Your choice of bakery equipment has a huge impact on the quality, taste and success of your bread and pastry products. So, it can be tempting to automate your operation with top-of-the-range bread slicers, bun baggers, and heat sealers.

But just because a machine is the most expensive, that doesn’t make it the best choice for you and your bakery. Instead, it’s important to consider your individual production needs, and choose the equipment that’s best suited to helping you reach your business goals.

It’s true that finding the right machinery can be fairly time-consuming. So, we’ve gone ahead and made a short bakery equipment quiz to help you find your perfect match in less than 60 seconds.

But if you want to know more about how to choose the right industrial bakery machinery, here are some major factors for you to consider.

What to consider when buying industrial bakery machinery

What range of products does your bakery sell?

First and foremost, your new machinery needs to match the products you bake. If you specialize in a single product, you’ll want machinery that’s tailor-made for that type of bread, cake or pastry. But if you offer a wide range of products, you’ll need the ability to quickly exchange blades, guides, and bags to keep up the pace of production.

As well as your current products, you might also want to think about any new items you want to sell in the future. That way, you know you’ll be prepared when the time comes to expand your offering.

How many loaves do you need to bake?

The ability to process 60 loaves a minute certainly sounds impressive. But unless your operation is set up to match it, then such a high-end capacity is just a wasted expense.

Before you start browsing for equipment, take some time to calculate your production rate. Then, choose a machine that’s well suited to your throughput to ensure you get the best value for money.

Just like with your range of products, you might also want to consider your bakery’s future growth, and choose a machine that can handle a slightly higher output. Then, you’ll be prepared to increase production when the time comes, as well as identify when you might want to upgrade your equipment again.

How much floor space does your bakery have?

When it comes to buying bakery machinery, there’s nothing worse than finding the perfect machine only to discover it doesn’t fit once it’s been delivered. Then, not only are you unable to install it, but you’re also stuck looking after an expensive machine that you need to return or sell on.

Be sure to double check your machine against your available floor space before you place an order. If it doesn’t fit with your current factory layout, consider whether you can rearrange your equipment to accommodate.

Does your chosen bakery machinery match your existing equipment?

The key to quality baking is consistency. To make sure your products are mixed, processed, proofed, and baked to a high standard, your machinery needs to integrate seamlessly with your existing equipment.

However, with so many possible equipment combinations, that might be easier said than done. If you need expert advice on finding suitable machinery for your bakery, or to find out about custom solutions, please feel free to get in touch for a friendly chat.

Is your bakery machinery easy to clean and maintain?

Even after you find the perfect machine for your operation, it won’t stay in peak condition by itself. To ensure you can maintain optimal output, you should choose a machine that’s easy to dismantle for cleaning and maintenance.

As your machinery continues to transport, slice, and package your products, crumbs and debris get stuck in gaps and crevices. If this builds up, it can lead to bacterial growth and cross-contamination. So, it’s important to choose a machine with a hygienic design, as well as features like a removable crumb drawer, to allow for easy cleaning. This ability to dismantle your machine also helps with replacing worn or broken parts.

Similarly, it’s important to get your equipment professionally serviced and maintained about twice a year. This is useful for identifying and resolving possible risks before they can affect your production, leading to lower downtime and a longer machine lifespan. At LMC, our talented team of expert maintenance technicians provides a full range of maintenance and servicing solutions, helping you get the highest possible value from your equipment.

Should you buy new, used or refurbished bakery equipment?

Even though automating your bakery is a great way to boost your profitability, a lot of bakers worry about the expense. So, if you don’t have the budget for brand new equipment, consider buying used or refurbished equipment instead.

When selecting used industrial bakery equipment, remember to check the maintenance history, operating hours and which components are included. That will help you ensure a fair price, and confirm that the equipment still has plenty of life left. You might also want to partner with a custom manufacturing firm who can adjust your machinery to meet your precise needs.

Avoid machine downtime by stocking up on UBE replacement parts

Once you’ve found, purchased, and installed your ideal industrial bakery equipment, you’ll want to maintain the highest possible uptime and efficiency. A great way to do this is to keep a stock of replacement UBE parts like blades, brushes, rollers and spindles. That way, when a part becomes worn or breaks, you’re ready to replace it right away, and get your equipment up-and-running again.

To help you avoid machine downtime, LMC offers overnight delivery on our huge range of UBE replacement parts. What’s more, if you need a part that we don’t have in stock, we can custom manufacture it for you in only 24-hours.

Your one-stop-shop for industrial bakery machinery

Automating your bakery removes manual work and drastically increases production speed. From finding and installing equipment to comprehensive servicing and maintenance, LMC has everything you need to create a cohesive, fully integrated, fully automated bakery production line.

