baking+biscuit 2022-02

In the spotlight Brice-Audren Riché, the new Lesaffre CEO

Continuous mixing The steps to dough consistency

Automation Connected baking makes smart factories

www.bakingbiscuit.com

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EDITORIAL

How to prevent world hunger?

Reporting in the world of bakery means we are delving into complex technical issues, bringing innovations to light and learning what makes them useful tools. As technology continuously develops, we follow advancements closely to understand and analyze them in depth. We also research innovations in raw materials, look into the science in their development – to provide inspiration and information about new opportunities. New product development is a key driver to growth, for bakeries as well as the industry supporting them, alongside process efficiency, sustainability and ingredient quality. It’s a world that has not stood still, pandemic or not. On the contrary, we have seen transformation in all fields of the industry taking place faster, being more profound and impactful because of (or despite of) the pandemic.

Catalina Mihu, Editor-in-chief Your commments or suggestions are always appreciated: e-mail: mihu@foodmultimedia.de

It is a mission we take pride in. Basic nourishment that is healthy, sustainable – and delicious! – has always been an essential topic to follow, support and be a part of. However, the bakery industry is very much connected to the world at large, and susceptible to the impact of events in economics or politics.

Business was always conducted in parallel. Sales and service support teams were on their way to clients, equipment on its way to bakeries, materials on their way to silos, and products on the line on their way to packaging stations, when terrorist attacks in France and the UK were making headlines, for example, or when 9/11 forever changed the world. You can read about such a personal experience, for example, in the recollection shared by Aart-Jan Hartman, CCO at Kaak, in an interview in the following pages. And now there is a war in Europe, which not only brings tragedy to a country and its people, but also sparks fears of global hunger. Our coverage will focus on technology, the science and the tools to support baking; but, we cannot leave out disruptive events such as these, the impact they have on the industry, as we identify solutions and new opportunities together.

In this case, with more than 30% of the world’s wheat source single-handedly removed from the supply chain with the first bullet that was fired in Ukraine, grave questions follow. The United Nations issued a stark warning: one of the major consequences of the Ukrainian crisis will be a global food crisis that will affect hundreds of millions of people around the world, UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres said. Experts agree in anticipating the greatest threat of famine since WW2, as the food supply system faces seismic changes.

Wheat supply is only one of the shortages we are seeing, disruptions are already hitting gas and oil prices. Africa and the Middle East are expected to be severely affected by the wheat shortage. Hunger was here already, before Russia’s attack, and should be treated the same, whether it affects Europe or anywhere else in the world. This brings the question, however surreal it might seem outside of the mainstream media, and in urgent need of answers: how to prevent world hunger? “We must do everything we can to prevent a hurricane of famine and a collapse of the global food system,” Gutteres urged. The good news is that bakeries have not paused, and bread remains readily available. Bakeries are already starting to change the ovens’ energy source to electricity to work around the crisis. This is just one example, and we will be highlighting more solutions as they develop, one by one.

Catalina Mihu

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CONTENTS

COVER STORIES

HIGHLIGHTS

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Brice-Audren Riché began his role as Lesaffre’s CEO on January 1, 2022. He shared with us his percompany the stature of

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Lesaffre, his thoughts on current disruptions, and the fundamentals of innovation and conducting business

© FRITSCH

spective on managing a

© Lesaffre

AUTOMATION

going forward.

From viennoiserie to Danish pastry, and any number of hybrid, new creations, laminated dough is the path to the sought-after airy, light layers. Gentle dough stretching and folding is a a must. However, there is by no means a one-size-fits-all approach to the process. Tried and tested laminating methods and line

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PRODUCTION Automated continuous mixing delivers real-time process assessment and consistency round the

MARKET

clock.

Bakery chains are expanding at a fast pace across Europe, with Germany in the lead. While traditional chains are the steadfast dominant presence in this segment, coffee shops, sandwich chains and other business models are also on the rise, with inviting alternatives.

22 AUTOMATION

INTERVIEW

The concept of a fully-automated bakery that can

This spring, Aart-Jan Hartman, Chief

run itself independently, the smart baking factory,

Commercial Officer, celebrates 25 years

is one that will deliver high-quality goods adjusting

with Royal Kaak. Here is a glimpse

processes to do so, without missing a beat. The

into building a successful concept of

and utilizing this information to connect and synchronize equipment. This is AMF’s vision for ‘lights-out’ bakeries.

www.bakingbiscuit.com 01/2022

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vertical integration, the silver lining for © Royal K A AK

key to achieving this is collecting the right data

better value offerings for the company’s markets, and the concepts around which Kaak builds its strategy.

© pexels-cats-coming

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© RBS

setups can accommodate flexibility and consistency in results.

© AMF

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CONTENTS

Media to the global baking industry

IN THE SPOTLIGHT 06

Interview: Brice-Audren Riché, the new CEO of Lesaffre

SUSTAINABILITY 10

backaldrin: Sustainability is a mindset

Food2Multimedia is a publishing house operating at an international level and specializing in researching and editing technical information for the baking sector.

PRODUCTION 12

Continuous mixing: The steps to dough consistency

18

Deck ovens: Artisan baking quality and energy efficiency

32

Automated ingredient handling: Control systems and dosing, weighing technology

AUTOMATION 22

AMF Bakery Systems: Connected baking makes smart factories Breads, baguettes

In the spotlight Brice-Audren Riché, the new CEO of Lesaffre

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MECATHERM: Premium line preserves tradition with state-of-the-art technology

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FRITSCH: This is PROGRESSA

Continuous mixing The steps to dough consistency

Automation Connected baking makes smart factories

VISIT 28

MPREIS: Therese Mölk installs new production line

SOURDOUGH 36

02 22

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Dawn Foods: Sweet and sour trends

PACKAGING Leclerc and Syntegon: The project f2m Food2Multimedia GmbH

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MARKET 42

GIRA: Europe’s dynamic business models – bakery chains

AUTOMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

INTERVIEW AUTOMATION – SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Aart-Jan Hartman, CCO, Royal Kaak: “Recognize your market, go in-depth!”

SCIENCE 52

Integrated research: Molecular and functional analytics

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REGULARS Editorial: “How to prevent world hunger?”

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News

58

News

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Advertiser directory Dictionary of bakery terms

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

“Microorganisms have a wealth of untapped potential” Brice-Audren Riché began his role as Lesaffre’s CEO on January 1, 2022. He shared with us his perspective on managing a company the stature of Lesaffre, his thoughts on current disruptions, and the fundamentals of innovation and conducting business going forward.

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Catalina Mihu: Congratulations on the new role! What are your thoughts on taking the lead of one of the key global companies in the baking industry, in the current environment?

Brice-Audren Riché: It is with great enthusiasm, pleasure and pride that I have taken over the position of CEO at Lesaffre, succeeding Antoine Baule, whose dedication to the service of our group for nine years I would like to pay tribute to.

