Introduction to Oreo Cookies

In 1898, several baking companies merged to form the National Baking Company, also known as Nabisco. This marked the birth of the organization that would eventually create the iconic Oreo cookie. Today, Oreo cookies are produced at factories in 18 countries around the world, with a whopping 40 billion cookies produced per year.

The Manufacturing Process

Due to the sheer amount of cookies produced, hand-making is not an option. Instead, the Oreo factory is equipped with heavy-duty machinery to churn out billions of cookies each year. The main ingredients used in the cookie-making process include flour, sugar, cocoa powder, vegetable oil, leavening agents, salt, flavorings, and vanilla cream filling. These ingredients are sourced from different producers and are approved by a quality control team before being used in the manufacturing process.

Preparing the Batter

The process begins with preparing the batter. A worker unloads heaps of sugar into an industrial-grade mixer, followed by the addition of two kinds of cocoa, which have been processed beforehand to make them milder and smoother. A pre-mix of salt and other ingredients is added, along with a specially formulated canola oil mixture, which helps the dry ingredients form into a batter. Water is added, and the batter starts to look like a bubbling chocolate mixture. Dry ice is then added to lower the mixture’s temperature, which is important for preventing the dough from becoming too crumbly.

Shaping the Cookies

The workers then shovel the cookie dough into a grate and press them through the grate into a molding machine. This helps portion the large clumps of cookie dough into individual pieces that are crucial for the molding process. The molding machine forms the dough into biscuit shapes, complete with the intricate design and logo engraved into a roller that presses it onto the cookies.

Baking the Cookies

The cookies move from a silicon conveyor onto a steel one, which has excellent thermal properties that deliver efficient baking and a crisp, attractive base. The cookies then travel through an 85-meter-long industrial-grade oven for several minutes, receiving an even baking while being cooled. The vanilla cream filling is prepared separately, made from a mixture of powdered sugar, vegetable shortening, vanilla flavoring, and sometimes other ingredients to achieve a desired taste and texture.

Assembling the Cookies

Once the cookies are cool, they are ready for assembly. They move to another conveyor, which feeds into a series of shoots. The biscuits travel over ramps designed to make them fall into a certain orientation, with one side landing plain side up and the other side landing with the engraved side up. A centrilical pump deposits the vanilla filling onto the plain side of the biscuits, and machinery presses the top biscuit onto the bottom one.

Quality Control and Packaging

The entire cookie-making process takes about 90 minutes, churning out 3,000 cookies every minute. The trays, now full of biscuits, move on to the quality control station, where the Oreo cookies undergo quality control checks to ensure they meet the company’s standards. Once approved, they are packaged into larger boxes or containers and shipped to distribution centers, where they are then sent to retailers for sale.

Conclusion

Oreo cookies are available in more than a hundred countries around the globe, with approximately 34 billion sold each year. The iconic cookie has become a beloved treat for people of all ages, and its manufacturing process is a testament to the power of innovation and technology in the food industry.

Key Vocabulary

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Vocabulary Quiz

1. Which word means ‘a substance used to make something rise or expand’ in the context of Oreo cookie manufacturing?

A) Flavorings
B) Leavening agents
C) Vanilla cream filling
D) Vegetable oil

2. What is the primary function of adding dry ice to the cookie batter mixture?

A) To add flavor to the cookies
B) To lower the mixture’s temperature and prevent the dough from becoming too crumbly
C) To make the cookies more crunchy
D) To speed up the baking process

3. Which machine is used to portion the large clumps of cookie dough into individual pieces?

A) Industrial-grade mixer
B) Molding machine
C) Grate and molding machine
D) Centrilical pump

4. What is the purpose of the quality control station in the Oreo cookie manufacturing process?

A) To package the cookies into larger boxes or containers
B) To assemble the cookies with the vanilla cream filling
C) To ensure the cookies meet the company’s standards
D) To bake the cookies in the industrial-grade oven

5. Approximately how many Oreo cookies are sold each year around the globe?

A) 10 billion
B) 20 billion
C) 34 billion
D) 40 billion

Answer Key:

1. B
2. B
3. C
4. C
5. C

Grammar Focus

Grammar Focus: The Use of Passive Voice in Describing Processes

Grammar Quiz:

1. The new employee ____________________ by the HR department before being assigned to a project.

• a) is trained
• b) trains
• c) was trained
• d) is being trained

2. The quality of the ingredients ____________________ by a team of experts before they are used in the manufacturing process.

• a) is checked
• b) checks
• c) are checked
• d) have been checked

3. The Oreo cookies ____________________ in over 100 countries around the world.

• a) are sold
• b) sell
• c) have been sold
• d) were sold

4. The vanilla cream filling ____________________ separately before being assembled with the biscuits.

• a) is prepared
• b) prepares
• c) has been prepared
• d) was prepared

5. The cookies ____________________ through an 85-meter-long industrial-grade oven for several minutes.

• a) are baked
• b) bake
• c) have been baked
• d) were baked

Answer Key:

1. d) is being trained

2. a) is checked

3. a) are sold

4. a) is prepared

5. a) are baked