Manufacturing food in discrete quantities, or batches, rather than in a continuous flow, the traditional and still dominant method for most processed foods. Each batch is mixed, processed, and packed as a unit, allowing recipe changes between runs, thorough cleaning to prevent allergen cross-contact, and precise quality testing of each lot before release. Bakeries, breweries, sauce makers, and confectioners all work in batches, with batch records documenting every ingredient, time, and temperature for traceability. The alternative, continuous production, suits only high-volume uniform products like milk powder or refined sugar. Batch production’s flexibility is its strength: it accommodates variety, seasonal recipes, and small runs, at the cost of the efficiency that continuous lines achieve. Most artisanal and mid-scale food production is batch by nature.