Contact us today, and we’ll guide you through your end-to-end bakery machinery experience.

For bakers across the world, the idea of automating the delicate craftsmanship of artisan bread is nothing short of blasphemy. But with the precision and versatility of modern industrial bakery machinery, it’s possible to combine this ancient practice with high-speed automation to mass produce delicious artisanal products.

What is artisan bread?

While the term artisan bread carries connotations of freshness, lightness, and quality, it doesn’t have a Standard of Identity set by the FDA. That means there’s no definition for the specific ingredients, processing conditions, or final characteristics required to be considered an artisan bread.

Instead, what makes an artisan bread lies in its production and presentation. As opposed to the factory lines of commercial bread, artisan bread is traditionally handmade in small batches.

Examples of artisan breads include:

• Baguettes
• Focaccia
• Ciabatta
• Sourdough
• Naturally leavened multigrain and white breads
• Country loaves
• Panettone

How is artisan bread produced?

One of the greatest appeals of artisan bread is that each product is unique. Where commercial bread tightly controls ingredients, gasses, pressure and timing for an identical product each time, artisan bread allows greater creativity and experimentation. This gives each product a distinct flavor, aroma, crumb and structure that commercial bread lacks.

Typically, the dough for artisan bread uses only a handful ingredients, including flour, water, salt, and yeast. It’s characterized by a lean formula with very little sugar or fat, and doesn’t use chemical additives or dough conditioners.

Once the dough has been kneaded, it’s left to ferment for several hours. This high fermentation leads to an increase in air pockets, making the bread soft and fluffy. It’s then baked in the radiant heat of hearth-style ovens.

Since each product is different, artisan bread is usually sold unpackaged. The lack of artificial preservatives also means it doesn’t have a long shelf life, and so must be bought and eaten very quickly after baking.

What are the difficulties in cutting and packaging artisan bread?

The lack of consistency in artisan bread makes it very appealing for the customer. But since the weight, size and thickness of each product is different, it can be tricky for the baker to process. Each recipe for artisan bread requires different slicing and bagging equipment.

But the biggest difficulty in cutting and packaging artisan bread is the need for gentle handling. Squeezing the dough too much or slicing artisan bread incorrectly releases the air trapped during fermentation. This leads to poor texture, and a lower quality product.

How to automate the production of artisan bread

With the need for long fermentation times, highly adaptable tools, and delicate handling, automating the production of artisan bread might seem impossible. But all you need to mass-produce high-quality artisan bread is an effective customized solution.

Your chosen industrial bakery machinery should be designed to relieve as much stress as possible. For example, the compression rollers of conventional sheeters will force dough through a tight space, so artisan bread requires a more delicate reduction system.

Similarly, the bread’s characteristic softness might suggest that a wide-pitched blade is the best option. But many artisan breads also have a hard crust. For these, a narrow-pitched blade is needed for a finer cut.

Artisan bread that’s served in single portions also requires a highly adaptable packaging system. This allows you to switch between different product types efficiently, reducing potential downtime.

Find the perfect industrial bakery machinery for your artisan bread

Our wide range of automated industrial bakery machinery means we probably have the perfect equipment for you, which you can easily find using our short product quiz.

But if you need a customized solution, we’re here to build, provide, and maintain a machine that’s specifically designed to match your needs and available workspace. Contact us today, and we’ll match you with the tools to automate the production of your artisan bread.

Why is it important to clean and maintain your commercial bakery machinery?

Upgrading your bakery with cutting-edge commercial machinery lets you accelerate your operation and deliver consistent quality.

But just buying an industrial bread slicing machine or choosing the right bun packaging equipment isn’t enough. 

That’s because:

• Constantly using your machinery creates wear and tear. This increases the risk of breakage and malfunction, which lead to long periods of unexpected machine downtime.
• The buildup of crumbs and other debris inside the machine creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Allowing this bacterial growth to become a major sanitation issue might even result in the closure of your bakery.

 

To keep your equipment in top condition, it’s essential to follow a clearly defined cleaning and maintenance plan.

Follow our checklist below to find out how to clean and maintain your commercial bakery machinery.

 

Before starting your cleaning and maintenance

1) Choose equipment that’s easy to disassemble

When you’re shopping for automated bakery equipment, consider whether a machine will be easy to disassemble and reassemble. Choose one that lets you easily access all parts, and buy the tools you’ll need to do so. 

Alternatively, you can take our short bakery equipment quiz to find your perfect new addition in seconds.

