Demaco extruder facts for kids
The Demaco extruder is a special machine that makes pasta. It was built by a company called Demaco in Florida, USA. This machine was the first of its kind made to meet strict cleanliness rules for food factories set by the USDA. This meant food companies could use it right in their factories to make fresh, frozen, or canned pasta.
How the Demaco Extruder Was Made
The idea for the Demaco extruder started with an older machine from 1914. That first machine was a simple pasta press. Soon after, a newer version used hydraulics, which is a way of using liquid pressure to make things move.
This new extruder was very clever. It had a special screw and a mixer inside. This meant it could do three jobs at once: mixing the ingredients, kneading the dough, and pushing out the pasta. Before this, factories needed three separate machines to do these steps!
In the 1960s, the Demaco extruder got some important updates. Engineers made it much easier to clean. They gave it a smooth design that could be taken apart quickly. They also built it from stainless steel with strong, sealed connections. This made it perfect for the strict USDA food safety rules. In 1975, Demaco engineers even got a U.S. patent for a special part called a "premixer." Later, in the 1980s, the Demaco extruder became even smarter. It started using PLC controls, which made it work automatically.
Making Canned Foods
The Demaco extruder was also used in new and interesting ways. One cool use was feeding pasta directly into machines that filled cans. This helped make canned pasta products. For example, Demaco extruders helped make pasta for canned ravioli. A Chinese-food company called Chun King even used one to make egg rolls!
