How would industrial bakeries function without silo tanks? The short answer is that they wouldn’t, or at least not very well. Silo tanks are a necessity not only because they store food and ingredients. They perform other functions as well, from providing protection and preservation to ensuring the safety and security of the silo’s contents. Silo tank manufacturers take great pains to ensure silos are built to safeguard their contents (also known as silage) as well as the health and well-being of those who eventually buy and consume the bakery’s products. Here are the specifics of how silo tanks help bakeries survive and thrive.
Storage
It’s easy to think of silo tanks as simple containers that stand and hold whatever materials you choose to put in them. But, depending on their contents, they do so much more than provide a box for a bakery’s ingredients. Bulk food material not only needs to be stored; it also must be kept fresh and isolated from outside forces that can destroy it. Imagine leaving large piles of grain, flour, sugar, and other solid but loose materials in piles around the factory floor. That’s not just inconvenient—it would lead to widespread spoilage in no time. As organic materials, food products need extra protection.
Preventing Contamination
Silos are more than containers and, depending on their contents, they can be equipped with added features like fans and pumps to keep the silage contaminant-free. Most silos in industrial bakeries are air-tight to maintain dryness. They’re also sealed and treated to stay free of moisture and gases that can incur rot, mold, and mildew. The material they’re made of adds another layer of protection. Stainless steel, for instance, is easy to clean and resists rust and corrosion that can get into the ingredients. Fermentation is another thing that works best when the fermenting materials are kept separate and uncontaminated by outside chemicals and other things that can interfere with the fermentation process. Finally, one of the biggest problems of contamination comes from the smallest creatures. Silos keep out filthy bugs, rodents, and other critters that can befoul food materials.
Easy Filling and Dispersal
Let’s go back to that image of bulk food materials laying around in inconvenient piles. How does one, outside of a shovel and wheelbarrow, easily transport ingredients from point A to point B so they can be turned into cookies, cakes, and more? A silo delivers its contents through a funneled bottom, which can be connected to a transport system using a belt conveyor to tote it elsewhere. Containment in the silo means easier distribution.
Protection
Here’s our final answer to the question, “How would industrial bakeries function without silo tanks?” Being organic in nature, many bulk food materials, including grains, flour, and sugar, can be ignited by sparks or flames, resulting in huge explosions, particularly if they’re allowed to float in the air. Silos reduce this possibility by containing the materials, reducing dust and oxygen, and keeping it out of contact with flames and sparks.