How to Clean Industrial Deck Ovens?

Deck ovens used by commercial bakeries often run for several hours everyday, their insides daubed with debris of cooked food and grease, and their doors closed and opened closed countless times during daily usage. Besides that, the sides and bottoms of deck ovens get encrusted with oil and baked food which can damage sheet metal. In order to keep them functional for a long period of time, it is important to get these essential bakery equipment pieces cleaned regularly.

There are many commercial deck oven suppliers offering maintenance services in Sydney. If your bakery equipment supplying firm is such a company, you can simply adopt for their cleaning services. But if this is not the case, you will either have to find a good professional firm offering the kind of services you seek or take matters into your own hands. Though cleaning a deck oven is a risky job and requires usage of appropriate skills and techniques, you might possibly be able to handle the task.

Given below are instructions for cleaning a deck oven:

Let the oven cool down and wipe away boil-overs and wet spills using a piece of wet cloth. Remove loose debris from the interior and pay meticulous attention to the door seal while doing so. You can even utilise a flue brush for loosening carbonised spills if required.

Remove the oven racks and clean them carefully in the sink with steel wool or wire brush. You may even use a commercial deck oven cleaner, but make you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If the baked-on grime is too stubborn, an industrial-strength cleaning solution might be required for breaking it down. Make it a point to wipe out the equipment using a wet rag after cleaning it with some chemical solution.

Fill a spray bottle with a mixture of baking soda and water (3 tsp. baking soda and 1L water). Spray it on carbonised boil-overs and spills on the floor and walls of the oven. Repeat this multiple times until the spills flow down to the floor and can be wiped away.

The above mentioned processes can work wonders if you carry them out properly. However, if the deck oven is too dirty to heat up adequately, hiring a cleaning service provider would be the most prudent thing for you to do. The chemicals and tools available with professionals would be efficient enough for eliminating even the toughest of dirts from your oven.

How to Increase The Shelf Life of Baked Products?

In general, the shelf life of bakery goods is dictated by a set of intricate conditions. These conditions, in turn, depend on product developers, packaging technologists and process technologists – all these play a paramount role in the production of good-tasting and attractive foods that do not harbour microorganisms. Comprehending the ways for extending longevity of baked items requires determining what causes loss of their shelf life. Certain deleterious chemical and physical changes are inevitable. But they can be delayed using a few particular methods. Given below are some of them:

Preventing Staling by Reducing Moisture Loss

Even when kept at optimal temperatures, most rolls and breads suffer a gradual quality decline known as staling. The greater the moisture content of the item, the more progressive is the staling process. However, there are several ways for addressing this problem. Many packaging solutions have been designed specifically for preventing moisture loss. The other solutions that can stop staling include crumb softeners, humectants and anti-staling agents.

Emulsifier Aid

Emulsifiers can help in reducing the effects of fermentation and mixing on crumb structure of baked goods. After performing extensive research, it has been proved that surfactants prepared for manufacture of breads can provide several functions for increasing shelf life. Emulsifiers like polysorbates or acetylated monoglyceride can improve the longevity of cakes.

Minimising Microbes

Keeping baked products safe from detrimental microbial activity is quite a sort of challenge. Most contaminations result because of post-handling defilement due to presence of airborne contaminants or improperly installed equipment. Good sanitation within plants can help in preventing minimising microbial problems. Besides that, it is also important to get the machineries properly installed by efficient industrial bakery equipment suppliers. Adding certain ingredients can also help to control microbes.

Slowing H2O

Preventing an iced item from absorbing water from icing or keeping filled baked goods crisp on their outside can help in hiking up their shelf life. Although water migration can be a tough process to control, usage of hydrocolloids can aid to a great extent. Hydrocolloids are substances that can perform a wide range of functions for expanding shelf life, such as increasing viscosity, improving and stabilising texture, inhibiting ice and sugar crystallisation, stabilising foams and emulsions, enhancing flavour encapsulation and icings, and of course, retarding water migration.

Following the above mentioned techniques can not only help in reducing the problems that contribute towards degradation of shelf life, but also aid in producing good quality baked products.

Changes That Have Taken Place in The Australian Bakery Industry

The Australian bakery market has been witnessing continuous growth during the last few years at about 5 percent CAGR (compound annual growth rate). For breads, the percentage is slightly less, when cakes are experiencing a bit higher growth rate at the same time. The largest growth has been witnessed in the area of artisan breads – they are being supported strongly in the sectors of retail street as well as in-store bakeries. The main reason behind this is the desire of consumers for authentic taste and better freshness in their baked goods.

