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2 May 2022 - How to choose the right release agent and spraying system for your industrial confectionary bakery? (Product News)

In our previous blog, we discussed the most common release agent issues and challenges in industrial confectionary bakeries. To release your confectionary products in a cost-efficient way, it is important to choose the right release agent in combination with the application method for the product that you’re baking. This ensures a flawless and clean release of your high-quality products, combined with more convenience and reliability in your industrial confectionary bakery. When creating high-quality baked goods, the amount of release agent being used is just as essential as selecting the right type of release agent. There are different kinds release agents. Each type of release agent has its own unique properties. Together with the optimal application method for the chosen release agent, you can optimize the dosage, minimize the cost in use and create better end products. In this blog, you'll learn how to choose the right release agent for your industrial bakery situation.

Checklist Release Agents Sonneveld

In order to select the right release agent, suitable for your specific situation and the product you’re baking, there are several things you need to know. Use the following checklist to identify your situation to select the right release agent:

What product are you baking?
What is the amount of sugar used in the recipe (lower or higher than 15%)?
What is the shelf life of the baked product?
What kind of baking tin/plate and material is being used?
What is the baking temperature and baking time?
Are the trays or tins hot when applying the release agent?
How is the release agent being applied?
Manual brush – cloth – sponge - via equipment airless – air mix – other.

Based on the checklist, you can read our tips below to make sure your release agent is the best choice for your situation.

What factors are important for your choice of a release agent?

Each type of release agent has its own advantages which enhance the baking process of your product. There are several factors which determine the choice of release agent, which is best for your situation. It is important to make a considered choice for a release agent based on:

your recipe and the amount of sugar
the required hanging properties
your application method
the baking materials that you use
the shelf-life of the final product

Recipe and the amount of sugar

Regarding the recipe, it is important to know how much sugar is used in the recipe. During the baking process, the sugar is caramelized and becomes sticky. The more sugar is used, the more release power is required from the release agent. The release agent creates a thin film which works as a barrier between the baked product and the baking tin. The thickness of the release agent is determined by the amount of wax and lecithin.

Baked products which are difficult to be released from the baking tin, tend to need a different kind of release agent with a higher share in wax and lecithin. For example when baking sponge cakes, which consist of approximately 15 to 30% sugar, a release agent with about 2-3% wax is required. When you’re baking cakes, which contain between 30-40% sugar, release agents with about 3-4% wax are used, such as our Goldwax 400. For products which contain over 40% sugar, typical sugar rich products such as Brussels waffles, release agents with 5-6% wax are used. For these products we recommend our Goldwax 250.

Hanging properties of the release agent

The next factor which the determines the choice of release agent, is the hanging properties which are attributed to each different type of release agent. Hanging properties are related to the temperature of the baking tin as well as the material of the baking tin. Is the temperature used higher than 50 degrees Celsius (higher than 122 Fahrenheit)? Then we recommend to use a release agent with stronger hanging properties, to prevent the release agent to sink to the bottom of baking tin, instead of remaining on the side of the baking tin. When a release agent is sprayed on the side, it should remain on the sides to help the product rise during the baking process.

When starting the production lines, the baking tins are usually at room temperature (considered quite cold compared to the oven). As a result, you have to run the first production round with a much higher dosage of the release agent in order to release the baked product without any issues. Once the baking tins are getting warm, from the starting production run to another, the release agent dosage can slowly be decreased to the desired dosage level.

Application method in relation to flow and hanging properties

Which kind of spraying system and spraying nozzles are currently being used? It all depends on the kind of application what kind of machines are best to use.

There are many different ways to apply the release agent within the baking material. Not every release agent is sprayed. Another way of applying the release agent is with round spray equipment. This type of equipment is typically used when having round baking moulds.

Greasing equipment is usually equipped with spray guns used in the painting industry. Within the spray industry, there are different kinds of nozzles with different kinds of spraying angles and thickness of the nozzle needles. Provided you use the right greasing equipment, it is possible with the Sonneveld release agents to get the best release agent possible while keeping the dosage low. This is something which our team of experts is able to help you with. Our experts are able to adjust the spraying machine and nozzles in the perfect way with the right type of release agent for your production line.

In case other kinds of nozzles or pistols are used from a different kind of industry, one would usually require a release agent which is more liquid than standard.

