Why is stone mill grinding slow?
直子 美加子
直子 美加子
Researcher focusing on innovative food preservation. (创新食品保鲜研究员)
Why is Stone Milling Slow?
The main reasons for the slow speed of stone milling include:
- Human Operation Limitations: Stone mills rely on manual rotation or movement of the stones by the operator. Limited human physical strength prevents high-speed rotation, resulting in lower efficiency compared to modern electric grinders.
- Low-Speed Design: Stone mills are designed for gentle grinding to avoid heat generated by high-speed friction, which can damage food flavors and nutrients (such as vitamins in grains). Therefore, a slow process is prioritized.
- High Friction: The rough surface of the stones creates significant resistance during grinding, requiring more force to operate and making it difficult to increase speed.
- Small Batch Processing: A stone mill can only process a small amount of material at a time (e.g., a small quantity of grains or spices). Processing large quantities requires repeated operations, extending the overall time.
- Inherent Characteristics of Traditional Technology: As a traditional tool, stone mills lack the acceleration mechanisms (such as gears or motors) found in modern machinery. Their optimization focuses on preserving the original flavor of food rather than speed.