With the 11,000 employees of the group throughout the world, we will carry on developing solutions based on microorganisms such as yeast, yeast extracts, bacteria, phages, and more. Lesaffre’s various activities are at the heart of the challenges of today and tomorrow, stemming from how to nourish nine billion people by 2050, in a healthy way, by making the most of our planet’s resources. It is extremely stimulating to be able to accompany the growth of our group in a sustainable and responsible manner, both in Baking and Nutrition & Health.

Mihu: The CEO role came six months after being appointed Deputy Managing Director of Lesaffre. What has the transition entailed?

Riché: My role as Deputy Managing Director at Lesaffre was an opportunity to ensure a smooth transition from my duties at Biospringer to my current position. With the members of Comex and the support of all the group’s teams throughout the world, we continue to focus on our mission to pursue Lesaffre’s development in the fields of baking and nutrition and health.

Mihu: What values and key takeaways would define your tenure as Biospringer’s General Manager?

Riché: Our group, with its 170 years of history, is viscerally attached to the values of entrepreneurship and innovation that make up its DNA. Like all the entities of Lesaffre, Biospringer is marked by the group's mission: working together to better nourish and protect the planet.

New perspectives Mihu: What aspects will Lesaffre prioritize under your management?

Riché: In the coming decades, as the world’s population continues to grow, we will need to discover sustainable

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ways of providing healthy food for all, while also helping protect the environment. At Lesaffre, we believe in the limitless opportunities offered by biotechnology, such as the fermentation of microorganisms. Our ambition is to be a leading player in the global movement to harness the power of fermentation by developing our portfolio of microorganisms. Yeasts, yeast extracts, bacteria, phages are some of these microorganisms which can bring benefit by themselves or through the metabolites they generate.

11,000 EMPLOYEES WORK AT LESAFFRE Mihu: What changes brought on by pandemic measures will shape the workflow at Lesaffre going forward?

Riché: Our agile, highly international business organization model, which allows the vast majority of initiatives to be taken at the local level, has enabled us to get through the pandemic. Our top priorities during the crisis were twofold: to ensure the safety of our employees in the face of the pandemic, and to continue to fulfill our mission with our clients to help feed the population.

Mihu: And what changes should the entire supply chain make to adapt to disruptions such as this?

Riché: The global pandemic that we have been through has had a lasting and profound impact on working methods in all sectors. It has also provided an opportunity to challenge practices. This is the case for the supply chain, which we have adapted so that it can respond quickly and efficiently to our customers’ needs. This is another lesson learned in the crisis: we anticipate and understand potential challenges and react quickly to avoid stock shortages and delays, with our customer service specialists tracking our shipments through to final delivery. Finally, our industrial footprint – with plants close to our customers and market – is a great asset, not only to produce locally, which means reducing transportation and CO2 emissions, but also to be able to adapt quickly to supply chain disruptions.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Mihu: What is the impact you observe on global trends and in the fermentation industry, in particular?

Riché: We are collectively facing one big challenge: in 2050, we will be more than nine billion people on Earth. We will need to be fed and remain healthy while protecting the planet to pass it on to future generations. Lesaffre is determined to play a role in this challenge. Our ambition is to take advantage of the immense progress occurring in the science of fermentation and to contribute to its advancement. We are convinced fermentation is part of the solution to this challenge.

“In the next months, we plan to build two plants, on two different continents. In France, we will open a new campus, equipped with state-of-the-art R&D equipment.”

Brice-Audren Riché, CEO Lesaffre

The next step

© Lesaffre

Mihu: What possible market dynamics do you anticipate?

Riché: Today, the more we advance in our research, the better we understand the nature of fermentation, the intimate composition of microorganisms and the benefits they bring to humanity. In turn, we find better uses in taste and pleasure, especially for baking products, but also – generally speaking – for human, animal and plant nutrition and health. We can also contribute to the rise of industrial biotechnologies.

Mihu: What can you share about Lesaffre’s current and upcoming projects worldwide?

Riché: Our expertise in bread-making makes us a trusted partner for bakeries of all sizes. Baker's yeast is a vital ingredient for bread-making as its fermentation is key to making the dough rise. Today, a traditional ingredient for leavening bread, sourdough, is enjoyed by consumers looking for natural products and the richest possible flavors.

We have solutions for our customers under the Livendo range, including starters, living sourdoughs, devitalized sourdough, and sourdough-based preparations, all designed to make it easier to bake sourdough bread. We already have several units in the different regions of the world dedicated to sourdough. We will keep on investing in this field and innovating as part of our baking ingredient portfolio.

We are also convinced that bread can play its part in daily nutrition and well-being. This is why we are committed to providing every baker with genuinely healthy ingredients.

In this respect, we offer solutions to reduce the quantities of certain ingredients in finished products, such as salt, fat and sugar, or solutions to add ingredients, conversely, including proteins, vitamins or minerals.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Microorganisms such as yeast, yeast extracts, bacteria, and phages are the basis of new product development at Lesaffre © Lesaffre

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The crossover of our historic expertise in bread-making and the state-of-the-art expertise in our nutrition and health business units puts Lesaffre in a unique position to meet the challenges of baking in the 21st century. By working closely with bakers and harnessing our R&D facilities, we can deliver the latest innovations in bread-making.

group, we are driving innovation in every area of expertise and every single one of our activities.

Our teams are involved in the innovation process, from the marketing teams to the industrial management team and, of course, our 600 R&D experts around the world, who actively collaborate with some 60 universities and research centers throughout the world. This proactive approach is Mihu: What priorities are the basis for projects at Lesaffre? based on the needs of the field, as well as on the continuous Riché: Our group has never search for product improvement stopped growing since its creaand ease of use by the end-user. tion in 1853. In view of the needs We are devoting our energy and of the population, this trend must enthusiasm to building this growth accelerate. This is the reason why platform in partnership with the we plan to continue to innovate best teams in the world. The acR&D EXPERTS WORK AT and expand, with many projects celerated progress in the science LESAFFRE WORLDWIDE worldwide. Our business is organof fermentation is an immense ized around four business clusters resource, providing solutions to and 10 business units. Serving the markets for baking, food nourishing the planet responsibly in the long run. taste and pleasure, healthcare and industrial biotechnology, our teams are continuously looking to extend our fermentation Mihu: How do you see R&D work at Lesaffre, given the knowledge. global reach and opportunity for local inspiration?

In the next months, we plan to build two plants, on two Riché: As a science and technology company, we are condifferent continents. In France, we will open a new campus, tinually looking for new opportunities for innovation that will equipped with state-of-the-art R&D equipment. This unique help our customers. Innovation is deeply ingrained in our place will gather 700 of our colleagues and will help to DNA, along with our belief in placing the user experience promote synergies on our projects. It will constitute a at the heart of everything we do. We see innovation as a unique ecosystem, a place of connection, emulation and process that needs space to develop and respond to evercollective intelligence around major themes which are changing needs. Amid growing interest in plant-based diets, important for us for the future.

