German startup hs-tumbler has completed validation for industrial use of its patented trajectory mixer, an alternative to conventional tumbling systems. The technology will enter first large-scale application in ham production during summer 2025. The high-speed system mixes meat and brine in seconds, ensuring uniform texture and flavor. 

With 80% energy efficiency, the high-frequency mixing movements eliminate traditional stirring, kneading and brine injection process, improving hygiene and efficiency. Applications include cooked cuts, marinated meats, vegetable proteins and more.

Scheduled to enter volume production at a ham factory in Germany during summer 2025, the trajectory mixer passed validation at the German Institute for Food. The tests confirmed its speed advantage: the hs-tumbler mixer can handle 7.2 metric tons per hour, with batch swaps averaging 12 seconds—approximately 1,000 times faster than conventional methods—not only improving hygiene and flexibility but also enabling producers to complete new inline production methods.

Evaluations at Klevertec, an independent research centre at Kempten University of Applied Sciences, proved that the patented system can successfully mix ham without brine injection, thereby removing a time-consuming, labor-intensive and hygiene-critical step in meat production since traditional brine injectors are difficult to clean, often contributing to contamination risks.

“These results align with our calculations, confirming not only the superior speed of the system and its near-continuous production capabilities, but also that it bypasses the brine injection step,” said Bernhard Hukelmann, maanaging director of hs-tumbler and inventor of the system. “With industrial approval now secured, we look forward to large-scale implementation at ham factories.”

First large-scale production

Production in a German meat factory marks the first large-scale application, while smaller units are already used in Europe, Japan and North America.

The system is expected to optimize output by significantly reducing meat loss during cleaning cycles and enabling precise brine dosing. Its energy efficiency together with the elimination of auxiliary equipment like brine injectors result in a return on investment in under two years.

“We can process three times what the largest mixer available on the market can do over the same time period with 80 percent less energy consumption,” said Hukelmann.

Efficiency of trajectory mixing is based on vibration principles and adhesion forces within the mix. The trajectory mixer guides process material at high speed along defined paths, allowing the mixing quality to be tailored to the material. This ensures controlled, uniform and multidirectional massaging and mixing.

Physics principles behind the patent

The system applies “Lissajous curves”—a principle from physics representing patterns formed by interacting perpendicular harmonic waves. In the trajectory system, these curves arise from two coordinated motions applied to the processing container. Timed precisely, they create crossover points that generate shear and tensile forces, promoting self-mixing through container movement rather than tumbling or using agitators. 

“As a physicist, I have long believed that the interwoven patterns created by Lissajous figures could have a good mixing effect when applied practically to materials in a controlled environment. We have now demonstrated that this effect is actually uniform across the whole product,” said Hukelmann.

With no mixing implements required, the trajectory mixer vessel is also efficient to clean. Cooked ham requires the addition of liquids for the mixture, which traditional curing injectors deliver directly into the meat via multiple needles for uniform distribution. However, this method is often imprecise in brine dosing and can cause oozing, leading to microbiological contamination risks. The trajectory mixer eliminates this step, ensuring hygienic processing.

A smaller model of the trajectory mixer is available. In addition to food applications, the system is suitable for mixing a wide range of materials—from powders to highly viscous materials.

Seven months ago, hs-tumbler was one of ten startups selected by Mondelez International to explore technologies for the future of snacking, including sustainable packaging and enhanced sensory experiences.

Source: hs-tumbler