Our Facility of Asahikawa Food Design Labo
Over 500 prototypes/year are made including both in-house-developed and ordered products.Tests using actual machine is available, for we have processing lines adjustable to various kinds and amount. We can also remodel our machines to meet your standards.Our facility can be renewed flexibly.
We redeveloped and are using former school building of Asahikawa Daiichi Junior High School as our factory.Factory tours, prototype development using actual machines are always welcome.
Facilities of Asahikawa Labo
Office / Testing Room / Library
We test prototypes to check their flavor and texture by eating and drinking, to meet your standards.Interview sheets and samples are stored and managed for each customer, like a library of food materials.
Pasting / Pasting Room
We paste, instant-freeze and pack high-sugar-content and oily raw materials, for they can’t be powdered.
| Type | Machine name | Particle size |
| Smooth | Comitrol | under 0.5mm |
| Granular | Grinder | under 1mm |
Grinding （Rough・Fine・Dry）
We introduce several types of machines with various abilities of grinding and particle sizes. Taste, texture and tactile impression change due to particle size.
It is also possible to measure the sugar content distribution in-house.
| Type | Machine name | Particle size |
| Coarse grinding | Rotary cutter | 20mm～3mm |
| Hammer mill | 10mm～5mm | |
| Grinder | 3mm～1mm | |
| Grinding | Pin mill | 1mm～0.1mm |
| Fine grinding | Tornado | under 0.1ｍｍ |
| Stone mill | under 0.1ｍｍ |
Roasting
The type of equipment used depends on the shape of the raw material to be processed. Roasting temperature and time adjust the flavor and aroma.
| Type | Machine name | Usage |
| Powder | Batch-style Direct Flame Roasting | Roasting spice, powder. |
| Particle | Batch-style Semi-Direct Flame Roasting | Barley tea, Adlay tea |
| Leaves & stems | Continuous Direct Flame Roasting | Tea leaves |
| Continuous Plate Roasting | Root vegetables |
Air shower
Air shower is located at the entrance．After removing dust and hair from the whole body with an adhesive roller, enter the air shower room.
Air is effectively applied to the whole body to ensure that no foreign matter is mixed into the processed products.
Steaming
We can easily gelatinize grains using steamers.In the case of rice, production of 500kg per day is possible.
With a steamer that uses heated steam, grains can be easily gelatinized.
Removing and sorting of skin
We remove skin from adlay seeds by sorting machine. Coix seed(herbal medicine) is processed by also removing the astringent skin.
Puffing
We adopt puffing machine using heat shock over 300℃ / 572℉. We adjust the cruchy-ness by changing time and temperature of the process.
Unlike so-called puffed pops or puffs that use an extruder, it is a major feature that it can be puffed while maintaining the shape derived from the raw material.
Drying
We use different type of machines according to the shape of raw materials.
| Machine type | Conditions |
| Near infrared radiation shelf drying | Irradiating near infrared radiation under 70 ℃ /158℉ |
| Vacuum drying | Drying between 70 ℃ /158℉ ~ 120 ℃ /248℉ under 100MPa decompression |
| Low temperature/humidity drying | Drying under 70 ℃ /158℉ and low humidity |
Allergen processing line
We can remove skin, steam and roast allergen materials such as tartary buckwheat.
Packing
Filling and packaging are carried out using methods suitable for the characteristics of each product.
| Machine name | Usage |
| Tetra Pak filling equipment | We can provide products in tetra-shaped tea bags(into 1g~10g each) with/without strings attached, by using filling machine. |
| Liquid/powder filling machine | We can pack both liquid and powder products(into 1g~10g each) by changing the machine attachment. |