Proteissimo 101, a protein derived from yeast, is just one Thanks to the commitment and passion of our teams worldexample of that spirit of innovation. It underlines our belief wide, we have created a unique innovation platform to that entrepreneurship, trust and passion drive innovation, address needs as varied as the diversity of breads from and we encourage it across our business. around the world, human immunity, antibiotic reduction in We are proud to be working closely with our clients, partners animal feed, pesticide replacement in crop protection and and other stakeholders. Together, we are developing innomany other solutions to better nourish and protect the planet. vative new solutions to meet their ever-changing needs, and those of their customers. To do this, we combine the Mihu: Lesaffre has been driven for almost 170 years by its expertise of our R&D and application centers with the feedambition to create innovative and environmentally friendly back from customers, so that we can co-create entirely solutions. What will further innovation focus on? new offerings and enhancements to our existing ones. We Riché: At Lesaffre, we know that living microorganisms have believe that our role is to help our customers anticipate a wealth of untapped potential. We are working to unleash future challenges, to help them adapt and encourage them their possibilities with our spirit of innovation. As a global to innovate. With 62 locations around the world, our

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

application centers for different markets are staffed with experienced, multicultural technicians. Our network of 50 Baking Centers™ plays the leading role in responding to changes in tastes, products, techniques and processes, and finding tailored solutions for industrial and artisan bakers.

A sustainable industry is a must Mihu: And what sustainability efforts are planned at Lesaffre?

What are possible paths for bakeries to continuously become more sustainable in the baking industry?

Riché: I am convinced that Lesaffre’s growth can only be sustainable and responsible. We are committed to controlling our carbon footprint and our energy consumption.

Our 11,000 employees are driven every day by a common mission: working together to better nourish and protect the planet. To this end, we use our unique fermentation skills and our knowledge of micro-organisms to improve food, human and animal health and protect the environment.

Wherever our customers and partners are located, we are never far away. Lesaffre’s truly global network of production sites, application centers, R&D laboratories and commercial offices means that we are close to our clients, and the markets they serve. By leveraging our scale, we can provide tailored solutions to specific local needs around the world.

Making the best use of resources is equally important for

bread-making, as bakers must be able to market their products at the right price. We are continuously looking at ways to render bread-making more efficient, by reducing or eliminating waste and optimizing the time required for baking. In today’s fast-moving world, bakers and their customers are both looking for ways to make their lives a little easier. We are dedicated to helping them. Along with our ingredients and digital tools, we also support bakeries of all sizes with our Baking Center™ network. Deployed on every continent, this international network makes our expertise available to customers in the form of technical assistance, product and process development and training.

For Lesaffre, the enjoyment of bread is one of life’s simple pleasures. Our role is to help bakeries of all sizes to recreate that pleasure every day for their customers, providing all the necessary yeasts and ingredients to suit local tastes and cultural preferences. At the same time, bread offers everyone a way to take care of themselves. It provides nutrition in the form of proteins, vitamins and minerals, along with well-being. We are committed to providing healthy ingredients that can be adapted to lifestyle needs or dietary requirements. To guarantee their quality and safety, we take great care with our raw materials, processes and traceability.

In all of these activities, we are also working to become ever more sustainable. +++

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S U STA I N A B I L I T Y

Sustainability is a mindset al

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As a family-owned company and leading manufacturer in ingredients, backaldrin understands its responsibility in doing business is key to long-term success. This means sustainability in all areas of work for the Austrian producer.

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The baking ingredients manufacturer combines the tradition of the craft with breaking technology to innovate. It all starts with sourcing the raw materials it uses: since its launch in 1964, backaldrin has chosen to rely on local agriculture resources for everything that Austria produces in the quality and quantity it needs. Doing business locally supports not only agriculture but also the environment, minimizing transport routes needed: 92 % of the ingredients for the worldwide known Kornspitz ® originate from Austria through regional partnerships, as well as more than 80 % of all cereal products. The company has its products and processes regularly checked and assessed by independent certification bodies. For example, backaldrin has been certified according to organic, RSPO, UTZ or AMA guidelines for years. “As a manufacturer of baking ingredients, we work with natural products on a daily basis, so it goes without saying that we take responsibility for the environment and nature,” says backaldrin owner Peter Augendopler.

green areas are an essential part of the space surrounding the company, which include insect hotels – for a targeted, species-appropriate space for bees and insects, essential for a functioning ecosystem. The company modeled the semi-natural areas around its premises to provide such a habitat. “We want to contribute to a livable future and therefore have already taken numerous steps to do with sustainability and the environment. We have many more ideas for a healthier and greener future,” explains backaldrin managing director, Harald Deller.

© backaldrin

ck

Peter Augendopler Jr. in the bakery of the Angel Bakery, where more than 30 people have already completed their training as bakers.

Baker training in Africa Large green areas are an essential part of the company premises.

Sustainability all around Sustainability thinking does not only go into the products: backaldrin invests in solutions that will support energy-saving, waste management and greening, with ecosystems on the company’s premises for a biodiverse habitat. Solar panels on the roof of the company head office in Asten have been providing hot water for decades. The company fleet is also gradually being converted to electric vehicles, and trucks powered by alternative energy have been tested. Large

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© backaldrin

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In addition to sustainability in Austria, backaldrin is committed to developing work in Africa. In 2012, the ingredient manufacturer was one of the co-founders of the Angel Bakery in the middle of a large slum in Kenya and provided all the equipment, training and technical support. More than 30 people have already completed their training as bakers there. “In addition to the bakery, the project also includes a Social and Health Care center as well as two schools with almost 1,000 pupils, who are supplied with bread and pastries daily by Angel Bakery. This is because education and food are the keys to change and an improvement in living conditions,” says Peter Augendopler Jr. who supports this backaldrin CSR project. +++

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PRODUCTION

The steps to dough consistency Automated continuous mixing delivers real-time process assessment and consistency round the clock.

© VMI

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Continuous mixers allow for all parameters to be constantly monitored and saved digitally, including ingredient stream rates, dough temperature, mixing energy input, throughput, mixer shaft speed, coolant temperatures, starts and stops, ingredient refill status, ingredient totalizers, dough totalizers, and many others. Exact Mixing’s continuous mixing systems, for example, are fully automated, meaning that the operators need only respond to alarms in case readings show parameters deviate from preset values, which doesn't happen very often. The collected data is saved and used to generate graphs to compare actual values against set points. Information quantifying the dough production is also available, with details about its current progress, the amount completed per shift, or sorted by any other criteria that are useful to production.

”We now offer five distinct continuous mixing models for different applications and customer requirements. The HDX Mixer is just one example of technology expansion.“ Jim Warren, Vice President, Exact Mixing

“The analysis of the data can then be configured in any way that the end-user sees fit. In the control system, all

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parameters are constantly monitored, and statistical analyses of parameters are available. The available information is only limited by the imagination of the person seeking the data,” Jim Warren, Vice President, Exact Mixing, explains.

Systems ready for the unexpected The ingredients’ temperature commonly varies during the mixing process. Differences can be cyclical if the flour is stored in a silo outside or can occur between days and seasons. When dough is produced with continuous systems, other parameters are not likely to vary in the absence of external influences. With continuous mixing, products and processes are fully repeatable from shift to shift and day to day because the metering and mixing processes are fully automated. If there are variations identified, they are generally corrected automatically, before the operator has time to react.

