Reading Bakery Systems (RBS) installed its new electric-powered convection oven at the RBS Science & Innovation Center and is now ready for production trials.

The two-zone convection oven with a sustainable design offers similar baking to a gas-powered oven but is able to achieve sustainability goals with energy efficiency and emission-reducing benefits of electric penthouses, RBS details.

“It is our charge to develop innovative equipment and system solutions that meet the sustainability-focused guidelines of the future. Our equipment and systems are renowned for operational efficiency, reliability, and longevity, so it is important that we lead electric oven adoption. We are truly excited to now offer customers the opportunity to test their products on the electric-powered version of our ovens,” said Cameron Johnston, director of engineering at RBS.

Before offering trials to customers, RBS ran organoleptic tests, and carried out R&D to prove product parity. The results show that the same snacks can be successfully made on the electric-powered oven, and with the same quality, textures, and taste.

Operationally, baking with an electric oven is very similar to baking with a gas-powered oven. Control points and baking profiles are the same, resulting in no significant difference in chamber humidity. While the electric oven is slightly less responsive to settle from a temperature adjustment, the baking process is more energy efficient due to less products of combustion and less humidity needing to be exhausted, explains RBS.

Photo: Reading Bakery Systems