 

2) Turn off and unplug your machine

Disassembling live machinery is extremely dangerous. It’s easy to electrocute yourself, lose a finger or get your clothes caught in the moving parts. Make sure your machine is turned off and unplugged before disassembly.

 

3) Let your machine cool down

Even after you unplug your machine, it might still be hot from use, particularly on the inside where there’s very little ventilation. Give your machine plenty of time to cool down before disassembling it.

 

4) Dress for safety

Wear cut-resistant gloves, and secure any loose clothing that could get caught in the machinery.

Even with the correct safety equipment, avoid pressing on the machine’s blades. This could damage them, or lead to serious injury.

 

5) Find the right tools

Using inappropriate cleaning and maintenance tools can actually cause more damage to your machine. So, you’ll need a brush or paper towels for dry cleaning, and an anti-scratch sponge for wet cleaning.

You should also use a sprayer to apply cleaning fluid. That way, it will be applied evenly, and you reduce the risk of trapping moisture in the machine.

 

6) Choose suitable chemicals

The cleaning chemicals you use should depend on what materials your machine is made of. Polymers, elastomers, metals, and soft metals are sensitive to different chemicals, and using the wrong ones could cause corrosion.

If you’re not sure what cleaning chemicals are appropriate for your machine, a safe option is to use a pH-neutral detergent.

 

While performing your cleaning and maintenance

1) Follow the disassembly instructions in your machine’s manual

By following the manual, you can disassemble your machine thoroughly and without damage. That means you can effectively clean every part, and reassemble your machine successfully once you’re finished.

 

2) Dry clean to remove debris

If you try to wet clean your machinery right away, the soil, crumbs and debris will absorb the liquid. This makes them hard to remove, and encourages bacterial growth. Instead, remove debris using your brush or paper towels.

Some bakers dry clean their equipment using compressed air, dry steam or dry ice. But these only move debris from one place to another without removing it. If you intend to use these, do so as a final detail after removing major debris.

 

3) Wet clean to remove dirt

Once you’ve removed the debris, spray your cleaning solution onto each part and wipe it with your anti-scratch sponge. Tight areas like knobs, screws, and handles might need extra attention.

Be aware that not all surfaces should be wet cleaned. For example, cloth belts absorb water, which can cause mold to grow in a key food contact area. To avoid this problem, swap absorptive components for non-absorptive ones, such as exchanging a cloth belt for a monolithic belt.

 

4) Replace rusted or worn parts before they break

Take this opportunity to replace rusted or worn parts. Doing so now lets you achieve a consistent, high-precision slice, and avoid unexpected machine downtime from breakages.

You can stock up on UBE replacement parts today to make sure your machinery always runs at peak performance.

 

After finishing your cleaning and maintenance

1) Wipe down all parts with warm water

After sanitizing your machine, it’s important to wash away the cleaning chemicals to avoid impacting the taste of your products. Use a separate spray bottle and anti-scratch sponge to wipe down all parts again with warm water. Then, dry them thoroughly before reassembly to prevent moisture retention and bacterial growth.

 

2) Follow the reassembly instructions in your machine’s manual

Reassemble your machine according to the manual’s instructions. As you do, be sure to tighten all screws.

 

3) Plug your machine back in and turn it on

Once you’ve reassembled your machine, plug it in and turn it on to make sure it’s working properly.

 

4) Clean your cleaning tools

As a final step, you also need to clean, inspect and sanitize your cleaning tools to avoid future cross-contamination.

 

Guarantee high standards of sanitation with a monthly cleaning schedule

For your bakery to maintain high standards of sanitation, we recommend creating a Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure (SSOP). This is a document that sets your benchmark for what is ‘clean’, and gives specific details for how your staff should perform cleaning and maintenance tasks. The above checklist is a great way to start writing your SSOP.

 But how often should you clean and maintain your commercial bakery machinery? When it comes to frequency, there are three important questions to consider:

 

1) What’s your product throughput?

The more products you slice, the more frequently you’ll need to perform your SSOP. As a general rule, if you only slice 50 loaves a day, once a month might be enough. But if you cut 500 loaves a day, consider doing it at least once a week.

 

2) What types of products do you process?

If you mainly process soft white breads that slice very easily, it’s unlikely your machinery will produce much debris. But if you slice hard artisan breads or flakey pastries, you can expect a lot more.

But the types of bread you process isn’t the only consideration. If your products include egg glazes, or dairy products such as cream, there’s a higher food safety risk. In this case, you should clean your equipment more frequently.

 

3) Does your machinery have a hygienic design?

A machine with hygienic design has been built to be easily disassembled, cleaned and maintained.

