How do commercial bread makers like Sara Lee and Pepperidge Farm get their loaves to turn out in a uniform size and shape every time?
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I’m a Computer Systems Engineer for a major bread manufacturer in the US and answer to this question is easy. But most people don’t realize how strict standards are which makes the real answer to this question very complicated
The ELI5 answer is they use the same ingredients in the same amounts on the same machines at the same speed and same temperatures always. Consistency at all parts of the process is how this is done at scale.
Nowadays there’s more than just getting your bread to be the same size and shape. Some vendors may require a certain height, color and weight of a hamburger bun for instance with a certain amount of sesame seeds per square inch on top. I deploy systems that integrate with the PLC’s on the machine and many other instruments like scales, cameras, and a wide array of sensors and that’s how we ensure that our product is at or above spec at all times. It’s actually pretty crazy!
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