Mixing and foaming device

A method for providing foam from a food or beverage product powder using a device, the method comprising:

• a) pumping fluid and food or beverage product powder from a container into a foaming chamber by rotating a pumping element;
• b) mixing the fluid and the food or beverage product powder in the foaming chamber to form a mixture by relatively rotating the foaming element within the foaming chamber and sending the mixture to the container, wherein the pumping element comprises gears comprising teeth, wherein module and/or number and/or height of the teeth configures the gears in the pumping element and the shape and/or size of the foaming element are calculated to have a specific balance of mixing performance, pumping performance and foaming capability, respectively, provided by the device, wherein the pumping element and the foaming element are connected to a single shaft and are entrained in rotation by driving means such that one rotation of the shaft achieves both step a) and step b);
• c) repeating steps a) and b) one or a plurality of times;
• d) opening an air entry to a certain level;
• e) pumping from the container into the foaming chamber the mixture of the fluid and the food or beverage product powder, together with air from the air entry by rotating the pumping element;
• and
• f) subjecting the mixture of the fluid and the food or beverage product powder, together with the air, to shear stress in the foaming chamber so that the mixture foams.

A method for providing foam from a food or beverage product powder using a device for mixing the food or beverage product powder with a fluid to form a mixture and further foaming the mixture, the device comprising:

• a mixing, pumping and foaming unit, an air entry and a fluid inlet;
• and the mixing, pumping and foaming unit comprising a pumping element configured to rotate to allow both the food or beverage product powder and the fluid to enter a foaming chamber of the mixing, pumping and foaming unit, the mixing, pumping and foaming unit further comprising a foaming element configured to rotate relatively within the foaming chamber, thereby subjecting the mixture of the fluid and the food or beverage product powder to a certain level of shear stress which allows the mixture to mix and/or to foam, the method comprising:
• a) pumping fluid into a reservoir by rotating the pumping element, so that the food or beverage product powder is diluted with the fluid;
• b) mixing fluid and food or beverage product powder in the foaming chamber by relatively rotating the foaming element within the foaming chamber and sending the mixture to a fluid container, wherein the pumping element comprises gears comprising teeth, wherein module and/or number and/or height of the teeth configures the gears in the pumping element and the shape and/or size of the foaming element are calculated to have a specific balance of mixing performance, pumping performance and foaming capability, respectively, provided by the device, wherein the pumping element and the foaming element are connected to a single shaft and are entrained in rotation by driving means such that one rotation of the shaft achieves both step a) and step b);
• c) repeating steps a) and b) one or a plurality of times;
• d) opening the air entry to a certain level;
• e) pumping from the fluid container into the reservoir and then sending to the foaming chamber the mixture of the fluid and the food or beverage product powder, together with air from the air entry by rotating the pumping element;
• and
• f) subjecting the mixture of the fluid and the food or beverage product powder, together with air, to shear stress in the foaming chamber so that the mixture foams.