If your machine has a hygienic design, then your standard cleaning and maintenance SSOP should remove the majority of soil and debris. But a machine that doesn’t offer easy access to all parts, or has many cracks, crevices and dead space, needs to be cleaned more often.

 

The importance of connecting with commercial bakery machinery maintenance technicians

Sticking to an effective monthly cleaning and maintenance schedule is an excellent way to:

• Greatly extend your equipment’s life expectancy.
• Improve energy consumption to reduce utility costs.
• Reduce risk of failures, breakages, and downtime.
• Ensure a secure work environment for your staff.

But not even the most rigorous schedule can truly maximize the efficiency of your equipment. So, it’s important to connect with trusted maintenance technicians to ensure you get the highest possible value from your commercial bakery machinery.

At LMC, our team of expert maintenance technicians specializes in identifying and resolving potential risks long before they affect your production. When you schedule maintenance assistance, our technicians stay by your side for as long as you need. They also provide on-site auditing, servicing, and training of the highest industry standard to accelerate the growth of your bakery.

 

Schedule your appointment for maintenance assistance today to optimize the performance of your commercial bakery machinery.

When your breads, bagels and buns fly off the shelves about as fast as you can make them, you know your bakery is a success.

But now you’ve got two choices: keep going as you are, or expand your business to become an even bigger industry name.

For bakers who choose the second option, it means increasing the speed, efficiency and quality of your operation. One of the best ways to do this is to upgrade your equipment.

For example, buying an industrial bread slicing machine gives you the power to:

• Automate your process to save time
• Increase production rates
• Improve consistency for a higher quality product
• Streamline production to reduce pressure
• Reliably meet demands to widen your customer base

 

But while refining your process is the key to growing your bakery, choosing the wrong machine could cause more harm than good. In fact, using a bread slicer that doesn’t match your product can lead to:

• Uneven cuts, which lowers quality, impacts sales and affects your reputation
• Excessive crumb buildup
• Unnecessary wear and tear, which extends downtime and creates repair costs

 

So, how do you choose the right industrial bread slicing machine for your bakery?

 

What to consider when you buy an industrial bread slicing machine

Slicing blade

Some bakeries simply use a standard 3/8-inch slicing blade. While this is a versatile option, it’s important to understand that different products have different needs. The key is to find the right slicing blades for your bakery products.

It’s important to choose a blade that has the right pitch – that is, with the right distance between each of the blade’s teeth.

When the blade’s teeth are narrow, it cuts much more aggressively. This is ideal for cutting breads with a hard crust, such as artisan breads. But softer breads, like white dinner rolls, will cut more cleanly with wider-pitched blades.

Similarly, most high-speed production bread slicers use band blades, which move in a figure-8 pattern. But if you offer products like raisin bread, this movement pattern is likely to damage or displace the fruit inside. For these, it’s better to use a machine with reciprocating blades, which simply move up and down.

 

Desired thickness

Each industrial bread slicing machine offers its own set of slicing options. The thickness of your bread affects the serving size and how many portions your customers receive.

If your bakery specializes in a small range of similar products, a machine with fixed slicing blades would be an excellent choice. Since these blades stay in place, they offer much more consistency in thickness. They also reduce the risk of human error from poorly exchanged blades. As a result, you’re much less likely to produce an incorrectly sliced batch.

If you offer a wide range of products in many shapes and sizes, however, a machine with adjustable and exchangeable blades can give you greater versatility. Rather than buy a separate machine for each product, you can adjust the lattice to slice many different products using only one machine. This saves money and means your equipment takes up minimal space.

 

Production capacity

High-end slicing machines can process an impressive 75 loaves a minute. If your bakery already features a fully automated production line, a high-end industrial bread slicing machine is an easy way to speed up production.

But without a production line setup, you won’t get the most efficiency from a high-end machine. That means you might be spending a lot of money for only a small boost in productivity. These machines are also more expensive than lower-powered options and cost more to run and maintain in the long term.

Rather than buy the most powerful bread slicer possible, make sure you choose a model that’s suitable for the volume demand of your bakery.

 

Available space

Before you settle on an industrial bread slicing machine, be sure to measure the space you have available.

Buying a bread slicer just to discover it doesn’t fit into your workspace means spending unnecessary time and money to receive, store, return and replace it. This disrupts your daily operations, and slows your production rate.

To make sure you get the right machine for your bakery, the team at Lenexa Manufacturing Company offer customized automated bread slicers tailored to your needs. We use SolidWorks 3D to measure and test prototypes before production, so you never need to worry whether your new machine will fit into your workspace.

Machine maintenance and care

Switching to an industrial bread slicing machine can streamline your process, increase your production volume and raise the quality of your bread. But to enjoy these benefits for as long as possible, you need to clean and maintain your bread slicer.

