Will Yolato Frozen Yogurt work in any machine? What is priming, overrun, viscosity? Maintenance? Old vs New Product?

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Will your product work in my machine? It is the most common question we receive from customers considering a switch to Yolato. In short, absolutely.

 

Let’s start at the beginning. When you first purchased the machine and the technician came to setup your machine.  What was the technician’s requirement? The fully thawed yogurt mix or ice cream you planned on using so the machine can be set to the product.

Whether you are using an Electro Freeze, Taylor or Stoelting machine, we know through years of experience that all of these machines dispense Yolato in a rich, creamy and flavorful manner when set correctly.  A properly set machine will not only provide your customer with a pleasurable guilt free experience, it will maximize your yield and profits.

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Here are the factors that contribute to the consistency:
•    Priming
•    Overrun (amount of air added)
•    Viscosity setting (hardness or coldness)
•    Proper cleaning & Wearable part replacement (most important is new blades)
•    Cycling product and Old or new product

 

Priming:
Starting correctly is paramount to having the product ready from the beginning and that means “priming” the machine. After cleaning the machine and sanitizing, you will need to “prime” the machine.

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“Priming” the freezer removes all excess sanitizer from the freezing cylinder, and sets the proper overrun for the first cylinder of product.

 

Ask the technician or refer to your equipment manual for proper “priming” procedures.   
 
Overrun: 
As mix is frozen in the freezing cylinder, air is incorporated into the mix to increase its volume, as well as enhance the taste and texture of the finished product. The increase in volume is called overrun. Fifty percent overrun translates to a volume increase of 50% — 10 gallons of liquid mix has become 15 gallons of finished product.

 

Controlled overrun is important to maintain consistency in product quality. Too much overrun (air) results in a light, fluffy product lacking the cold, refreshing appeal of a quality product. Too little overrun results in a wet, heavy product.

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The overrun should be set between 30% ~ 35% for Yolato frozen yogurt.

 

For gravity fed machines, the overrun is controlled by the “feed tubes”.

 

Most manufacturers offer various sizes of feed tubes; some provide more overrun than others.
 
Viscosity setting (ie. Taylor machines)

Some soft serve machines create product by cooling the mix in the freezing cylinder while beating it with a motor.  The amount of cooling can be adjusted via viscosity level control.  These controls may require a panel be removed while newer models have electronic controls accessible from the front face plate.  Call a technician for assistance until you are comfortable with the procedure.  

 

It is important to know that it’s not a one size fits all.  Depending on the product you were using, its ingredients, fat contents, water content, etc. will depend on the setting you should change to when switching to Yolato.  For instance, a frozen yogurt that is flavored with extracts will freeze quicker than those flavored powders or pastes.  That being said, the viscosity level should be set lower on the side dispensing the frozen yogurt with the extracts.  Some machines can be controlled individually per freezing cylinder. This adds flexibility as you change your flavors throughout the year.
 
Proper Cleaning and wearable part replacement:

Proper machine cleaning is important not only for cleanliness and sanitary purposes, but it will also affect the way your machine works and makes product.  Blades will make product icy if they are worn down.  As they wear down, the blades are not scraping tightly against the freezing cylinder.  This allows for product to stick to the cylinder for longer than it should. It will continue to cool until it turns into ice and then breaks off.  This will result in and icy product with chunks.  Other cleaning and part replacement issues that often occur is a clogged feed tube or product intake (area which product enters freezing cylinder from the hopper) – torn o-rings will leak making a mess while straining the machine.  Clean your machines as recommended by the manufacture or required local laws and replace worn parts immediately.
 
Cycling Product and Old vs. New product:

This is extremely important!  Yolato manufactures its frozen yogurt to stay firm, rich and creamy.  Some machines will over “beat” the product.  The stabilizers which reduce the “iciness” in a product will break down when “beaten” too much in the freezer.  In addition, the air can be “beaten” out.  When we say “over beaten” we are referring to product being in the freezing cylinder for any length of time without being drawn out, and in turn it becomes sub-par.  This happens during extended slow periods, for example during the winter months when business can be slow.  If the product is not cycling, it is generally getting worse.  As a rule of thumb, any time the same product has been in the freezing cylinder for a length of time it is susceptible to becoming icy and less creamy.  Sometimes you will have to throw this product out.  Keep the product cycling, go up to the machine throughout the day and try the frozen yogurt!  If it doesn’t taste correct pull some product out until it returns to its rich and creamy state.  

 

If your business has long slow periods throughout the day, you can close the “feed tube” and place the machine in “stand by” or “night mode” to keep the machine from “beating” the product. Just as you do at the end of the day.  Remember to open the feed tube and allow time for the machine to “freeze” the product before the next serving.

 

A machine that is setup and maintained correctly it will bring a lifetime of enjoyment and reward.