But, “If one parameter continues to create alarms, the system needs to be inspected to determine the cause of the upset.

For example, temperature variations can be automatically compensated for with our dough temperature measuring instrument when used in conjunction with our water blending valve,” Warren explains. The water temperature is automatically adjusted to match a set point for the dough temperature. However, in case of a failure with the hot water

© RBS

PRODUCTION

supply in the plant, the mixing water temperature cannot be reached. “In this situation, the operator would have to be involved because the source of the hot water is outside of the mixing control system scope,” he recommends.

“Technology is constantly improving” Fully automated ingredient metering into the mixer is part of the Exact Mixing scope, as accurate metering is critical to the success of continuous mixing. For this reason, developments for this technology have advanced at the same pace with R&D of upgrades to mixing technology.

“Accuracy is ensured using the latest metering technology including loss-in-weight dry metering technology and mass flow liquid metering technology,” Exact Mixing’s VP explains.

The measurements recorded are continuously compared with the setpoint data to adjust the process if necessary, or issue warnings if automated corrections are not possible, to protect consistent dough quality. Ingredient delivery technology is a continuous improvement priority for Exact Mixing. The company has recently developed systems that accurately meter ingredients such as solid shortenings, nut-butters, diced cheese, and dried fruit.

The mixing specialist is also constantly bringing improvements to its continuous mixing technology. “For example, we now offer five distinct continuous mixing models for different applications and customer requirements. The HDX Mixer is just one example of technology expansion.”

It was developed 10 years ago to allow for the mixing of highly developed doughs such as bread and buns. “More recent technology breakthroughs include the high-speed developer and Hydrobond Technology instant hydration units,” Warren details. All advancements can be fitted onto existing systems. “The core of our continuous mixing has

been stable and built around automation. The systems and technologies that are newly developed are meant to augment this base, not replace it,” Warren elaborates. New features are commonly brought online to existing equipment; program upgrades can be made locally, in most cases, and remotely on newer systems with connectivity features.

In addition to these advancements, automation features can step up as requested, with many options available to choose from, such as the automated control of the ingredient and water temperature, automated dough re-work, automated control of the dough hopper level downstream – to name a few. Fully-automated control packages Exact Mixing provides include (but are not limited to): + Recipe setup, storage, and control + Recipes can run for a fixed amount of time, or production can be set for a fixed amount of resulting product + Fully graphical presentation for controls, for easy management + All parameters are recorded as well as all alarms, input changes, and operator interventions. Other types of data can also be added for monitoring and analysis. + System parameter changes are indicated by color changes on the operator interface + A general operations screen for an overview of the process, as well as detailed screens for subsystems Overall, continuous mixing is designed for maximum process efficiency. Such steps are established to do just that, to ensure all parameters are measured and recorded, and that the resulting data is immediately useful. “The goal is to have the operators focus less on ‘making dough’ and focus more on making the best dough. For this to happen, we must give the operator the best, real-time information possible,” Warren underlines.

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PRODUCTION

Pre-hydration can also be controlled; VMI’s horizontal pre-mixer (HPM) integrates ingredients in the bowl in two zones, one for powders and one for liquids in the form of spray droplets, and a third zone specific to mixing. “Flour, sugar and other baking ingredients are combined with water and immediately form a homogeneous dough and the beginning of a gluten network,” VMI’s specialist explains.

These steps are designed to make the mixture more homogeneous and the process more effective, allowing for a wider range of hydration, from 40% to 110%. The HPM works directly above the VERYMIX, and continuously transfers hydrated raw materials into the mixer underneath, where the dough is mixed to the required consistency. “Its horizontal design, in addition to taking up less space and providing a better seal, eliminates the risk of clogging,” adds Gay.

”From premixing to the end of the mixing process, © VMI

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In the mix: VERYMIX VMI’s VERYMIX continuous mixer also monitors and controls several parameters, including the energy throughout the process. “From premixing to the end of the mixing process, the viscosity and the formation of the gluten network are monitored thanks to the energy tracking,“ explains Mélanie Gay, Marketing & Digital Development at VMI. Everything can be managed from the HMI, from recipe formulation, dosing, programming, to monitoring and traceability.

“Whether it is the ingredients consumed or the amount of dough produced, you can check on the curves to view the flow control of the dosing devices. In this way, you can check that the flows and the calibration of the powder dosing scales are maintained,” she illustrates. Recipe data, consumption balance, alerts and any other requested parameters can be exported to Excel files or made available to the Manufacturing Execution System, for a better understanding and optimization of production cycles. The information can be accessed in real-time and past performance data is also available. It can be visualized by duration or by team/shift.

Given the breadth of data, numerous adjustments can be made, including the preventive adjustment of the process, for example, according to the use and data VMI collects and analyzes on request. The VERYMIX flow rate can adjust itself automatically, based on experience feedback from previous cycles. Parameters can also be measured and adjusted manually, including mixing time and intensity, dough temperature before, during, and after mixing, energy transmitted to the dough, and the opening of the glycol valves, VMI’s specialist explains. “The ability to optimize the use of VERYMIX is a point that is of great interest to our customers, whether it is the process itself, the costs associated with its use (e.g., energy consumption), or maintenance.”

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the viscosity and the formation of the gluten network are monitored thanks to the energy tracking.“ Mélanie Gay, Marketing & Digital Development, VMI

To maximize efficiency, the VERYMIX offers a wide range of mixing parameters that can be used according to the production criteria, and quality required: the mixing rotor is adapted to the dough, the bowl shape is optimized for continuous operations and times and mixing intensities are adjustable. This level of process control allows for flexibility: “Classical sponge and soft doughs, as well as firm doughs, with or without fermentation times and frozen doughs can now be prepared efficiently.”

Very accurate dosing The VERYMIX continuous mixer automates powder and liquid ingredient dosing as well as scrap dough management.

Flour, salt, sugar, powdered milk, gluten, improvers and other raw materials are weighed by three stainless steel load cells. These load cells can be fed automatically by intermediate hoppers, or by manual loading hoppers (big-bags). Water, egg, milk, liquid yeast, flavorings, liquid sugar and brine are also precisely dosed. The system features dosing pumps and electromagnetic or mass flow meters to weigh liquids.

The quantity of scrap to integrate can also be dosed: “Scrap dough should not be neglected: for bread, it can amount up to 25% of the weight of the flour and for some puff pastry, it can even surpass 50%,” Gay highlights. The VERYMIX continuous mixers make it possible to automate the flow management towards resting phases or for a transfer to the line, while also reintegrating the dough scraps. For its latest improvements to the system, ”According to the mixing phase, VMI has worked particularly on the shape of

PRODUCTION

its tools and tanks, specific to premixing, kneading or fermentation steps.” The latest addition to the VERYMIX is a mobile cleaning in place (CIP) station which can be connected to the liquid dosing stations: “Since they are so flexible, CIP systems make it easier to manage standard cleaning protocols, and limit production downtimes when changing product,” she highlights.

