To optimize in-store baking efficiency, the UDO baking technology is one to watch. It stands for Univac Double-bake Oven and is powered by Cetravac AG’s patented innovation. Developed under the bakeXperts brand, the UDO opens the door to a new world of baking in-store.
The UDO can bake frozen, ambient-stored raw dough, or parbaked products such as rolls, baguettes and even larger loaves and cool them to perfect-to-eat level in less than 5-10 minutes. It does so while achieving perfectly even heating and retaining all product characteristics, consistently. How is such a process, which is nothing short of revolutionary, even possible? The answers are in vacuum conditioning. The process steps are straightforward: the frozen product goes into the preheated oven. In a matter of seconds, a vacuum is created, removing all air from the product’s pores and clearing the way for steam. The steam is then used to heat the product, a highly-effective process that only takes seconds and boosts crumb and crust qualities. Simultaneously, infrared radiation heating is deployed. With starch gelatinization comes heightened freshness, as this process delivers moisture to the crumb. The final step is vacuum cooling, again a seconds-long phase, which further stabilizes the structure of the baked product. The speed of the baking-off process makes it possible to react to fluctuations in demand at very short notice, thus minimizing unsold residual stocks at the end of the day.