RU

EFKO Training Seminar: all about milk fat replacer

15.11.2024
EFKO Training Seminar: all about milk fat replacer
Previous
EFKO Training Seminar: all about milk fat replacer
Next
Who is thCentre of Asia: EFKO held a forum in Tashkent

Who is thCentre of Asia: EFKO held a forum in Tashkent22.11.2024

African Miracle: EFKO at the Burkina Faso Economic Days

African Miracle: EFKO at the Burkina Faso Economic Days30.10.2024

Milk fat replacer is one of the first ingredients of the company, which has been in high demand in the market for more than 20 years. Having obtained vast expertise in the production of this ingredient, EFKO specialists are ready to share it and best practices with partners. During the two-day fat-and-oil training seminar, about 20 representatives of the largest plants and factories in Russia studied deeply the market and the production of dairy products.

The first day of the seminar is the theoretical part. It is an opportunity to assess the current state and to understand the trends in the development of the segment, to study the issues of quality and safety of raw materials and to get acquainted with the digital identification system. The second day is the practical part. This day includes a visit to the EFKO production site, a workshop on the assessment of consumer properties, quality assessment methodology and, of course, product tasting.

“The range of milk fat replacers is very beneficial for technology and innovations. We are in the first place in this area and have almost 70% of the Russian market share. Over the years, we have been improving our food ingredients, carefully helping our partners to develop in their chosen areas,” said Alexander Alekseenko, Director of the Dairy Industry at EFKO Group.

The first day of the event was held with the direct participation of Voronezh State University of Engineering Technologies (VSUET), one of the leading universities in the Chernozem region for the training of food technologists. We work in close cooperation with the scientific community, following the results of the training seminar, the participants received state-issued certificates from VSUIT on skills upgrading. According to Acting Rector Nikolay Repnikov, it is very important for the university to understand business trends, upcoming technologies and production development. “Assessing these points, we are also changing ourselves, our educational programs and scientific researches and tuning them up to the needs of the real economy,” said the head of the university.

The second day of the event is an introduction to the R&D Center, the heart of the company’s fat and oil business. This is a kind of “Taste Research Institute” to test new formulations and develop products that become favourites within consumers. The guests were able to participate in the spread production from emulsion creation to crystallization, to see the addition of ingredients for the analog of mozzarella cheese and the adjustment of the equipment modes. 

The most delicious part of any EFKO seminar is tasting.

“Our guests step into the shoes of certified tasters, they evaluated tasteless and odourless samples of spread and mozzarella cheese. The ideal spread should be easy to whip, as well as be plastic and dense. Mozzarella should be gently grated, melted and stretched to become the most delicious part of pizza or khachapuri. And of course, the most important part of these products is milk fat replacer, which gives final products excellent consumer qualities,” shared Viktor Kapranchikov, EFKO’s leading technologist.

Olga Savina, Chief Technologist of Magnetik LLC: “For many years we have been using EFKO milk fat replacers, we have been using the company’s crystallizer for a long time, now we are actively testing emulsifiers and egg yolk. During the workshop, we learnt about new ingredients that we would like to use. During the tasting, I paid a lot of attention to curd products – coated curd cheese, vatrushkas (Russian cheese pastry) with open fillings were interesting in terms of taste, and, to my mind, the creamy spread is worthy to be mentioned. If I were to describe the event in one word I would say “friendly”.”

 

Alexey Marinenko, Executive Director of Brasov Cheeses LLC: “We have been working with EFKO for more than 13 years, using different milk fat replacers – Ecolact and OILBLEND. Today we have learned a lot about plant-based protein products and plant proteins. It was interesting to hear about the technological side of the spread production. During the training, we tried a spread with cocoa powder, I can say that this product is interesting to us, there is also an interest in the production of cheeses with vegetable proteins. We see opportunities of whey processing with fat concentrate based on milk fat replacer in animal feed.”

Attach a file (pdf, doc or jpeg only)

* - Required fields.

for

Previously published reports:

section-image
section-image

section-image
section-image

section-image
section-image

Dear partners!

In order to improve EFKO products and quality of service, as well as to better meet your needs, we ask you to answer a few questions.