It’s always important to follow the guidelines in your machine’s instructional handbook. But as a general rule, try to keep an eye out for:

• Misaligned blade guides, which lead to incorrect slice size and count
• Dull or broken blades, which damage products and can injure workers
• Crumb and debris buildup, which can encourage bacterial growth

 

Using a bread bagger – the next step to supreme quality

Bagging your bread isn’t just about making it nice to look at and easy to transport. By sealing in the aroma, preserving taste, and protecting it from moisture and contaminants, a bread bagger keeps your product at its highest quality for the longest time. In short, it helps determine the final success of your product.

So, once you’ve upgraded to an industrial bread slicing machine, you might want to consider upgrading your bakery packing machine as well.

 

Finding the right industrial bread slicing machine

Finding the right bread slicer can have a huge impact on the growth of your bakery. But just knowing what to look for doesn’t make it easy to find. For that, it takes an expert.Take our short product quiz today, and we’ll suggest the most appropriate industrial bread slicing machine for your bakery. As well as state-of-the-art equipment, we also provide UBE replacement parts and talented engineering teams to ensure your machine continues to bring you peak productivity.

Orders must be filled quickly from behind a bakery counter, which requires the use of dependable machinery. If your world revolves around bread like ours, having the perfect bread slicer equipment and keeping it in good working order can make a huge difference in the quality of your service. There are a few factors to consider while selecting the perfect slicer for your business.  

On Achieving the Perfect Slice

Why Are Bread Slicers a Must-Have Restaurant Equipment for Artisan Bakers?

Every day, artisan bakers take great satisfaction in producing high-quality, tasty loaves. Nothing beats seeing someone walk by your business, catch a whiff of your freshly baked goods, and rush in. 

Sometimes, a customer may be satisfied to simply take a whole fresh loaf off the rack. In a different scenario, a customer may request that their bread be sliced so that they can take it home and enjoy it with their folks. That is why you should always keep a reliable bread-slicer on hand. 

How Can a Bread Slicer Make Your Business Grow Faster?

The bread slicer is a very important piece of equipment in bakeries where bread is the foremost concern. Having these pieces of equipment will make packing and arranging bread much easier. Slicers can cut into a range of sizes and styles, depending on your needs. 

Bread slicers can save you and your customers the time and effort of manually slicing bread. Each time the slices come out evenly, so you’ll know you’re getting the most out of each loaf. You’ll also keep yourself and your customers safe from knife-related injuries.  

Which Bread Slicer Machine is Right for You: A Freestanding or Countertop Machine?

The two most common varieties of commercial bread slicers are freestanding and countertop, and which one you choose depends on the layout of your bakery. A standalone machine is a way to go if you have limited counter space. They’re easy to get to and have casters to keep them stable on the floor. Countertop bread slicers are mainly used for smaller operations and are located on your counter. 

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Bread Slicer

The first step is to choose the type of bread slicer, followed by selecting the suitable model. You know better than anyone the bread varieties your consumers prefer, as well as the volume demand and inventory levels. When selecting the thickness and number of slices per hour, use these factors as a guide.  

Consider your bread formulas as well, as they have an impact on the life of the slicer’s blades. Slicers with regular blades are better for pan loaves in terms of durability and longevity, whereas scalloped blades are recommended for tough crusted artisan bread. 

Maintenance and Cleaning

Consider a bread slicer to be similar to a vehicle: the more you care for it, the longer it will last in terms of quality and life. Commercial bread slicers are large capital investments, and proper cleaning and maintenance ensure that the slicer’s usability and performance are maximized.  

Looking for a Bread Slicer Equipment Service?

As Aristotle stated, “the whole must be greater than the sum of its parts,” and this is true in order to produce the perfect slice. Picking the correct industrial bread slicer, understanding how to use it, and keeping it in good operating order are all essential first steps. If you need help with the maintenance of your restaurant’s equipment, call Lenexa Manufacturing Company today. 

 

Buns and bread are baked food products formed from flour that has been moistened, kneaded, and sometimes fermented. It has been a vital source of sustenance for humanity since prehistoric times. Most fresh baked goods that are packaged in a twist-tied polyethylene and polypropylene bag have a shelf life of only a few days at room temperature. Molds are the most common type of spoilage organism discovered in baked goods. This article examines the materials used in bun bagging machines, as well as how to keep your bagged buns, bread, and bakery treats fresher for longer.

Bread and Bun Production

What Makes a Good Bread and Bun Bagger?

Buns must pass a number of sensory tests and must not crumble, crack, or become mushy. To think about it, the ingredients in buns and the temperature at which they are stored aren’t the only things that influence their production; packaging also plays a significant role.

