When it comes to purchases of baked goods, consumers come back for more when the quality meets their expectations. And they expect that quality to be there with every purchase. That consistency is key to a bakery company’s success. Unfortunately, bakery production is full of unpredictable variables. For yeast-raised products, it can feel like product quality is at the mercy of a wide range of variables: revolving employees, the environment on the plant floor, ingredient quality or even the weather. Since yeast-raised doughs are a living and changing product, they are susceptible to shifts in any of these factors and more. 

“If ingredients are too warm, yeast activity accelerates, leading to over-proofing and excessive dough stickiness,” said Mitch Lund, chemical engineer and business development director, HaF Equipment. “Conversely, if the ingredients are too cold, fermentation is slower, resulting in longer proofing times, lower loaf volumes and inconsistencies in texture. Even slight temperature fluctuations can cause variability in production, affecting efficiency and yield, which makes controlling these parameters extremely important for efficient production.”

Automated ingredient handling can assist with several of these variables. It takes the guesswork out of scaling for on-the-floor operators. It manages temperature control of ingredients so they enter the mixing bowl at a standard and controlled temperature, and these systems can even test for ingredient quality. With ingredient handling, bakers exert more control over the raw materials coming into their doughs and ensure product consistency.

While some bakery products are more resilient to fluctuations in ingredients, including temperature, others can be quite sensitive. 

“Temperature control is essential in baking as it influences the texture, flavor and quality of baked goods,” said David Rodrigues, food systems market manager, Zeppelin Systems USA. “For instance, flour stored at high temperatures can lead to inconsistent dough quality, affecting the final product.”

While dough temperature can be mitigated in the mixing bowl, ingredients already warmed by storage or transfer can have bakers climbing uphill when it comes to product consistency.

“The first thing you can do is prevention by ensuring your ingredients aren’t too hot,” said Pieter Van Hoecke, business development manager, North America sales, Spiromatic. “Bulk ingredients need to be stored in a vessel that is well-insulated. Macro ingredients that are delivered in super sacks and micro ingredients delivered in 50-lb bags need to be stored in the right conditions in your storage room. That information should be on the ingredient’s spec sheet, and it’s important to follow that because minor ingredients are very sensitive to temperature and humidity.” 

Bulk ingredients can be stored in outdoor or indoor silos, and bakers consider many different factors when choosing those placements. While outdoor silos can provide more storage and more straightforward explosion mitigation, indoor silos offer more temperature and humidity control. Available floorspace and the bakery’s geographical location will come into play. 

“Indoor versus outdoor silo installations come down to the cost and quality of the final product,” said Kevin Pecha, sales manager, food, AZO. “Indoor silos offer advantages ranging from control around the silo — the environment — that may lead to lower ingredient handling issues and pest control, whereby outdoor silos can provide significant storage at an economical price point. However, with outdoor silos, care should be taken regarding environmental factors, such as adding dehumidifiers or insulation.” 

Even the bakery’s zoning area can contribute to the decision of indoor vs. outdoor silos. Van Hoecke pointed out that industrial parks are friendly to outdoor silos, and bakeries often find they have the space. Bakeries in urban areas or close to residential areas can make outdoor silos a challenge.  

To assist bakers with space constraints, Jerry Murphy, vice president of sales, Gemini Bakery Solutions, said the company designed its indoor bin system to fit into tight areas specifically. This allows bakers to gain the benefits of environmental and pest control with minimal loss of floor space. 

Temperature mitigation is critical to not only ingredient quality and ease of handling but also food safety. Temperature swings in silos as well as storage bins and bags will lead to humidity and condensation, said Ken Girts, director of sales and marketing, Fred D. Pfening Co.

“These conditions can promote the growth of mold and algae, especially in flour silos,” he explained. “Similarly, high moisture in a granulated sugar system can cause the ingredient to clump and stick to contacted surfaces. Standard practice for bulk flour systems is to use a headspace dryer to purge clean, dry air into the top of the silo to inhibit mold and algae growth. For sugar systems, cool and dry are the keys.” 

In addition to headspace dryers, he said dry air injection into the silo, dehumidifiers and coolers also can assist in maintaining this cool and dry environment. 

When using outdoor silos, it’s important that they are insulated so the flour or sugar inside isn’t susceptible to the temperature swings during day or night cycles. These swings can produce condensation in the silo headspace. Van Hoecke noted that Spiromatic’s outdoor silos are made from glass-reinforced polyester. This material doesn’t transfer heat the way metal will. 

“Your flour gets delivered at a certain temperature, and it stays that way,” he said. 

He also pointed out that outdoor silos are easier to mitigate for explosions because of their strength. Explosion panels don’t have to be as large to vent an explosion and can therefore be top mounted. Indoor silos, on the other hand, require a chemical suppression system, which is very effective but comes with a higher price tag and high maintenance.

Enclosed silos offer easier control of ingredient temperature and pest control because they aren’t exposed to the elements. It depends on the bakery’s needs and available space. 

“Evaluating indoor versus outdoor storage has much to do with available space, the cost of preparing the space for the equipment and relative distances to the production areas,” Girts explained. “The good news is that ingredient handling equipment and system designs continue to evolve to meet customers’ unique needs and preferences. For instance, silos can be insulated to help regulate temperature for geographic locations that experience extreme high or low temperatures. All factors should be considered when evaluating system designs and investment, as well as potential expansions and additions to the facility.”

When making this decision, return on investment (ROI) calculations may need to expand to include more than just efficiency and throughput, noted Aaron Irvin, director of sales, Shick Esteve, a technology brand of Coperion. 

“Some of the ROI will have to come from product quality improvements and waste reduction, potentially maintenance or sanitation cost when dealing with product that was ultimately impacted by the challenges associated with indoor or outdoor silos,” he said. 

Lund pointed out that these nuances are why it’s important for baking companies to work with a supplier partner to determine the best option for their specific operation. 

“Bottom line: There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution in the baking industry, which is why collaborating with the right partner is essential,” he said. “Partnering with a team that listens to the business needs, develops a strategy and follows through on their solution will ultimately bring success.” 

This article is an excerpt from the May 2025 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Ingredient Handling, click here.