In the Alekseevskaya Sloboda of the Belgorod province, where in the late 1820s, sunflower oil was produced for the first time in the Russian Empire, and the first oil mill in Russia was built.

During the years of the First World War, and then the Civil War, production was completely stopped. The restoration of the plant began only in 1923. The main focus of its work remained the processing of coriander and anise. In 1936, the second oil extraction plant in all of Russia was built in Alekseevka. Later, both enterprises were merged into one of the largest essential oil extraction complexes in the Soviet Union.

During the Great Patriotic War, the complex was almost destroyed. Restoration work, which began in 1943, continued until the end of 1948. In the post-war period, comprehensive reconstruction was carried out on many sections using the latest technological advancements. By the 1970s, the Alekseevsky essential oil extraction complex produced up to 80% of the world's coriander oil. For its achievements in production development, the development and implementation of advanced technology, by decree of August 14, 1972, the Supreme Soviet of the USSR awarded the plant the Order of the Badge of Honor.

Unfortunately, in the 1990s, the enterprise that brought fame and wealth to the people of Alekseevka fell into decline and practically collapsed. The revival of the enterprise began in 1994 with the arrival of a new team and the creation of the EFCO Group.

The enterprise underwent large-scale modernization of production and established a new management system. The company decided to return to its roots and resume the production of sunflower oil. Later, EFCO expanded the range and volume of products.

In 2002, a new business direction was opened, and the most modern plant for the production of specialized fats and margarines for the food industry, EFCO Food Ingredients, was launched in the city of Alekseevka, Belgorod region. A scientific and production laboratory was established at the plant, equipped to control product quality at all stages of production and conduct in-depth scientific research.

In 2002–2003, EFCO technologists mastered the most environmentally friendly process of vegetable oil processing – the 'dry' fractionation method, applied the technology of physical refining of oils and fats, and managed to create Russia's first cocoa butter substitute 'Ecolad,' milk fat substitute 'Ecolact,' solid confectionery fat 'Ekond,' soft confectionery fat 'Ekonfe,' universal margarines 'Ecouniversal,' frying shortenings 'Ecofri,' and the first domestic fats with minimal trans-isomers content – confectionery fats 'Econat.'

In 2005, the R&D center of the fats and oils division was created based on EFCO Food Ingredients, consisting of the Applied Research Center and the Pilot Plant Department. The center’s specialists are engaged in developing and testing fat products for healthy eating lines and innovative recipes, taking into account the needs of manufacturers.

In 2006, the company was the first in Russia to successfully pass an audit for compliance with the quality and safety requirements of the BRC (Global Standard for Food Safety) and the International Food Standard (IFS). Is this information relevant?

In 2008, the second plant for the production of specialized fats and margarines was launched in the port of Taman in the Krasnodar Territory, and the only deep-water sea terminal for food cargo in Russia was built.

The following year, the plant successfully passed certification for compliance with the quality and safety requirements of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the International Food Standard (IFS). International auditors awarded the company the highest compliance level – Grade AA. Is this information relevant?

In 2014, the company’s technologists created the first domestic equivalent of cocoa butter.

In 2015, the EFCO Group launched a project to create a unique fats and oils cluster in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Thanks to production modernization and the transfer of global technologies, the production of specialized fats and margarines meeting the highest international standards was established in a short time.

In 2016, EFCO opened its fourth site for the production of specialized fats and margarines at the Evdakovsky fats and oils plant in the Voronezh region.

In 2021, production capacity at the Taman port facility was increased – launching the world's first 'million-ton plant' for the production of specialized fats and margarines. Do we need this?

In 2023, the company launched the only shea nut processing plant in Russia.

Thanks to R&D and significant investments by domestic producers in developing their own infrastructure, primarily by EFCO, the share of imported producers in the Russian food ingredients market has decreased from 49% to 9% over the past 15 years and continues to decline.

Almost 200 years later, Alekseevka remains the largest center for vegetable oil processing in the country.

Fill out the form and our manager will contact you!

Attach a file (pdf, doc or jpeg only)

* - Required fields.