Baking companies are looking for bread and bun baggers that can ensure consistent quality. They’re choosing equipment based on the ever-increasing demands for speed and versatility, to ensure that the packing process doesn’t stifle overall production. 

How Does a Packaging Equipment Work?

Bakery operations rely heavily on packaging equipment. They are mostly used in high-speed bakeries for bagging and wrapping baked products with polyethylene bags. The evolution of closure mechanisms for bagging bread, rolls, and buns has been heavily impacted by customer preference for quick/easy opening and sealing of the package.

What Are The Types Of Bread Packaging?

Many packaging options can be used to extend the shelf life of bread. Initially, packaging materials had to be as inert as possible, and bread had to be protected from the principal causes of deterioration, such as oxygen and molds.

There are many different types of bread packaging, which are categorized into three categories based on the packing form: folding packaging, shrink packaging, and bag packaging. 

Manual Packaging

Factors like funding, venues, and product volumes have less of an impact on manual packaging. The application is more adaptable, but there is a risk that it will fail to meet the cleanliness standards.

Semi-Mechanized Packaging, and Automated Packaging

Both the semi-automated and automated packaging are packaged with great efficiency and better packaging than hand packaging. 

What You Should and Shouldn’t Do To Keep Your Bagged Bread Fresh Longer 

Nothing beats warm buns and bread straight from the oven. That’s fantastic, but who has time to bake buns and bread every day? The majority of us buy prepackaged sliced buns and bread from the supermarket. So, how do you protect it from becoming stale?

Bread should not be kept in the refrigerator. This promotes moisture loss, which is one of the main causes of stale buns and bread. If you put it in the fridge, your buns and bread will go bad faster than usual. Because the top of the refrigerator is usually warm, your buns and bread will dry out or even form condensation in the bag. That’s a perfect environment for mold to thrive.

Looking For or Need A Service For Your Bun Bagging Machines?

Set up a service contract with us and have the guarantee, rather than hoping that things don’t go wrong at the most inconvenient time. Check out our large selection of tools, appliances, small wares, and a lot more. If you require assistance with the upkeep of your equipment, please contact us today at Lenexa Manufacturing Company.

How annoying is it to bring home freshly baked bread, bagels, or other delectable bakery goodies only to be confronted with off-putting packaging? Soon after, you’ve consumed a couple of wonderful slices, and then what’s next? How would you keep the remaining bagels fresh so that you could consume it as long as possible? 

Packaging equipment is extremely important in bakery operations. Customer preference for quick/easy opening and sealing of the package has influenced the evolution of bread and bagel bag closing machines for bakery goods. 

Proper Bagel Storage

It’s just as important to figure out how to keep bagels fresh as it is to choose the perfect bagels. The good news is that keeping your beloved bagels is not as difficult as you might believe. Although bagels are known for becoming stale quickly, appropriate storage can help to keep your bagel airy until you’re ready to eat it. 

If you plan on consuming them within a few days, then… 

You should eat your bagels within 48 hours or less of receiving your order for the best bagel experience. Place the bagels on your counter in a rolled-up paper bag. They will be able to keep fresh without being exposed to a lot of air or moisture as a result of this. The texture may get a little chewier, but the general freshness will be maintained. 

If you plan on consuming them within a week, then… 

Bagels that will be consumed within four to six days should be stored in a rolled-up paper bag inside a sealed plastic bag. This gives an extra layer of protection from the weather while still preserving the texture of the bagels.   

If you’re not sure when you’ll consume them… 

Your best choice for any bagels you don’t plan to eat right away is to put them in the freezer. Before freezing, slice each bagel and place it in a resealable plastic bag. Remove one from the bag and place it in the toaster as soon as you’re ready to eat it. 

The Process of Bagging Your Favorite Freshly Baked Goods 

Bakery operations rely heavily on packaging equipment. They are mostly used in high-speed bakeries for bagging and wrapping baked items in polyethylene bags. The evolution of closure mechanisms for bagging bread, bagels, and buns have been heavily impacted by customer preference for quick/easy opening and sealing of the package. 

Bread can be stored using stacks of bags or wickets. A scoop is inserted into the open end of a bag that has been blown open by air, swells, then holds the bag, and pulls it from the wicket over a properly positioned loaf. The open end is then pulled together to form a neck, which is then secured with a wire twist tie or a plastic clip. 

Two Common Types of Bread Bagging Closures 

Plastic Tags 

This bag-closing machine can close 100–130 bags per minute. These closures are likewise wound on reels with tens of thousands of closures on each reel. The plastic clip can be imprinted with information such as the price or the “sell by” date. 

