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Introduction
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Food Service Technology Center
Steaming provides a fast-cooking option for preparing large quantities of
food, while retaining vital nutrients in the cooked product. Steamers are
versatile appliances that can be used to prepare almost any food that does not
require a crust. Delicate vegetables, such as asparagus and broccoli, are
cooked without damage; frozen foods are defrosted and cooked in one step;
and hard-to-cook meats, such as beef ribs, can be par-cooked quickly with less
weight loss than oven roasting.
Dedicated to the advancement of the food service industry, the Food Service
Technology Center (FSTC) has focused on the development of standard test
methods for commercial food service equipment since 1987. The primary
component of the FSTC is a 10,000 square-foot appliance laboratory equipped
with energy monitoring and data acquisition hardware, 60 linear feet of
canopy exhaust hoods integrated with utility distribution systems, appliance
setup and storage areas, and a state-of-the-art demonstration and training
facility.
The test methods, approved and ratified by the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM), allow benchmarking of equipment so that users can
make informed comparisons among available equipment choices. By
collaborating with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the Gas
Technology Institute (GTI) through matching funding agreements, the test
methods have remained unbiased to fuel choice. End-use customers and
commercial appliance manufacturers consider the FSTC to be the national
leader in commercial food service equipment testing and standards, sparking
alliances with several major chain customers to date.
Since the development of the ASTM test method for steam cookers in 1993,
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the FSTC has tested a wide range of gas and electric steamers,
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including
Groen's very own HyPerSteam 3 pan unit.
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Background