The new modular Codos® kneading system Consistent, high quality of any type of bakery goods starts with a perfectly prepared dough. Zeppelin’s new CODOS ® mixing and kneading system brings innovations for continuous operations to help achieve it consistently. After modernization and reworking, the Codos® system concept has been repositioned and introduced to the market as Fresh-Up, a modular mixing and kneading system with new components. The complete system consists of a CODOS ® tower, a DymoMix® and a CODOS® NT kneader.

CODOS® tower – liquid and solid matter dosage to feed the continuous system The CODOS ® tower is the initial unit in the CODOS® system.

It consists of a storage container with a mixing tool and a differential weigh feeder positioned underneath to produce a

continuous and constant mass flow of powdered raw materials.

“Mostly cereal flours are dosed in the bakery. Other raw materials such as starch, proteins or dextrins for gluten-free products can also be processed. The Codos ® tower also includes the water dosing and temperature control as well as dosing for other liquids such as yeast suspension or oil,” explains Dr. Christian Faber, Senior Technology Consulting, Zeppelin Systems. Liquids are continuously metered together with powdered raw materials. The pumps used for dosing liquids and the flow meters as well as the necessary valves are located on liquid panels on the CODOS® tower.

The panels with the aggregates and instruments are also modular, highly accessible and can easily be replaced, he details.

DymoMix® – special hydration The DymoMix® hydration system can be used as a premixer in the Codos ® system and as a complementary production step between dosing and kneading of doughs or other further processing steps. “The special feature is that powdery components are hydrated with water or oil, immediately forming a homogeneous mixture. This procedure allows the production of improved-quality dough. Hydrating with water or oil is accomplished by a specially-designed

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PRODUCTION

nozzle built into the rotating shaft of the unit. This forms a liquid film through which the powdered particles must pass, becoming hydrated. Unlike conventional systems, a highpressure water jet is not used for hydration. As a result, even with low moisture contents, a high-quality product can be produced, ready to be processed immediately without intermediate steps,” the expert elaborates. The CODOS ® tower and DymoMix® and CODOS® NT kneaders can be used in different combinations, for different applications: + For the production of pumpable pre-doughs or liquid doughs that are to be fermented (e.g. liquid sponge or sourdoughs) + For the production of premixed bread or roll doughs, which are continuously kneaded in the CODOS® NT kneader

”Consistent, high quality of any type of bakery goods starts with a perfectly prepared dough.

Zeppelin’s new CODOS® mixing and kneading system brings innovations for continuous operations to help achieve it consistently.“

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Dr. Christian Faber, Senior Technology Consulting, Zeppelin Systems

CODOS ® NT – ensuring a gentle kneading process The dough is formed in the horizontally operating continuous CODOS® NT kneader. “Special helical interlocking twin shafts apply the energy required for kneading to the dough. This forms the gluten structure of the wheat dough.

The bow shape of the kneading attachments on the twin shafts ensures gentle kneading without cutting the dough.

The energy input required for the specific product can be controlled via the speed of the kneading shafts, as can the dwell time of the dough. Thanks to a double-walled, temperature-controlled trough design, the dough always maintains the desired temperature. This allows the specified temperature of the dough to be maintained within narrow limits,” Faber explains.

Process control, improvements Chilled laminated dough is required to make a croissant.

In this case, the flour is kneaded with ice water so that the dough temperature is 18 °C or even lower. Alternative cooling solutions such as CO2 or ice are not required for temperature control with CODOS ® NT kneaders, leading to savings in the cooling process. For hamburger buns, however, a warm dough of about 28-30°C is needed. In this case, the mixing water temperature is automatically controlled so that the dough has the correct temperature after kneading.

Depending on the recipe requirements, ingredients can be added at any point of the mixing and kneading process.

“For example, to produce a high-quality pretzel dough, it is

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necessary to add the high fat content after mixing but before kneading.“ Process flexibility also allows control of the dwell time of individual components. As a result, sensitive raw materials such as fruit chunks or flakes can be fed at the end of the process and incorporated with minimal impact.

With an output range between 500 and 6,000 kg/h, the new generation of CODOS ® NT is a step up in terms of capacity and efficiency over previous models. Advantages include precise temperature control, raw material metering accuracy, and low energy and maintenance requirements.

Faber: “The high-torque water-cooled servo motor offers savings on energy and space. It is also flexible and easy to use, requiring fewer controls. The design incorporates ease of operation and maintenance without the need to disassemble the shaft. A hood was incorporated for quick access to replace seals, bearings or couplings.” These are the only parts that require regular replacement, minimizing maintenance costs. Hygiene requirements were also taken into account, such as a fully automatic cleaning system.

The main area of application for the CODOS® system are monolines, where production can run around the clock. The same system can be used for doughs with broadly differing requirements and characteristics. The new CODOS® NT line is currently available in two different sizes: CODOS ®NT 160, with a dough capacity from 500 kg to 3 t/h, and the CODOS®NT 200, with capacities from 2t to 6 t/h. +++

Proven Quality & Durability

to keep your bakery moving forward Invest in bakeware that has proven its value in bakeries around the world for over 40 years. Achieve maximum product quality and consistency while minimizing your cost per bake by partnering with us to select the right design, coating, and pan refurbishment schedule for your tins and trays.

STOCK & CUSTOM BAKEWARE Select from our stock bakeware or create a custom pan designed for your bakery’s exact needs and specifications to maximize throughput and increase efficiency.

PAN COATINGS Work with our experienced team to select the optimal silicone or long-life coating to reduce the use of oil and provide clean release from your bakeware.

BAKEWARE REFURBISHMENT Maximize pan life and product consistency with a refurbishment program personalized for your bakery’s product, pan usage, and production requirements.

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DECK OVENS

Artisan baking quality and energy efficiency Artisan quality is the goal for bakeries of all shapes and sizes. Deck ovens are at the forefront of achieving this, while also optimizing the process for energy efficiency.

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The challenge of electric deck ovens is to provide flexibility when baking bread. They must provide energy to the deck while remaining economical so that the bottom of the bread is well-baked. Moreover, as bakers want a greater product variety in their bakery, baking different types of breads, danishes, pastries, or snacks represents another challenge for ovens. The deck ovens must maintain traditional baking for bread while, at the same time, achieving more variety and speed.

Bongard: three oven ranges Bongard’s electric deck ovens were designed with this challenge in mind: they still use the traditional baking deck, while adding intelligence to facilitate oven management and maintain its baking characteristics. The French specialist offers three ranges of deck ovens: the CERVAP, an annular steam tube oven powered by gas or fuel-oil, the ORION EVO, the brand’s best-selling electric oven and the SOLEO EVO, an electric oven that can be adapted to produce a diversified range of products with a reduced footprint, and

which offers scalability of its production capacity. “From a technological point of view, the CERVAP annular steam tube deck oven is still the same as the one produced in 1967. Its patented operation reproduces the baking of wood ovens faithfully while being particularly economical,” detailed Matthieu Krempp, Product Manager, Bongard.

The CERVAP annular steam tube ovens are comparable to ovens of the past and meet the needs of pastry bakers.

“The system of steam tubes arranged in a loop around a refractory steel combustion area has been the subject of a worldwide patent filed by Bongard,” she explains. These annular steam tube deck ovens are energy-efficient and are able to bake a wide variety of products, despite having a single baking temperature throughout the oven.