For example the release agent used cakes and sponge cakes are sprayed into the baking tins, as one would require hanging properties to release the cakes and sponges in an easy manner. Sometimes, air mix pistols coming from the painting industry are used as nozzles on the machines. Air mix pistols can be used perfectly, though a higher dosage of release agent is recommended. In case other kinds of nozzles or pistols are used from a different kind of industry, one would usually require a release agent which is more liquid than standard. At Sonneveld, we have a range of release agents suitable for any kind of situation. Within Sonneveld, we have several solutions within our selection of release agents. Please contact us for more information. We’re more than happy to assist you and improve your production lines

Baking materials

The type of baking materials is also a determining factor in which type of release agent works best. Usually, hard silicon baking materials are being used for the production of cake and sponge cakes.

When using hard silicon baking materials, you will probably need a release agent with good hanging properties and a low iodine number. With good hanging properties, you can use the lowest dosage and with a low iodine value, the hard silicone coating will not burn in the heat of the oven. Therefore, these parameters will extend the shelf life of the coating.

When baking cake and sponge cakes, mainly hard silicon baking tins are used in the production hall. The baking tins are generally equipped with a coating. When using a lower quality release agent, the release agent could cause the hard silicon coating to become burned in the oven. The lifespan of the coating can be extended by using the right release agent with enough release power and the right spraying pattern. Normally, the lifespan of the coating in a baking tin is between 3 to 4 months. After this period, the coating needs to be reapplied to the baking tin which is a costly and time consuming event.

If the spraying machine is adjusted accordingly and a release agent with good hanging properties is used, you can extend the lifespan of the coating with a few months.

All in all this means that when you use the right release agent and the machine settings are set correctly, the time until it is necessary to recoat the baking tins is extended. This means less frequently having to reapply the coating during the year, which saves the industrial baker time and money.

Shelf life of your baked products

Did you know that the shelf life of your baked product also influences the choice for your release agent? If you're not using the right release agent for your end product, the shelf life of the end product can becomes shorter because of the iodine number of the release agent. It is important to know if your baked product has a shelf life of less then 6 months or longer. For example if the shelf life of the end product lasts up to 6 months, you can use Goldwax 400 with a high iodine number. This would be the case when baking sponge cakes or cake, which have a shelf life of approximately 3 to 6 months. When baking end products with a shelf life that lasts longer than 6 months, we advise to use a release agent with a lower iodine number, for example Gold 3000. This is a high quality release agent for bread, biscuits and pastry products with a very long shelf life. Gold 3000 is suitable for baking materials which contain a Teflon or a silicon coating.

A lower cost in use when using the right release agent

To keep the cost in use fair and low, it is recommended to use a dosage as little as possible. Using release agents can be costly. This is why you’d like to keep the dosage of the release agents as low as possible. By using little release agent and still applying the many advantages of the release agent (such as less waste of end product and longer use of the same coating ), less costs are made in the overall production line. Therefore by using the right release agent, together with the right spraying pattern, industrial confectionary bakeries can save money because of the low dosage of release agent, as well as waste reduction and less downtime.

The price of a release agent can be higher than the product you’re currently using. However, there are a lot of benefits which can’t be expressed in the price. For instance by usingthe right release agent, you’ll get more beautiful end products, less waste and a lower dosage compared to the release agent that you currently use. This can save you more than 50% by using a release agent. The release agent will also extend the shelf life of the coating of the baking material. Overall, using the right release agents can save you a lot of money.

How can we help you to make the right decision?

Since 1956, Sonneveld is developing its own release agents based on vegetable oils, fats and waxes. We’ve been developing and acquiring knowledge of how we can improve our release agents. This results a broad range of release agent products. Therefore, we have the possibility to really check per situation what release agent can be used best, depending on what end product you’re baking, how the product is baked, which machinery is used, what kind of nozzles and so on. If desired, it is within our means to offer tailormade solutions and even develop a special release agent for a customer.

What does your release situation look like?

Do you recognise one of the release agent issues we discussed in this blog? Maybe you do. You’re probably looking for improvements, but you might not yet know how to solve the issue you’re dealing with in your industrial confectionary bakery.

Get in touch with our release agent experts

Do you need advice to choose the right release agent, slicing- or dividing oil and application method for your industrial confectionary bakery? Get in touch with our release agent experts to ensure you use the release agent that meets all your requirements.