Frontline Food Consultants and Engineers specialize in spice recipe formulations for getting mixed spices from concept to production. If you are processing traditional spice mixtures such as garam masala and curry powder or creating new specialized spice blends for your products, we provide spice consultation for blending and process optimization services that enable you to develop reliable flavor profiles and standard-quality products. We make sure that your spices are selected, blended, and packed in a proper manner to suit your needs and are fresh.

We support companies with Ingredient Sourcing and Supplier Management by providing a range of high-quality, specific spices, with organic and sustainably sourced variants. Our R&D team gets in touch with you and whenever possible our spice blends are compounded focusing on the global trends or cultural acceptability or its end use. We also have Regulatory Compliance Consulting to ensure that your mixed spices are in compliance with food safety and labeling regulations such as allergen management. We also help you in the spice factory setup. Our Packaging Solutions, provide a more convenient and reclosable reusable, more environmentally friendly to the consumers while preserving the freshness and flavor of Mixtures of Spices.

What are Mixed Spices?

Mixed Spices are common products of ground spices, herbs, and seasonings that are formulated to produce multiple tastes in one product. These particular spice blends are usually purchased pre-mixed in order to be used in a number of cuisines, which makes it easier for a consumer or manufacturer. Some common examples of mixed spices include; curry powder, garam masala, and taco seasonings. Mixed spice also involves the right combination of the spices in the mixture as well as the right flavor profile in different batches.

Production of mixed spices also requires specialized equipment which includes blending machines to facilitate a mixture of many spices that are required for the blend so as to form a consistent blend of the spices with the required taste. Sieving machines are used in order to achieve a relatively fine and of the same particle size in the mix. Capping machines are used in sealing the mixed spices into containers or packing bags to ensure they do not get in contact with other products, thereby reducing the chances of spoilt products. Dosing systems make certain that small packets contain the predetermined volumes while measurement systems check the quality, taste, and safety of the batch to confirm to set standards.

Here are some of the most used mixed spices:

  • Garam Masala: A typical Indian spice obtained through the milling of cumin, coriander seeds, black peppers, green cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.
  • Curry Powder: This is a blend of turmeric, cumin, coriander, chill powder and fenugreek most especially used in the preparation of dishes of India and the South Eastern region including Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand among others.
  • Taco Seasoning: A preparation for raising the flavor of foods from Mexico and it is made from ground dried ripe chilies and roasted cumin, with paprika, garlic and dried oregano.
  • Panch Phoron: A spice preparation known as Bengal spice mix is fennel seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, nigella seeds, cumin.
  • Italian Seasoning: It is a processed form of dried leaves from basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary used in Mediterranean foods.

Manufacturing Techniques Mixed Spices

  1. A strong cleaning of raw material procurement and cleaning to remove any residual soil sediments from the cultural product.
  • Sourcing: The individual spices that are used in making the mixed spice blends include – The dealer who sells spices to the company is selected carefully in a bid that ensures that they supply the best quality of spices that retain their natural fragrance.
  • Cleaning: Spices in their natural form have to be cleaned to eliminate unwanted particles such as preservatives, dirt, and even unwanted particles. This is achieved through mechanical air classifiers, sieves or water-washing system, to ensure that clean high quality spices are used in the production of blends.
  1. Drying and Moisture Control
  • Sun Drying or Mechanical Drying: Measures of moisture content in spices before grinding vary but most of the spices should have a moisture content of less than 10%. Drying the cake is very important to avoid recontamination by spoilage microorganisms and other microorganisms at large.
  • Moisture Control: Control of moisture content during drying is critical in order to retain spice particle structure and fineness of their grind.
  1. Grinding and Pulverizing
  • Grinding Individual Spices: Whole blended spices pass through multiple-stage grinding with industrial grinders like hammer mills; pin mills; or pulverizers. During the grinding process, the spices are converted to fine powders this is very essential we need when preparing uniform spice mixtures.
  • Cryogenic Grinding (Optional): A few spices especially black pepper and cardamom are in cryogenic grinding where the spices are cooled through liquid nitrogen before being ground. This New method retains these oils, flavors, and fragrances that quite often can be destroyed during the normal grinding process.
  1. Blending Process
  • Formulating the Spice Mix: Spice blends are made by combining crushed spices in the right proportion so as to produce different spice blends. Every portion of the ingredient is carefully measured to large volumes batch mixer to guarantee even flavor and texture on every batch.
  • Mixing: When using mixing equipment, the mixture is automated which helps avoid the formation of clumps and assures an even distribution of the spice blend flavors in the ingredients. The blending process is also regulated in order to prevent over-processing and heat with special effects on the containing spices.
  • Quality Testing: The blended spices pass through a taste, aroma, and texture check to conform to specification and to check on batch-trueness.
  1. Packaging
  • Portioning and Packaging: The blended spices are weighed and packed into different pack-homing machine package sizes. Hence this product comes in small consumer packs or large commercial packs, or export sizes depending on market factors. The spices are put into small moisture-proof bags or airtight containers in order to retain their quality.
  • Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP): MA packaging may be used for spice blends that are susceptible to rancidity as a way of increasing the shelf life. In this process gas in the packaging is exchanged with inert nitrogen gas which has the effect of reducing oxidation and degradation of important oils.
  • Labeling: Food packaging involves proper and accurate branding through proper labeling to display information such as ingredients used in the preparation,date of preparation next to the date it should be consumed or discarded and inclusion of any warning on the presence of any allergens as per the regulations set down on food quality.

Packaging Material Design Engineering for Blending Spices

  1. Moisture-Proof Packaging
  • Objective: Even its spice blends, identify the ways, means and techniques on how to keep the product free from moisture and maintain its chemical properties at its prime.
  • Materials: High-density polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate or polypropylene plastic films which offer high moisture barrier, or glass jars with moisture-proof caps.
  • Benefits: Saves the spices from getting clumped and deteriorates the flavor as well as aroma of the spices by maintaining its dryness. This is especially important for spices that are blended such this curry powders and garam masala.
  1. Stored under Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP)
  • Objective: Preserve the shelf beyond which the chances of oxidation begin to occur in the spice blends.
  • Materials: Special high barrier current films and gas flushing of the package with nitrogen to remove oxygen.
  • Benefits: MAP tutorial assists in maintaining color, flavor, and also essential oils in the spice blends so that the spices do not get impaired, or lose their functionality and newness.
  1. Sustainable Packaging Systems
  • Objective: Provide service delivery in ecologically friendly packaging to satisfy consumers who have a concern for the environment.
  • Materials: Sustainable packaging type: Packaging from paper, fabric or coating that are recyclable or biodegradable like paper pouches or plastic that can be composted.
  • Benefits: Eco friendly packaging lowers the environmental impact and yet the required shelf life and quality of spice blends are achieved.