Heat and Control
Heat and Control has developed a new spiral oven which features enhanced browning features, called a Colour Enhancing Oven (CEO). The oven is available in single and twin-drum models, and combines controlled browning of both sides of products with uniform high-volume cooking, claims the firm.
According to the company, its big point of difference is the way the oven controls airflows, so there are no dead spots. James Padilla, of Heat and Control, told GlobalMeatNews that no other manufacturers offer a product like this. "We went to visit lots of major food processors around the world, and the feedback was that the majority were falling short of the industry standard, when it came to browning and adding flavour," he said.
The company has carried out a lot of trials on product browning, and has established that the last 20-25% of cooking time is where you get the best roasting enhancements when it comes to flavour and colour, without the product drying out.
"The fat gets rendered, due to the process, and therefore gives you the texture you want," said Padilla. "Part of this enhancement enables you to maintain the texture of the skin, so when it is reheated you still get that crispness. We have looked at how the product is going to be rethermalised, which is a real key to its success." He said the oven had been in development for 18 months to two years, before launching last year. "A lot of that time was talking to people to find out what they want and don’t want," said Padilla, who added that it could also be used for bakery products such as savoury pies. "With enhanced airflow it now opens the oven up to make a wider number of applications," he said, with very positive feedback so far.