whenever the recipe calls for it.
In reverse, the blade mixes without cutting; it is the safest way to spread seasoning and binder without damaging the fibrous texture, and it also gathers material stuck to the bowl wall back to the centre. The timer option fixes the duration of each step, so yesterday's batch and today's come out with the same texture. These features make the biggest difference on floor-standing and industrial machines, with large batches.
Cashew and meat alternatives in one plant: cleaning and allergen control
Cashew is a tree nut and is labelled as an allergen; soy, wheat (gluten) and sesame are also common allergens in plant-based recipes. If cashew-based and cashew-free products are made in the same plant, the bowl, lid and blade must be cleaned thoroughly at every product changeover.
On KITPRO cutter mixers the bowl and blades in contact with the product are AISI 304 stainless steel. On the countertop series the blade assembly comes off without tools and the lid closes with a food-grade silicone seal; on the floor-standing series the tilting bowl makes both emptying and washing easier.
The cutter mixer's job, product by product
Target texture and cutter mixer approach for plant-based products:
| Product | Target texture | Cutter mixer approach |
|---|---|---|
| Cashew cheese | Smooth, spreadable or sliceable | Soaked cashews to a smooth cream at high speed with the scraper arm; then culture and ripening |
| Cashew yoghurt | Silky, pourable | Fine cream at high speed; culture added and left to ferment |
| Meat-free burgers and patties | Fibrous, juicy bite | Binder gel and fat emulsion at high speed; final mix with hydrated protein at low speed or in reverse |
| Plant-based sausage | Smooth, uniform cross-section | Fine emulsion at high speed; mass kept cold with cold water or ice |
| Plant-based nuggets | Fine to medium grain | Controlled chopping and mixing at medium speed |
| Plant-based fat emulsion (fat substitute) | Stable, sliceable | Oil, water and protein or binder emulsified at high speed |
| Plant-based creams and spreads | Creamy | High speed, long run; repeatable results with the timer |
Speed, time and temperature depend on the protein, binder and recipe used. The table is a starting point. Contact us for a trial run with your own recipe.
Plant-based products
Examples from food trade shows: plant-based burgers and patties, plant-based egg alternatives.
The Plant-Based Products line at work
Rather than describe it, let us show you: a real production run on KITPRO machines. L120IV: 120 Litre Industrial Cutter / Mixer.
Request a quote for this productionThe right machines for Plant-Based Products
The KITPRO models most often chosen for this application area.
Questions about Plant-Based Products
Which machine is used to make cashew cheese and cashew yoghurt?
For recipe development and small batches, the DIV and VegiCut countertop series are recommended; for growing production, the 20-65 litre floor-standing series. Soaked cashews are turned into a smooth cream at high speed, with the scraper arm integrated into the lid; culturing and fermentation follow.
How is the fibrous texture kept in meat-free burgers and patties?
The binder gel and fat emulsion are prepared separately at high speed; the hydrated protein is added last and blended briefly at low speed or in reverse. In reverse the blade mixes without cutting, so the fibres are not crushed.
Can the machines work with binders such as methylcellulose?
Yes. Methylcellulose dissolves in cold water and gels when heated. It goes into the bowl with cold water or ice, is first dispersed at low speed, then turned into a foam-like gel at high speed; this gel is then combined with protein and fat.
Which models have reverse rotation and a timer?
The DIV and DPS series have a reverse position and a timer; the VegiCut VC8-S has speed, reverse and timer on its Smart-Dial. Floor-standing and industrial machines offer speed control and reverse rotation, with the timer available as an option. Contact us to choose the model and options.
Can cashew-based products and meat alternatives be made on the same machine?
Yes. Cashew is a tree nut allergen, so the bowl, lid and blade must be cleaned thoroughly at every product changeover. Surfaces in contact with the product are AISI 304 stainless steel; on the countertop series the blade assembly comes off without tools.
What else do you produce?
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