‘Baked’ goods is a term used widely for most products processed in an oven, however not all baked goods are truly baked.

The moisture content is the key difference in the processes of baking and drying. Both processes require some level of moisture removal from the product but it is the amount of moisture content removed during the process that defines it.

How is moisture removal or retention controlled?

Breads and biscuits are two different example products, where both are ‘baked’ but in different ways because of moisture content. The key to controlling the removal of water from these baked products is the ability to regulate the manufacturing environment. The adjustable parameters of heat transfer, dwell time, airflow, exhaust and humidity can all be controlled within an oven. When changing one of these elements it will have a knock-on effect for the others.

For example, baking in a humid environment will aid in heat transfer and baking of breads, but a humid environment is not ideal for baking products with a crunch, like biscuits.

Operating the oven with a closed exhaust outlet for the excess heat, can retain humidity and create an ideal temperature for baking bread. It minimises product weight loss and aids in the forming of a soft crust.

However, the opposite setup could be used for baking (or ‘drying’) biscuits. By increasing the amount of exhaust in an oven, the humidity is removed from within the baking chamber therefore drying out the product and giving the desired ‘crunchier’ finished product.

In a Spooner multi-zone tunnel oven the profile of the heat transfer can be adjusted depending on the requirement for moisture retention or removal. With each zone operating differently it can determine how the product is formed and finished, thus giving the baker complete flexibility and control.

Imposing a high impingement or high temperature air on a product as soon as it enters the oven will quickly form a crust, causing moisture retention. Instead, the same heat transfer levels can be achieved using radiant heat, this would allow the product to form whilst maintaining the desired outer crust for the rest of the process.

Spooner’s diverse ovens have the capability to bake a wide variety of breads as well as bake biscuits simply by changing the process set points to suit each product.

The Spooner forced convection ovens are ideal for a range of products as several different modes of heat transfer can be achieved with differing oven settings without the need for long setup times.

If you want to learn more about our range of Industrial Provers, Industrial Ovens, Industrial Coolers and Heat Recovery Systems, contact us here or call +44 (0)1943 609 505.

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