The gas CERVAP annular tube deck ovens are energy efficient because the flue gases are used twice or even a third time on the RS model. “The energy produced by the burner that heats the combustion area is used twice: first, by the contact of the flame on the refractory stainless steel combustion area housed in the loop, then a second time by the return of the combustion gases on the annular tubes,” Krempp details. Moreover, their electricity consumption is less than 1kW because they do not need to power a recycling turbine. Only the burners, lighting and control panel are powered.

The annular tubes are also behind the baking process that is comparable to that of traditional ovens because of conduction, as the dough pieces rest on the decks placed directly on the tubes. “The refractory decks accumulate heat like traditional ovens,” she explains. Radiation baking also contributes to this, as the dough pieces also receive heat from the tubes placed in the top and on the sides of the chambers. Krempp: “The heat is mild and radiant, the oven is heated by water at approximately 250°C that circulates in the tubes, unlike electric ovens whose heat is more intense and whose heating elements heat closer to 350°C.” © Bongard

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The Orion EvO electric deck ovens, on the other hand, are packing the company’s latest technology, such as the intelligent INTUITIV’2 touchscreen

DECK OVENS

control panel. Featuring automatic power management, “These ovens are ultra-reactive. They are capable of maintaining sustained production rates while controlling the energy consumed,” according to Bongard.

The range of SOLEO EvO electric deck ovens is designed for modularity, with its 640 possible combinations. This range is aimed at bakers, but also pastry chefs and restaurateurs who will make their own ideal oven configuration. “Its modularity also allows it to evolve over time, to adapt to the life of the bakery,” she points out. Its SENSITIV’2 touchscreen control panel autonomously manages oven operation.

Thanks to their wider rather than deep format, these ovens will have their place in the spaces designed lengthways.

”The BONGARD cloud is a truly collaborative

The SOLEO EvO range can be customized by adding a pizza deck, pastry or bakery openings, by selecting between two opening heights, between one to five decks and two to six plates per deck, respectively; by adding a hood, a custom base, a proofer with hygrometry management, storage for plates – and more.

“The ORION EvO and SOLEO EvO electric deck ovens have an opening with a ‘smooth deck’ effect, an exclusive Bongard patent, allowing quick and efficient cleaning of the deck.

The cleaning position allows very easy cleaning of the interior of the windows, without disassembly. The windows can also be removed for maintenance,” she adds. Furthermore, all deck oven ranges are equipped with a safety thermostat that shuts off the power supply if the temperature reaches 320°C.

space where bakers can share information with

Efficiency analysis

their teams.“

Bongard expects and designs all of its deck ovens to achieve homogenous and precise baking. How does this translate to the equipment’s configuration? The CERVAP oven, for example, achieves this thanks to its large number of tubes and the thickness of its decks, which make the temperature drop slower than conventional ovens, even with the burners turned off, without losing moisture. The high density of the deck allows the heat to accumulate, like in the ‘ovens of the past’. The result: the crust is thicker and the bread more developed.

Matthieu Krempp, Product Manager, Bongard

The Orion EvO is Bongard’s best-selling oven, with the most popular model configured with a door sized 800mm. The SOLEO EvO is a close second.

The main options for the CERVAP range of ovens include choices of controls, of numbers of doors and decks, the addition of steam devices to each deck, the addition of an independent, electric deck, and the Lift'EvO integrated elevators. The Orion EvO range comes with options including the choice of the number of doors and decks, the choice of a fourth Radiation Optimized for Baking (ROC) deck, motorized vents, and the Lift’Evo elevators.

Electric deck ovens feature improved insulation of the openings, better construction (without any thermal bridges) and tightly sealed cooking chambers, to ensure temperature homogeneity on all decks during baking. “This insulation is provided by seals on the four sides of the opening and, for double door ovens, a seal between the two doors. A decompression system was also added at the front and reinforced resistances,” she says. Energy losses are compensated by the airtight design of the glass panes and the addition of a reflective treatment on the inner surface of the glass that greatly reduces heat loss from the opening.

© Bongard

The ORION EvO series and the SOLEO EvO are equipped with touchscreen controls that distribute the available power to the decks that need it. The ‘ENERGY SAVING’ function automatically manages putting decks in standby mode according to their use.

The CERVAP range of ovens includes 92 different models, while the Orion EvO is available in 58 models and a special edition ‘Orion EvO Black Edition’ custom-designed for the brand’s 100th anniversary this year. The SOLEO EvO range of ovens is the most flexible, with 640 combinations. With so many options to choose from, the company provides guidelines to choosing the best match to specific baking needs. The checklist includes:

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distribution system, detects the start of baking and automatically manages priorities.

© Bo ng ar d

+ The

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size of the bakery: the ORION EvO electric oven produces higher amounts of bread over a shorter time, in a smaller baking area. The SOLEO EvO, on the other hand, is smaller and ideal for shops with smaller bakeries.

For example, the M2 SHOP version is shallow, making it suitable for restaurant kitchens.

The energy source: the CERVAP is the most energy and electricity efficient.

Production organization and volume: the inertia of a CERVAP oven ensures perfect baking throughout the day.

The type of products to bake - for small items, electricity is preferred, while for large items, gas ovens are more suitable, especially when baking heavier breads. There is always the option to also add an electric deck, for baking flexibility.

The baking consistency and quality of baking: for large productions, the process is finetuned via the control panel.

Products baked and volumes required also factor in: the ORION EvO electric deck oven can bake a wide variety of bakery, Danish and pastry products. The standard capacity of all ovens for full load is 15 kg of cold dough per square meter of deck, baked per hour. The ORION EvO 801.4.160 model, for example, allows the continuous production of 215 baguettes per hour (the ‘Paneotrad’ type, at 350g of cold raw dough). For very short baking times, the ‘boosted capacity’ option allows the oven to be loaded up to 18 kg/m 2/h in continuous production.

Optimized baking The heating power of electric deck ovens, combined with the insulation of the baking chambers, supports rapid heating.

“For example, the ORION EvO oven will be quickly ready when the shelves need to be filled during the day. The touchscreen control panel, which manages the electrical

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The steam appliances adapt to the baking capacities of the ORION EvO oven: 15kg/m2/h in the standard version and 18kg/m2/h in the boosted version. In order to avoid the risk of water spraying onto the bread, the diffuser is located outside the housing. The mist, distributed homogeneously over the entire surface of the bread, circulates naturally from the rear of the baking chamber towards the front. Surplus steam is removed from the front via a stainless steel pressure-relief valve. The steam appliance on each baking deck is equipped with a water meter with management in ml, which ensures that the right amount of steam is always delivered to the bread, as baking proceeds. The quantity of steam to inject and its correct temperature can be pre-programmed using the oven's touchscreen control panel.

New updates The company is preparing new, smart features for its deck ovens. It will soon be possible to connect and synchronize ovens via the BONGARD cloud: “BONGARD will deploy a secure proprietary cloud to facilitate exchanges between users, their employees and the support platform, with support for preventive maintenance. The BONGARD cloud is a truly collaborative space where bakers can share information with their teams,” Krempp explains.

