The industrial kitchen and Industrial kitchen optimization are the pulsating heart of any food company, constantly evolving to meet new demands and trends. Keeping pace requires a deep commitment to continuous improvement to ensure productivity, efficiency, and service quality are not compromised.
Here are 13 best practices for Industrial kitchen optimization, creating a more efficient, safer, organized, and sustainable working environment.
1. Embrace a Smart Environment
Data offers one of the greatest opportunities for industrial kitchen optimization. The Internet of Things (IoT) has introduced new devices, sensors, automation software, and communication equipment, leading to significant improvements in performance and sustainability.
Practical examples are increasingly common and impactful: observe how Somengil’s industrial washing machines automatically adjust key washing variables (temperature, pressure, and detergent quantity) in each wash cycle to the type of product being cleaned. Or how they allow you to store up to 20 washing programs on an intuitive touchscreen, enabling operators to quickly access what they need instead of manually configuring washing parameters.
2. Implement Modern Drying Methods
An optimized industrial kitchen is also a safe and productive working environment for employees, customers, and the public. Industrial drying methods prevent potential hazards, such as the spread of foodborne illnesses. Various options exist, from convection drying (with hot air) to contact drying (with a hot surface) or natural drying (over time).
In certain specific cases, it may be necessary to use infrared drying, which evaporates water and detergents at high temperatures, or freeze-drying, which dehydrates the substance by freezing it, reducing pressure, and then adding heat. Finally, dielectric drying uses radiation or radio frequencies to transfer heat to materials for drying them, similar to what happens in a microwave.
The choice of drying method depends on each case. However, in most industrial kitchens, convection drying (with forced hot air) is the safest, most effective, and most economical option. This is the method we chose for the MultiWasher, our advanced industrial washing machine. From food containers, utensils, tools, and crates to trays, every item can be efficiently washed and dried in this machine.
3. Invest in Ergonomic Equipment
Musculoskeletal injuries affect 3 out of 5 workers, more than all other occupational diseases combined. The answer to this occupational scourge is ergonomics, the science of adapting work to the individual. This level of care for workers is essential and a requirement for all organizations seeking to create a more optimized and productive workspace.
To improve operational ergonomics, work needs to be done in several directions. One of the first steps is to eliminate repetitive tasks with cycle times of less than 30 seconds. Activities requiring unnatural postures, such as bending, twisting, or reaching overhead, are particularly dangerous. Finally, it’s important to avoid lifting loads over 5 kg and minimize prolonged exposure to vibration.
The MultiWasher is an industrial washing machine for organizations that prioritize the ergonomics of their processes. With this machine, the washing of any item (such as pots, trays, baking molds, tools, or hood filters) can be guaranteed with an optimized and safe workflow. For instance, operators do not have to load and unload each item individually, as happens with a traditional machine. This process is done in custom carts or trays that are washed inside the machine, minimizing repetitive heavy lifting.
4. Choose Eco-Friendly Materials
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), single-use packaging accounts for nearly half of all municipal solid waste. Approximately 79% of all plastic ever produced remains in oceans, rivers, lakes, and landfills.
Paper, cardboard, bamboo, glass, stainless steel, silicone, and bagasse are some of the materials that contribute to a world with less consumption. The MultiWasher can efficiently wash all these sustainable materials.
5. Utilize Ecological Detergents
An industrial detergent is an essential product for health, safety, and hygiene in all areas of human activity, as is true for an industrial kitchen. However, harmful chemical agents threaten human health and the environment and require large quantities of water for rinsing, leading many to question the use of such products in an industrial setting.
As a result, some managers have turned to ecological detergents – free of chlorine, peracetic acid, phosphates, and coconut, sugar, and palm oils – to optimize their industrial kitchen, preventing waste and toxic products. These products also avoid animal testing and only use recyclable packaging.
At Somengil, we recommend the use of biodegradable detergents, free of toxic agents harmful to both the operator and the environment. The MultiWasher requires 70% less detergent than average equipment, while ensuring a perfectly flawless wash for every item.
6. Prioritize Water Saving in Industrial Kitchens
Water saving is a pervasive mission for all companies and a challenge of particular importance in the food sector. Among the many processes that occur in an industrial food kitchen, washing of dishes, crates, utensils, and containers consumes the most water, accounting for almost two-thirds of total consumption.