In the market associated with food service cake of Australia, the ever-booming cafe culture of the Kiwis has led to significant growth that is currently being satisfied by introducing plenty of new and finer flavoured bakery products. Besides that, professionals have never been so concerned about creating gluten-free baked food items. Of all the products that have been launched ever since the year 2013, 21 percent of them claim to be gluten-free. Voluntary programs for reduction of salt have also been implemented in the bakery industry, especially in the sector of packaged bread. On top of that, usage of appropriate palm oil is also being demanded by consumers in a wide range of baked goods.

The white bread sector is declining rapidly and being replaced by several healthier options such as ancient grains, wholemeal, grains with fruit, variety grains, etc. During the last 5 years, the bakery industry has been focusing particularly on the production of healthier, gluten-free and artisanal bread. This has specifically benefited younger Australians by providing them with more health-friendly breakfast options.

On the other hand, the variety of cookies and cakes being offered grows continuously in flavours and varieties. The conventional cake specialty shop items have become more specialised and gained their own grounds in the commercial market. Consumers, however, are becoming more and more interested in the processes being used at present for making gluten-free and healthy bread. Even the equipment being utilised by production facilities, such as bakery mixing systems, makeup lines, solids handling machines, etc. have become a topic of discussion among the health-conscious Australians.

Consumers in the nation of Australia have become more concerned about eating quality food over the last 5 years. This has, in fact, been greatly driven by tremendous growth in radio, supermarkets, television, etc. distributing food and meal ideas. It has reflected significantly on the bakery industry and its taste, appearance and flavour.

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Difference Between Deck and Convection Ovens

It is needless to say that the type of oven used plays a paramount role in determining the quality of the items prepared by a bakery. Besides that it also has a significant impact on the overall production. Sometimes, a bakery may not be using the right kind of oven for the goods they usually produce. It can often be due to budget constraints or utilisation of second hand equipment. However, most bakers somehow reimburse for these issues in one way or another, such as, adapting their recipes, changing baking times, etc.

But selecting the right kind of oven eliminates any type of wrongful experimentation and mystery associated with preparing otherwise authentic baked goods. Let’s have a look at the two most common kinds of ovens used by bakeries:

Deck Oven

It is a very important piece of equipment for any artisan bakery that seeks to prepare exquisite and crusty loaves of bread. Although it takes up more space and necessitates skilled workers for operation, the end products are always of high quality. It typically makes use of conduction heating, which is a procedure that involves movement of heat from a deck or hot stone to the sheet pan or loaves of bread being baked. It also employs radiant heating for penetrating in the dough and heating it throughout. Being capable of carrying a lot of mass, it has excellent recovery time and also holds temperature really well. An important feature that must be considered while buying this type of equipment is whether it runs on electricity or gas. The utility costs of either greatly depend on the facility type and region. There are many reputed commercial deck oven suppliers in Sydney who can provide effective assistance in choosing an appropriate type.

Convection Ovens

They are available in a plethora of variants – single rack, 10 pan, double rack, rotating rack, smaller designs with 1 to 5 pans, etc. One of the main features of these types is a fan that blows hot air and thus ensures transfer of heat. The convection heating process allows to use a wide range of temperature such as 425 degrees Fahrenheit for baking dinner rolls, hamburger buns, etc. or 150 degrees for drying meringus. Another beneficial feature of convection ovens is their capability of adding steam while baking. It aids in achieving a beautiful shine and fully expands the loaves of bread or anything else being baked.

Benefits Of Baking With A Rack Oven

For someone who makes their living by baking, having a decent quality oven is extremely essential. Rack ovens are one of the most common kind of ovens in Australia and have gained extreme popularity among bakeries, pastry shops and supermarkets. They are more than perfect for baking a wide range of food items such as cakes, cookies, pastries, artisan bread, pan bread, muffins and bagels.

Many bakery rack oven suppliers in New South Wales claim that using this type of oven can spell a great number of benefits. Let’s have a look at some of them given below:

Product Flexibility

Rack ovens can not only bake a variety of goods, but also be adjusted for accommodating emerging trends. They help in producing amazing bagels and breads, and a wide range of other goods including pies, muffins, cakes, cookies, croissants and pastries. Savoury items such as vegetables and meat can also be roasted with ease.

Consistency

Rack ovens make use of convection heat for baking, and cook any product more evenly and quickly than their radiant heat counterparts. In their baking chamber, fans moving at low velocity evenly distribute the hot air from top to the bottom. The constant slow rotation of the chamber ensures an even bake from back to front.

