On February 27th, 2001 one of lives great mysteries was answered when the Che 102 class and I visited the Hidden Valley Ranch production plant in Stead, Nevada. We were able to find out and see with our own eyes exactly how ranch dressing is made. During our trip we learned how the production is a very long and time consuming process. From the dry ingredients to the ranch dressing bought at local grocery stores certain measures are taken to ensure the quality of the product. For instance when the final product is completed, they take a small sample and send it through several tests that include taste and chemical analysis to make sure that everything is as it should be. Another precaution that is taken is that through out the entire process the product never exceeds or drops below a certain temperature which would cause spoilage. Something that came as a surprise through out the field trip is how much Chemical Engineering goes into the production and bottling of ranch at the plant. When the plant was first being built, Hidden Valley employed a Chemical Engineering to help design and build a chemical process to transport and mix the ingredients in the most economical way. The first problem they had to deal with was how to mix the precise amounts of ingredients and keep the product from spoiling. Today the plant is completely automated. This allows them to make different amounts and flavors with the touch of a button. Hidden Valley makes over five different flavors of ranch. The Stead plant is one of two plants that supply the West Coast with ranch. Overall the field trip was very educational but fun at the same time. It was a great opportunity to see chemical engineering in the real world. Something that you might not have known is that in "1964 The first packages of Hidden Valley Ranch are put on sale in Kelley's Korner, a market in Santa Barbara. It quickly sells out. Henson closes the dude ranch and devotes himself full time to making salad dressing".