Water consumption during washing is so significant that, apart from agriculture, no other process in the food industry consumes as much water. A commercial washing machine, with proper installation and maintenance, consumes an average of about 18 liters of water per rack. The MultiWasher – developed by Portuguese engineers – is optimized for saving natural resources, allowing for automatic reuse of wash water between cycles and performing multiple washes with the same water, without human intervention. The MultiWasher thus saves 2/3 of water compared to other industrial washing machines.
7. Ensure Enhanced Hygiene in Industrial Kitchens
Every year, 1 in 10 people worldwide fall ill due to contaminated food. There are nearly 420,000 deaths from over 200 foodborne diseases. These illnesses are caused by consuming food or beverages contaminated with various bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, or harmful chemicals. Since the beginning of the millennium, the number of foodborne disease outbreaks has been increasing at an alarming rate.
Industrial washing equipment that washes cooking utensils at high temperatures with minimal detergent is crucial for ensuring proper food handling practices and improving the safety and protection of employees and consumers. The MultiWasher sets a benchmark for harmonizing productivity, wash quality, and food safety.
8. Implement Predictive Maintenance
Maintenance is entering a new era. Instead of reacting when a component fails, maintenance managers can act before a breakdown leads to machine downtime. Predictive maintenance uses equipment data to foresee and prevent failures, extend lifespan, and improve efficiency. Based on collected data and predictive algorithms, it allows you to anticipate problems that would otherwise cause lengthy downtimes.
Predictive maintenance aims to optimize the industrial kitchen by increasing team productivity and machine efficiency, while reducing maintenance costs and improving customer service. In an industrial kitchen where downtime directly impacts customer service, predictive maintenance can mean increased productivity and higher sales.
9. Carefully Select Essential Equipment
One of the first steps to optimizing your industrial kitchen is selecting only the equipment that is truly needed. Hundreds of appliances and tools are available on the market designed to facilitate the daily life of a professional kitchen, and it’s easy to over-purchase.
However, first evaluate the specific elements for your industrial kitchen and your industrial kitchen design, and only purchase the essentials. This way, you avoid occupying space with equipment that you won’t use later or that will be unnecessary.
10. Configure an Optimal Layout
After purchasing the necessary equipment, it is crucial to assess which items will be used daily and which will be used sporadically.
Plan your industrial kitchen design to allow quick and easy access to the most frequently used items, ensuring they are always within reach. The rest can be stored in more dedicated locations, thereby optimizing space for faster work.
11. Correctly Position Equipment
One of the main objectives to consider when optimizing an industrial kitchen is to improve the workspace and, consequently, enhance the production flow.
Think about how you can remove obstacles and facilitate movement and access to the most frequently used equipment. It is important to arrange machines so they do not impede passage. Improperly placed equipment or uneven floors pose a serious hazard as they can lead to falls or burns. Clear pathways make the work environment safer and more efficient.
Furthermore, the industrial kitchen design should simplify the processes performed in the industrial kitchen, whether in food preparation and cooking, in hygiene practices mandated by regulations, or even in inventory organization.
12. Establish Defined Workstations
Workstations contribute to optimizing the industrial kitchen. Defining physical areas, equipment, and personnel that work best together is a crucial step for improvement and should consider the needs of each type of preparation.
This reduces the need for staff movement while performing tasks, leading to greater efficiency.
13. Implement the 5S Methodology
overall, The 5S methodology increases productivity, quality, and employee satisfaction. It is a Japanese concept for workplace organization that involves 5 simple steps, all starting with the letter “S”. The first step is “Sort”, meaning to categorize what is truly essential in the workplace. The second step is “Set in Order”, meaning to define storage space based on frequency of use. Then, “Shine” refers to cleaning and restoring the working condition of each piece of equipment. The fourth step is “Standardize”, or creating work standards that establish correct processes. Finally, “Sustain” refers to institutionalizing discipline within the work team to follow the new standards. This is a framework for creating a more productive, ergonomic, and safer space, with the best possible use of resources.
MultiWasher: Technology for Optimized Industrial Kitchens
The MultiWasher is a next-generation industrial washing machine. This machine simplifies daily tasks and optimizes industrial kitchen production processes. It is ergonomic and easy to use, flawlessly washing and sanitizing all kitchen items, from pots, containers, trays, and carts, among others. To experience the difference, schedule a no-obligation webinar or contact our team.