Easy To Use

The most enticing feature of rack ovens is their ease of use. Most modern units come with computerised control panels which can be programmed for regulating timing, steam generation, temperature and many other things. As such, the only things that need to be done are loading the items that are to be baked and selecting an appropriate cycle after that. An operator would then be free to take care of other tasks and unload the items once the buzzer sounds.

Space Efficiency

Because of having vertical chambers for baking, a rack oven can accommodate a large number of pans in every cycle. Thus, it offers a great degree of space efficiency and ensures high productivity.

Before buying a rack oven, it is important to locate a company that is known for providing reliable service and support even after purchase. Having a customer support who can provide assistance even when called up in the middle of the night can not only help to up the production, but also aid in offering quality products to clients. Therefore, rack ovens should always be bought from a firm that can offer continued support.

Choosing The Right Commercial Mixer For Your Bakery

Commercial mixing systems are probably the most versatile as well as useful pieces of equipment in a bakery. With a plethora of attachments and innovative features ranging from removable bowls to belt and gear transmission, mixers are the vital assets for any baking firm. But due to the availability of so many different variants, choosing the right one from among them can seem like an overwhelming and exhaustive task. In order to avoid unnecessary hassles of the selection process, one needs to make certain considerations and keep them in mind while shopping for the product.

Given below are some factors that can be helpful when buying commercial bakery mixing systems. Have a look:

Considering What Needs to Be Mixed

Different kinds of batter and dough have varied consistencies, therefore every mixer is not right for every task. For instance, it would require more power to knead a stiff and thick batch of dough than to mix icing or meringue. Similarly, a pizza and bread dough mixer would be much different from something meant to whip egg whites. In order to determine what kind of mixer is needed, it is generally advised to find the absorption ratio for the dough commonly used for baking. The greater the absorption ratio, the less tough it would be to mix. Dough with less absorption ratio will require more powerful units.

Usage Expected

All mixers available in the market are designed for handling the severity of commercial usage. However, some are equipped with better features for tackling difficult tasks more efficiently than others. Based on this fact, a buyer can choose one of the following types:

• Standard Duty Types – They are ideal for light food items such as cake batter, whipped cream, soft bread dough and egg whites.
• Medium Duty Types – A typical medium duty unit works almost like its standard duty counterpart. But it can also be used for mixing batter and dough, and that too frequently.
• Heavy Duty Types – These are capable of dealing with applications that involve constant mixing of heavy dough. Some even come with accessory packages.

Taking Into Account The Amount Required To Be Mixed

How much batter or dough will be mixed also plays an important role in determining the size of the mixer which is required. Generally, a commercial bakery needs larger models than a small artisan one, because the former must turn out baked products in higher volumes than the latter.

What Are The Equipment Pieces Needed For Setting Up A Bakery Shop?

Choosing the correct equipment for a commercial bakery may seem like an overwhelming task. But whether you are expanding your existing business, opening a new one or simply replacing some worn out pieces, picking the appropriate equipment is important. Given below are some suggestions and tips that can help you to make an informed decision:

For Dough Preparation

To make bread or some other baked item, it is imperative for the dough to be mixed properly so that the finished product has a standard texture and quality. In order to accomplish that, you might require one or more of the following tools:

• Commercial Mixer – Mixers are available in a wide range of sizes, and used for mixing small batches of fillings or icings quickly.
• Dough Dividers – These specialised equipment can portion out large dough batches into equally sized balls that may be used for making breads or pies.
• Dough Sheeters – Sheeters are used for rolling out and stretching dough balls to a specified thickness and size. These machines are extremely useful when making pizza crusts or pies.
• Proofing Cabinet – A proofing cabinet helps to proof bread dough by achieving ideal humidity and temperature levels.
• Retarder – Sometimes a dough may required to be refrigerated after proofing. But using a refrigerator may not always yield the desired results. In such cases, a retarder would be your best bet.

For Baking

Ovens are perhaps the most important components of a bakery, and you will find them available in several options. Let’s have a look at some of the popular ones:

• Convection Ovens – These are the most common type of ovens and generally used for baking a variety of items including bread loaves, cookies, pies, brownies and cakes. They use internal fans for circulating air to create even browning.
• Deck Ovens – They are generally preferred by artisan-style bakers who make specific kinds of bread.
• Revolving Ovens – A revolving oven generally comes with big revolving trays which can be loaded with the product. It has a high capacity as well as increased output capability.

For Sales and Displays

If you are going to have a retail section within the bakery itself, you will also have to purchase packaging equipment as well as requisites needed for making sales. Once the items have been packed, they will need to be displayed professionally. For that purpose, you can consider buying bakery display cases. They are available in both non-refrigerated and refrigerated styles, so your choice will depend on the products you are going to sell.