As a restaurant owner or manager, a familiar sight is a commercial food processing mixer operating in a food preparation kitchen. Mixing equipment is an integral part of the food and beverage industry and a correctly selected mixer potentially generates profitable returns.
Commercial food processing mixers and blenders will save a restaurant time and money on their payroll, as well as an increase in kitchen productivity and increased food quality consistency. These automated food preparation items are ideal for commercial kitchens where preparation time is a valuable commodity such as in bakeries, restaurants, cafes and pizza outlets.
Where handling larger quantities of foodstuffs on a commercial scale, replacing manual labour with mechanisation can deliver large amounts of finished foods in a fraction of the time. Food mixing machines include ribbon blenders, vertical blenders, table-top mixers and free standing mixers.
Ribbon blenders typically comprise of paddles or blades, and are used for mixing foods to a higher consistent homogeneity, and for ingredients with short mixing times such as seafood and vegetables.
Vertical blenders are typically used to blend multiple dry components until they are uniformly distributed. Blending times using dry ingredients are often minimal.
Both ribbon and vertical blenders can be seen in food serving establishments but are usually more the domain of food manufacturing.
Table-top or counter top mixers are typically seen in food establishments that serve blended or mixed beverages, while free standing mixers often require a dedicated work area, away from customers and are used for mixing batters, doughs, snack foods and syrups.
Some food processing items can consume considerable space and can create undesirable noise. Consider the location of mixing equipment prior to purchase so a compatible location can be identified.
As with all food equipment cleaning is paramount. Analyse any food processing mixer and formulate a cleaning procedure that is easy to follow. Identify any problem areas of cleaning to ensure both your customer and your business are protected.