The service is also included in a new ‘Bongard Connect’ offer. The equipment will be connected to the secure BONGARD cloud, making it possible to monitor their use remotely and to anticipate potential failures. The data collected are used to also provide assistance and training remotely. Any maintenance required will be identified and displayed in the menus.

In addition, the baker in turn will be able to interact with their equipment and their team; they will be able to remotely manage their installed fleet, users and recipes, and optimize the use of their equipment. With this new feature, alerts can be monitored, as well as the status of solving the respective incidents. Equipment malfunctions also trigger alerts, and production losses.

The SOLEO EvO electric deck oven can be factory-assembled with a four-wheel base allowing it to be easily moved around, as a near-Plug and Play delivery. +++ Read more on the subject in part II, with updates about equipment produced by Debag and Hein, in the next issue of Baking+Biscuit International.

DIOSNA mixers in hygienic design for excellent dough production with reduced downtimes at fast recipe change.

DIOSNA Innovative Mixing in Hygienic Design

For dough at its best The Wendel Mixer of the Hygienic Design series connects high performance mixing with an open construction to allow easy cleaning, and thus a very fast switch between different recipes.

As it is typical for DIOSNA Wendel Mixers the method of gentle processing of the dough by folding allows perfect dough development in shortest possible time, avoiding crushing of seeds and fruits if used in the recipe. The WH240 ”A” model allows fast succession of batches by the easy change of mixing bowls.

DIOSNA enjoys worldwide recognition as specialist for dough processing and pre-dough fermentation on a large scale. Machine equipment and biotechnology represent the ideal interaction for best results in food production.

→ → → → →

Ideal for all types of dough, masses and bars Gentle dough and ingredient processing Optimal integration in existing line production Easy cleaning - reduced downtimes Hygienic design mixers with changeable bowl or direct ground discharge

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Connected baking makes smart factories The concept of a fully-automated bakery that can run itself independently, the smart baking factory, is one that will deliver high-quality goods adjusting processes to do so, without missing a beat. The key to achieving this is collecting the right data and utilizing this information to connect and synchronize equipment. This is AMF’s vision for ‘lights-out’ bakeries.

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By Catalina Mihu

The ‘lights-out’ bakery concept is a long-term vision at AMF Bakery Systems in its goal to automate bakery processes with consistent, highquality results. Step by step, this means gains in production efficiency and sustainability. Data science is instrumental in this process. “The value of data is the future, hand in hand with the artisan bakery craftsmanship, which will always be needed for tasty, flavorful recipes. As machines get smarter and robots can work 24/7, processes will run faster, more accurately, with automation supporting bakeries to achieve better performance, better quality and non-stop production if needed. Bakers’ skills will drive product innovation development, while smart factories will independently handle production,” Lex van Houten, Regional Marketing Manager, AMF, underlines.

With each step towards more automated processes that use smart solutions and AI technology, there will be less need for human intervention as machine capabilities increase. AMF identifies five phases in this process: 1. Equipment-assisted operations: machinery helps to increase productivity, with the operator in control of the processes 2. Partial automation: the operator selects commands to be executed by the equipment 3. Conditional automation: the operator is needed for machinery start-up, recipe selection and unexpected events 4. High-level automation: operator’s intervention is needed for unexpected issues and to ensure raw materials are available

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5. ‘Lights-out’, fully-automated factories: no operators are required as, these systems ensure unexpected issues and replenish raw materials Connectivity plays a key role in bringing the information together in this endeavor to support fast adjustments and improvements.

Connecting the production dots Currently, most types of equipment on the bakery floor can be a source of data. The goal is to put this data to work to support baking processes and the optimization or resources used, to finetune equipment settings, and to minimize waste – while high-quality products are manufactured to exact specifications. As machines run operations, they analyze and optimize settings to save energy, for example, a particularly important priority in light of current gas prices.

20% NATURAL GAS SAVINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH THE SOS To tackle this hot topic, AMF developed a Sustainable Oven Service (SOS), a new AMF oven feature that helps bakers and operators improve on process efficiency, product quality and reduce energy usage on their ovens. “This new feature makes your oven ‘connected’ and combines artificial intelligence and personal advice from our AMF oven experts to give the operator specialty recommendations on improving the oven to its optimal configuration,” van Houten says. Using the SOS, savings of up to 20% in natural gas can be

achieved, while also reducing CO 2 emissions by up to 20%, and lowering waste – with improved product quality and consistency at the end of the process.

In addition, the need for fewer people to run such machines is a more important benefit than ever, compensating for trained staff shortages. Machine learning improves problem-solving over time as well as process adjustments to increase efficiency.

Efficiency gains are measurable. “OEE is a nice metric used to show how productively a bakery, line, or team is performing. AMF can optimize and automate processes to maximize the yield of products that are an exact match to the required specifications,” van Houten explains. The recently launched, AI-powered Smart Applicator is another example: all the ingredients deposited on pizza are imaged digitally and analyzed; quality control is performed within seconds in this way and the equipment continuously adapts to anomalies. “Triggers can be set to take out imperfect products or series, and thus OEE at the end of the line will be higher, saving waste, saving costs, with better margins,” he adds.

Specializing in products ranging from soft breads and buns, to pizza and sheeting and laminated goods, AMF production lines gather a comprehensive array of data. The company uses it to create new, digital and smart products and services that help optimize ingredient use, processes and results.

The AMFConnect system can provide information and enable control of multiple processes by connecting bakery equipment with baking systems and bakery processes. In this way, communication and coordination between various operations performed in the plant are improved. “This type of

© AMF

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solution monitors the bakery process to such an extent that it can provide feedback about the status of a single bun on the line, so that operators, line managers or even factory managers can take action when needed,” the specialist explains. The AMFConnect is designed for bigger manufacturing sites, to monitor and manage complete plants if needed.

Bakery Intelligence In addition, the Bakery Intelligence suite of solutions is the next step that AMF developed in automation. These smart and digital products monitor, use, and analyze data to suggest actions and, in some cases, already apply these changes. Smart, preventive maintenance solutions provide notifications in advance for parts that are likely to start showing signs of wear, or for motors that need revision or maintenance, for example. Consequently, such parts can already be in stock when needed, and planning can be made for the teams’ preventive maintenance work, including scheduling preferred downtimes. In short, production lines are better controlled.

This portfolio of smart solutions currently includes the smart applicators used for toppings, sustainable oven service, predictive maintenance, and smart quality control. The list does not stop here; new features are being developed and will soon be introduced.

The Bakery Intelligence solutions can help monitor the status of the line, they provide dashboard views and real-time machine trends and KPIs. “Our new smart Bakery Intelligence products and services come in various packages and subscriptions, where we offer menu-based services, so one can choose the level of digital products as needed, and we configure it on their line instantly,” AMF’s specialist points out.

Safety on the line Interconnecting baking processes also contributes to food safety. Digital quality control and management are applied to each product, which is inspected, weighed, measured and tested to match desired specifications and ensure they are contamination-free.

