Commercial Reverse Osmosis for Bakeries

Since water is the foundation of baked goods, shouldn’t the water put into each batch of dough be as high in quality as the ingredients being used? Water has a huge influence on how baked goods turn out. From how it rises, to the aroma, density, and down to the flavor. Unfortunately, there are many talented bakers that are not using a commercial reverse osmosis system (RO), but instead, use regular tap water and their final products are not turning out as well as they had expected.

Bakeries should invest in a commercial-grade RO Water Filter System for a variety of reasons. For starters, an RO system will eliminate up to 99% of contaminants in water. This means that calcium and magnesium and other minerals found in tap water won’t influence the flavor, color, and structure of baked goods. Depending on how hard the tap water is, minerals have the potential to produce unappealing results such as dough that’s tough and or rubbery. 

RO water can be used in bakery equipment such as a proofer or steamer. This water is so pure that when used, it will not leave any scale or calcium build-up on the heating element. Fondant steamers can now be used without the risk of calcium coming out of the steam head and onto the piece that is being worked on. Using RO water is also a great preventative measure against downtime due to costly equipment maintenance and repairs. 

With any business, the goal is to grow and expand. An under-sink RO Water Filter System that yields 50 gallons per day (gpd) might be able to meet the demand of a small bakery, but once the business becomes busier, that system will not be able to handle the workload. Having a commercial-grade RO system that can produce 1000gpd will be crucial in the day-to-day operations of the bakery.

To put things into perspective, 50 gallons of water can fill a garden variety trash can. 1000 gallons can fill an above ground pool that measures 10ft by 30in. 1000 gallons might seem a lot for a bakery to go through in a day. But remember, in bread, water represents about 40% of the total dough mass. So why risk not having RO water available?