HOW IT WORKS - Instant Soup

Summary

This video delves into the intricate and industrial process of making instant soup. It highlights how ingredients like dried leeks, meatballs made from various cuts of cow, and a blend of spices are combined to create the final product. The production involves precise measurement, mixing, and blending of ingredients, including the use of solidified fat to enhance flavor. With competition in the instant soup industry fierce, taste testers play a key role in deciding which flavors make it to market. The final product is packaged and shipped globally, showcasing the scale of the industry, worth over £73 million annually.

Takeaways

• 😀 Instant soups are popular due to their convenience, but they often contain a lot of sugar to enhance flavor.
• 😀 A variety of ingredients, like dried leeks and meatballs, are used in instant soup production.
• 😀 Meatballs in instant soups are made from various parts of the cow and undergo a process of grinding, mixing, and shaping.
• 😀 Ingredients like dried egg white powder, breadcrumbs, and spices help bind meatballs together in the soup.
• 😀 The fat used in instant soups is solidified by cooling it to -4°C to make it easier to add to the mix.
• 😀 The production of instant soups is a large industry in the UK, valued at over £73 million annually.
• 😀 Companies in the instant soup industry use taste testers to help determine which flavors will be successful.
• 😀 Instant soup production involves mixing key ingredients like dried vegetables, spices, and fat to create flavor profiles.
• 😀 After production, meatballs are distributed into packets alongside soup powder and noodles.
• 😀 The sealed packets of soup are boxed and shipped to storage facilities for distribution.
• 😀 More than 250 million mugs of a popular instant soup brand are consumed each year, highlighting the scale of the industry.

Q & A

What is one of the major drawbacks of traditional homemade soup?

One of the major drawbacks of traditional homemade soup is the time it takes to chop, reduce, and cook all the ingredients.

Why are instant soups so popular in today's market?

Instant soups are popular because they are quick and convenient, saving time compared to preparing traditional soups.

What ingredient is commonly used by soup producers to enhance flavor?

Soup producers commonly use sugar in their recipes to enhance the flavor of the soup.

What is the process used to remove damaged ingredients like burnt leeks in instant soups?

Workers sort through the ingredients, removing any burnt leeks before adding them to the final mixture.

How are the meatballs for the instant soup made?

The meatballs are made by grinding different parts of the cow, mixing them with dried egg white powder, breadcrumbs, and spices, then shaping the mixture into small meatballs.

What is done to prevent the meatballs from sticking together during production?

After the meatballs are formed, they are sprinkled with flour and shaken to prevent them from sticking together.

What is the purpose of cooling the liquid fat to -4°C in the soup production process?

Cooling the liquid fat to -4°C solidifies it, allowing it to be chipped into flakes, which are evenly dispersed into the soup mixture.

Why are taste testers employed by soup companies?

Taste testers are employed to provide feedback on new soup flavors, helping the company decide which flavors are good enough to be sold in supermarkets.

What happens to the meatballs, noodles, and soup powder during the packing stage?

The meatballs, noodles, and soup powder are distributed into packets by machines, ensuring the correct weight and combination for each pack.

How many mugs of a particular instant soup are consumed annually by one company?

One company claims that more than 250 million mugs of its famous instant soup are consumed every year.