Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

models also are available with accessories designed to convert them to tempering units by using
special controls. This type may be more suited to food service departments that use a limited
amount of prepared frozen foods.
Ice-Making Equipment
Ice can be made in blocks, cubes, crushed, or flaked form. Block machines produce more ice
per day than do cube machines. Cubes last longer in drinks. Block ice cools drinks faster but
melts faster. It is important to decide what kind of ice would best serve the operation. A different
machine makes each type. Once the decision is made as to the type of ice to use, the next
step is to calculate how much ice will be needed.
The production capacity depends on internal engineering but also on the temperature of
the water coming into the machine and the ambient temperature around the machine. The
major components of any icemaker are the compressor, condenser, evaporator, and water distribution
system. The location of the ice machine within the facility will affect its performance
and efficiency. In some instances where sediment and scale buildup are a problem, the machine
should be equipped with a water filter. Some models come with a self-cleaning system.
Food Production Equipment
In modern facilities, the food production center is designed to combine all preparation activities
in the same area to save labor time, reduce space needs, and eliminate the potential for
duplication of some equipment. Adequate space and equipment are needed for the production
and holding of foods before assembly, delivery, and service.
Preparation Equipment
The types, styles, capacities, and construction features of various kinds of preparation equipment
are chosen according to individual food service policies and standards. The major pieces
of preparation equipment commonly used in health care facilities are described in the rest of
this section.
Ovens
Oven cooking requires little attention from food service employees, can be energy efficient for
large quantities of food, and is the only method efficient enough to achieve the quality desired
for some products. New oven designs that incorporate microprocessor controls can be programmed
for more carefully controlled cooking times. Some systems enable operators to vary
the temperature in different parts of a single oven. More digital readouts indicating things such
as elapsed cooking time, interior temperature push pads rather than dials or buttons, and
instruction symbols allow for simpler operation.
The most common method of oven cooking is by radiation and convection. Microwave
energy is used primarily for reheating individual portions of ready-prepared foods. Several
types of ovens are available.
In small food service operations or those where space is limited, ovens may need to be
located below the range top. If range ovens are used, doors should be counterbalanced and
designed to support at least 200 pounds. Range sections can be joined together with other units
in the food preparation work area.
A convection oven is versatile, efficient, compact, and has high-volume output. It has
replaced traditional ovens in many food service departments. Because of rapidly moving air, it
speeds cooking time by 30 percent and allows for a heavier load than conventional ovens. In
addition, the convection oven can operate at about 50°F less power because the circulating heat
is used more efficiently. Fuel use is lower than with other kinds of ovens for production of an
equivalent volume of food.
In some convection ovens, two-speed fans can vary the rate of airflow or can be turned off
to convert the oven to a conventional one. Others have a heat source control that regulates the
Facility Design and Equipment Selection
711