Why the Tray Your Product Cooks in Affects the Product More Than Most Manufacturers Realise
Food manufacturers often work without realising they are operating a hierarchy of attention. The components they focus on – such as a recipe’s balance of seasoning or a sauce’s formulation – tend to be those that are not affected by the choice of tray to cook the final product in. The food technologist who develops the ready meal is likely to focus on the choice of protein, formulation of the sauce and balance of seasoning, then packaging, by which time the product is defined.
Tray size and shape tend to be among the last decisions in a development process.
This sequencing has consequences for the finished product, whether or not they were planned. For Ovenable Trays, visit //www.southerncrosspackaging.com/ovenable-trays
Tray size and shape can be an active participant in the cooking process. How the tray participates in the cooking process can influence the distribution of heat within the product, how moisture is managed during cooking, the likelihood of browning and the final texture of the finished product. Tray size and shape can influence the cooking process by influencing the materials and configurations used for the trays, such as the gauge of CPET trays, the difference between aluminium trays with different gauges, the choice of base vs top trays and the difference in depth. These variations can influence how heat is distributed, how moisture is retained within the cooking chamber, how steam circulates and how the tray interacts with the recipe.
The product might be tested and perform well in one tray specification, then transferred and start performing differently in another due to cost, availability or even just due to a change in supplier. The oven performance will differ, even though the recipe remains the same. Sauces might thicken too much or not enough. Some components might cook too quickly or too slowly.
