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Passing through

Extract from Educatering article

August 2015

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The real culprit for an inefficient lunch service in primary and secondary schools can be a neglected dishwashing area - Educatering examines how to solve the problem of warewashing.

With schools facing a notable uptake in their meal numbers, it is important to remember that the wash up area can be the place that a lunchtime service falters if the right equipment and systems aren't in place. Ultimately, with no clean plates or cutlery, caterers can't feed their customers and pupils won't want to come back the next day. That is why schools must re-examine their warewashing area to see that it can cope with any increase in numbers, not to mention checking to see if the old unit is sapping up your utility bills.

If you are prepared to hand over a bit more space in your kitchen to the warewashing area then a passthrough or hood-style dishwasher can be ideal, particularly for schools servicing large meal numbers, which when combined with tabling can create a very efficient system of dirty items neatly stacked at one end, a quick wash cycle, and clean items ready to use again throughout the busy lunch period.

As Bob Wood, director of DC Warewashing & Icemaking Systems says, "passthrough machines can be capable of washing up to 18 full size plates in just one minute and are able to manage the needs of a busy kitchen on a minimal footprint."

However, he adds: "School caterers need to consider the needs of the entire operation before choosing a warewashing machine for their kitchen. An unspecified machine can create a host of problems such as bottle necks, extended wash-up times, increased labour cost and increased stress. All this can be avoided by correctly identifying the size and level of demand."

Wood also suggests that "when faced with a variety of new technologies, improving the wash performance is the biggest development right now along with reducing consumption of energy, water and chemicals. Value-for-money will also be a big factor for schools".

Read full article in Educatering Magazine August 2015 issue ...




 

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