A case study of some existing breadmaking ovens in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

A case study was done with the aim of producing a document on the designs, constructions, and other important features of existing bread baking ovens. This followed from an earlier recommendation by Andah, 1982, in a study on bread making in Ghana. This involved a survey in some baking zones of Accra during which some cases of ovens were selected and studied. In all 36 ovens were studied; 85% of which were locally designed and constructed. The types of ovens found to be used are the wood-fired earth ovens, built with clay-mud in the form of anyone of more of unformed mud, burnt bricks, sun-dried bricks and refractive bricks; the wood-fired metallic-brick oven with a metallic baking chamber and a separate burnt-brick fire chamber; the gas-fired brick oven with iron rod shelves; and the various models of metallic ovens which are fired with gas, sawdust, residual oil, electricity; or combinations of some of these. The ovens are batch types with predominantly peel mode of operation. Limiting features include poor designing, poor (forms of) construction materials, absence of temperature control devices, poor heat distribution; poor insulation and heat retention, discomfort in operation and harmful health impact