Method and system for controlling product density

Method for controlling the density of a foodstuff to a predetermined level during continuous preparation thereof, comprising:

• a) preselecting a product density set point;
• b) preparing an edible base dispersion;
• c) combining a gas introduced at a gas flow rate with the edible base dispersion to provide a gas/edible base dispersion combination;
• d) mixing the gas/edible base dispersion combination in a mixing unit effective to distribute bubbles of the gas in the edible base dispersion, forming an aerated dispersion product;
• e) outputting the aerated dispersion product in a flowable condition from the shearing unit into a passageway;
• f) measuring product density of the dispersion product in the passageway at a location removed sufficient from the mixing unit such that the product is in an equilibrated state where the measuring is performed;
• g) comparing the measured product density with the product density set point to determine if a deviation therebetween has occurred;
• h) adjusting the gas feed rate in response to the measured density for a deviation determined in g), in an amount correlated to change the density of the aerated dispersion product to correspond with the preselected product density set point;
• i) repeating f), g) and h), in that sequence, at least once.

Method for controlling the density of a foodstuff to a predetermined level during continuous preparation thereof, comprising:

• a) preselecting a product density set point;
• b) preparing an edible base dispersion;
• c) measuring edible base dispersion density;
• d) combining a gas introduced at a gas flow rate with the edible base dispersion to provide a gas/edible base dispersion combination;
• e) mixing the gas/edible base dispersion combination in a shearing unit effective to distribute bubbles of the gas in the edible base dispersion, forming an aerated dispersion product;
• f) outputting the aerated dispersion product in a flowable condition from the mixing unit into a passageway;
• g) measuring in-process product density of the aerated dispersion product in the passageway at a location removed sufficient from the mixing unit such that the product is in an equilibrated state where the measuring is performed;
• h) packaging aerated dispersion product;
• i) measuring product density of the packaged aerated dispersion product;
• j) comparing the measured packaged product density to the measured in-process product density to determine a model offset;
• k) adjusting the in-process product density setpoint with the model offset;
• l) calculating a prediction horizon of in-process product densities from the adjusted in-process density;
• m) adjusting the gas feed rate in response to the predicted in-process densities determined in l) and the formulation feed material density in an amount correlated to change the density of the aerated dispersion product to correspond with the preselected density set point;
• and
• n) repeating g) through m), in that sequence, at least once.