Resistant polystyrene is used to make plastic-clip closures. Their aperture size can make an almost airtight box, extending the shelf life of items. Color-coded tags are also provided for labeling and traceability. 

Twist Tie

Twist ties keep the bag tight while the closure is placed, and they don’t open until the customer wants to physically open it. Twist ties are simple to use and re-use, and they safeguard the product’s integrity by preventing it from going stale early in the freezer. 

It is a low-cost closure for the product manufacturer, with benefits such as automated application and color coding for production. Additionally, it prevents early product degradation, resulting in a satisfied consumer who is more likely to return to your organization.

  

Need a Bagel Packaging Equipment Service?   

Set up a service contract with us and have the guarantee, rather than hoping that things don’t go wrong at the most inconvenient time. Check out our large selection of tools, appliances, small wares, and a lot more. If you require assistance with the upkeep of your restaurant’s equipment, please contact us today at Lenexa Manufacturing Company.

When health-conscious consumers think of high-quality bread and other baked goods, they think of crispy crust and light, fluffy crumbs. They’re probably not thinking about bread bag closing machines or automated croissant rollers.  

But when you think about it, it’s all just repeatable and doable at the end of the day, and if it can be done in automation for mass production, I don’t see why not? 

How Can Industrial Bakers Respond to Baking Efficiency?

Improving The Bakery Process Efficiency

The baking industry has been growing steadily in the past several years with trends suggesting that there will be more growth in the coming years. Twenty years ago, the trend was to process faster and faster. Now, it’s all reversing so that bakers are doing it more like their fathers and grandfathers were decades ago.  

But the truth is bakers will have to adapt to meet those demands while remaining profitable even when consumer demands will change over time. This has significant implications for the efficiency of the baking process. 

This means that products must be delivered in shorter time frames, more frequently, and in smaller batch sizes from the baker to the consumer. However, with the correct equipment and expertise, many of the characteristics associated with “artisanal” baked goods may be replicated, allowing them to be mass-produced.  

Ways To Increase Bakery Efficiency

All bakeries, from small storefront operations to large commercial producers, benefit from increased efficiency. It’s easy to become engrossed in the routine of bakery production, oblivious to where procedures could be improved to improve efficiency and reduce costs.  

Other ways to improve bakery efficiency that could save money, boost sales, and boost profits are listed below. 

1. Portion Size and Packaging – single-serving portions are becoming more popular, which poses a packaging challenge. Bakeries will be able to match consumer demand with adaptablepackaging systems that can quickly switch from packaging full cakes and pies to packing individual bread and slices, for example.

2. Smart and Advanced Equipment – we are witnessing the incredible ways in which technology can transform the food industry more than ever before. Many types of equipment now have automated features, presets, and other intelligent technology that can improve product quality, save time, and reduce labor costs.

3. Reduce Waste by Analyzing Processes and Inventory – every bakery should know how much completed product and how much raw material never make it to the store or the consumer. Bakery managers should keep track of how much product personnel throw away or waste during mixing or production, as well as how much they throw away due to worries about quality.

4. Preventative Maintenance– is a crucial concern in the food processing sector for optimizing machine running times. When a machine crashes unexpectedly, an entire batch is frequently lost. This is both costly and inefficient.  

It is important to maintain open lines of communication with your provider at all times. You can easily question them about maintenance concerns and downtime issues because they know everything there is to know about your packing equipment. 

Looking For a Bread Bag Closing Machines Maintenance Near You?

From all of us at Lenexa Manufacturing Company, we politely ask that you contact us if you have any questions about our services or if you require any additional information that you have not found in this blog. Please contact us right away! 

So, you own a bakery or simply want to serve perfectly sliced bagels to your folks, but you don’t want to injure your hands with bagel knives like you probably have in the past. Well, here are some tips on how to choose the right bagel slicer machines and maybe the solution to your bagel business! 

A Guide to Choosing the Right Bagel Slicer

Why Do You Need to Have a Commercial Bagel Slicer Machine For Your Bakery?

People come to your bakery for delicious and freshly baked goods, but if they have to wait for you to slice it by hand, it may take longer than they’d want. You can give customers the bread they want fast and easily by using commercial bread and bagel slicers, and you can help your team speed up the process as well.

Because there are so many options, you might be tempted to pick the first bagel slicer you see. Isn’t it true that these are extremely basic items? Truth is, they are, but you’ll have a better chance of finding the right slicer for you if you consider the following factors.

Material

Metal, plastic, and even wooden slicers are available. Check to see if the plastic bagel slicers are BPA-free and food-safe before using them. 

Plastic bagel slicers are inexpensive and simple to use, but they are also easily damaged. Slicers made of stainless steel, on the other hand, are built to last. Look for stainless-steel bodies and blades that are rustproofed.

Design

Guillotine slicers, despite their popularity, are not dangerous. Manufacturers designed these slicers to be both safe and effective in cutting accurate slices. 

You could also come across versions that allow you to slice in a number of ways. Bagel knives and bagel biters are also available. For the most ergonomic experience, we recommend bagel slicers with adjustable handles.

Safety Features

One of the most compelling reasons to invest in a bagel slicer machine is to save time and the trouble of cutting bagels with a kitchen knife, which is unlikely to cut your bagels exactly. 

Commercial bagel slicers are designed to be safe to use, so be sure the model you’re contemplating is both accurate and safe.

Cleaning and Convenience

Check to see if the slicer you are considering is easy to clean and user-friendly. Daily cleaning is an expected part of the baking routine, so keep that in mind while selecting a machine. Also, ask about seeing the daily cleaning methods for the gadgets you are interested in from the provider.

Upkeeping and Maintenance 

Because slicing bread or bagel produces crumbs, you will want to look for a commercial slicer with features like removable parts and a crumb drawer for simple cleaning and maintenance. Bagging is another characteristic to consider when purchasing a commercial bread cutter. If you need to bag bread quickly, look for a model with front-mounted bagging. You will save time getting your bread ready for sale. 

 

 Need a Bagel Slicer Equipment Service?

Instead of praying that things won’t go wrong at the most inconvenient time, set up a service contract with us and have the assurance. Check out our extensive inventory of tools, appliances, small items, and more. Please contact Lenexa Manufacturing Company immediately if you require assistance with the servicing of your restaurant’s equipment. 

Those who manufacture bakery items are aware that bread packaging equipment may make all the difference. In fact, it defines the food’s final quality in terms of taste, aroma, and even visual appeal. If you need to pack your bakery items, a bread bagger machine is an ideal solution to your bread wrapping problems. 

 

Scope of Bread Packaging Equipment

Two Types of Machines

Bakery packaging has a practical purpose as well as an attractive one: it protects bakery products like cakes, bread, and pizza from dust and other small insects like grain weevils, who are particularly fond of starchy meals. The products are additionally protected from moisture and heat by the packs. 

Automatic Bread Packaging Machine

An automatic bread packaging machine provides for the packing of a large number of products in a short amount of time without losing quality. For those looking for adaptability, a modular semi-automatic packaging machine may be the best option because it allows you to choose whether to thermo-retract the film on the goods or simply seal it.

Manual Bread Packaging Machine

The manual bread packaging machine is ideal for bakeries and small supermarkets that need to pack modest quantities of products. In truth, a manual packaging machine is simple to operate and incredibly precise. For this type of business, a chamber packing machine is recommended, the packages will not only be perfectly sealed but also visually appealing maximum client pleasure!

Bread Packaging Equipment: A Concept and What You Need to Consider

The bread packaging machine must be able to accommodate a wide range of sizes, weights, and ingredients. Not only bread, breadsticks, focaccia bread, pizzas, wraps, and desserts, dry and freshly baked pastries, biscuits, but also any creams or sauces used on them, are perishable bakery products.  

Supermarkets, communities, bakeries, canteens, private enterprises, and fast food chains should evaluate the features of each product when selecting a machine that will deliver the most precise results when it comes to packing.

The Three Basic Kinds of Bakery Packaging Machines

Loaf & Bread Bagger

A vertical bagging machine is suitable for packaging fresh, bulk bread and bakery goods, as well as products for daily consumption: once the quantity of products to be bagged has been determined and the film has been applied, the packaging machine will seal the bag at the appropriate height. Quick and simple.  

Heat-Shrink Bagger

Heat-shrink wrap machines are suitable for perfectly packaging cakes, pizzas, focaccia bread, and tray sweets. The product, which is wrapped in sealed polyethylene film, is placed in a shrinking oven, where the heat causes the film to shrink until it completely adheres to the contents. The end effect is both hermetically sound and aesthetically beautiful.  

Flow Pack Packaging

A flow pack packaging unit is the most powerful machine for packaging single items like croissants, sandwiches, and biscuits, as well as crackers and breadsticks. Flow pack packaging has three seals: one at the top, one at the bottom, and one in the middle, all along the length of the package. It is a convenient, quick, and extensively utilized packaging. 

Looking For Reliable Commercial Bread Packaging Equipment?

From all of us at Lenexa Manufacturing Company, we implore you to contact us if you want to know more about our services and if you require anything more that you have not been able to find in this guide. Call us now!