“The Smart Applicator by AMF Tromp, for instance, takes digital images of

every pizza on a line, regardless of the production volumes, which can be as high as 100,000 per hour. It has many digital value functions for bakeries: weight check, cheese or topping quantity and distribution check,” van Houten illustrates. Moreover, the machine is able to learn and improve in real-time. It also performs quality control for every product during production, which results in less waste and giveaway of expensive ingredients.

“As food safety is already starting to be ensured before the product is even packed, potential risks can be virtually eliminated before the pizzas arrive in retail stores,” he highlights. AMF can fit this kind of Bakery Intelligence service onto any production line and have it operational within days, with minimal hardware changes.

Such digital products are easy to scale to the size of the production, AMF says, so the company can offer them for existing lines and configure them to customers’ needs. The benefits are immediately visible, as smarter production means increased, consistent precision, less waste, less physical labor, and, ultimately, cost savings. +++

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The magic under the crust The trend for artisan quality brings forth a wealth of delightful, premium breads and baguettes, with texture and flavor characteristics nothing short of magic. It takes exact science and technology to perfect the process, however. Dedicated lines preserve the tradition of the technique with increased process efficiency.

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The ingredients and the process combined make a baguette ‘premium’. It all starts with highly hydrated, fermented dough, to ensure the development of strong aromas. The dough is then molded and baked, either on trays or on the hearth, for an even more ‘artisan’ look. Scoring also contributes to this look, as well as various seeds or flour toppings, which will not only make the breads look premium, but will also add to their taste and texture experience. The baking process is responsible for perfecting the open honeycomb structure of the crumb and the crust thickness, both sought-after characteristics in premium breads and baguettes.

We looked into how these product and process requirements are transferred to the equipment and what optimizations could be possible with MECATHERM, the French specialist who designs equipment and production lines for breads, pastry and patisserie products. For premium breads and baguettes product ranges, the company has designed several type of equipment, entirely automated, from the divider down to freezing on trays.

Marie Laisne, Marketing manager and Oven product Manager, François Retailleau, Production line Manager, and Mélanie Salvi, Equipment manager, provide a walkthrough of the premium bread line, process by process.

Automated process, artisan quality The quality of the end product relies on several key steps, dividing and molding dough being among them. It is a delicate process: “Indeed, dividing the dough without stressing nor stretching is key in premium bread and baguette production,” they underline. The new-generation

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© MECATHERM

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M-NS divider from MECATHERM is particularly adapted to the highly hydrated dough of premium breads and baguettes.

Its slow movement and smooth mechanical action allow the internal structure of the dough to be preserved. Next up, the molding process has to be gentle, without strong mechanical actions, the specialists recommend, to create the open honeycomb structure of the crumb.

The settings of the baking process itself also play a leading role in developing the quality of the final products. For example, “Baking is responsible for the coloration, shine, the aspect of the scoring made on the product’s surface, the crust thickness, crumb structure and water content,” MECATHERM’s team illustrates. Moreover, the baking support will determine the crumb development: a product baked on the hearth will have a different crumb structure than a product baked on trays. A typical premium bread or baguette production line comprises units for: + Mixing, typically with resting times (autolysis, bowl resting); + Make-up, with no-stretch and no-stress technology; + Molding, with solutions that mimic the baker’s hand gestures; + Proofing, which can sometimes be complemented by a retarding step in a colder ambiance; + Scoring with an automated tool adapted to highly hydrated doughs such as ultrasonic blades or water jets. + Baking, with several technologies available; + Cooling and freezing steps, according to the process; + Packaging The line can be customized with additional functions; out of the possible options, units for seeding and flouring are the most frequently included, the specialists show, as they

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contribute to creating the ‘story-telling’ component of the products.

Baking is either done in trays or on a hearth (on either a mesh belt or stones), depending on the desired characteristics of the product and its market positioning. The line can be adapted to the required production volumes, one of the biggest configurations MECATHERM builds can make up to 12,000 pieces, or 4 tons per hour for one line.

In addition, MECATHERM can build the premium bread lines with a choice of three oven technologies, for their unique characteristics. The specialists explain their differentiating points: + The vertical ovens ensure product quality and remain very easy to use. Their compact layout contributes to optimizing the line footprint. They also have a strong industrial advantage for tray production lines. + The stone oven, the FTP Oven, is the choice for a very ‘premium’ and ‘artisan’ look to the products as well as a ‘baked on stone’ label, strengthening the story of the products. Stone baking creates a thick crust and a very open crumb. + The FTM oven is a compact and multi-deck solution that is particularly interesting for obtaining a well-opened crumb and a fine control of the crust thickness. This is also a compact solution that helps with the production line’s footprint.

Automation features The breads and baguettes are monitored throughout the production steps to ensure consistent quality. For instance, the M-NS divider is equipped with a weight regulation system to measure the products’ density, as fermented dough may have varying densities. The molding technology is also designed oblong shape to help improve product uniformity.

Automated scoring is also a plus, and it fills in for the skilled baker’s touch. “A robotic scoring machine developed by our sister company ABI Ltd can automatically adapt to the shape, position and alignment of each products thanks to a 3D vision system combined with ultrasonic blades,” they highlight. The system ensures a consistent scoring depth and precision.

Digital services, including the M-Care predictive maintenance application, are additional tools that MECATHERM is offering to optimize the industrial performance of such lines.

Going forward, MECATHERM plans to equip all its ovens and mechanizations with it. M-Care enables operators to detect any problems, anticipate breakdown, help them to understand how machines work and help them with diagnostics and problem-solving.

Areas where operators are needed to operate this line include the make-up and mixing areas, in particular. “A

continuous presence is requested to launch and follow the production batches, as well as to make regular sampling for quality control.” Operators are also needed when recipe changeovers are performed, to install the tools required for each product, to clean components, and to change the raw materials if the new recipe requires it. Manual operations are also required when recipe changeovers are performed, to install the tools required for each product, to clean components, and to change the raw materials in the topping devices if the new recipe requires it.

The premium bread line can flexibly handle a wide range of doughs, covering different types of flours, levels of hydration or fermentation times. They can produce different types of molded bread, ranging from long baguettes to 1/6 formats, as well as tin breads. The product diversity is even higher with personalization options such as flouring or topping with various seeds (e.g., millet, pumpkin seeds, sesame, etc.), or unique patterns with scoring. Moreover, premium breads and baguettes can be made either fresh or deep-frozen, parbaked or fully baked, on hearth or on pan. This will imply different settings mostly for the oven and freezer. For parbaked or fully-baked products, the main difference is the baking time. The production line also offers the option of bypassing the freezer, when making fresh products.

Installing the line Each installation of a MECATHERM production line is sequenced in several main stages, starting with the mechanical assembling and equipment set-up. Electrical cabling follows, after which program testing of the production line can begin.

'Dry tests' are made with the line running empty at first followed by the introduction of products, for a new round of tests. “During this stage, all the process steps are adjusted with the support of a MECATHERM master baker to obtain the perfect product according to the customer’s expectations.

If all the steps have an impact on the finished product, mixing, make-up and baking are usually the steps that have the most impact and which have to be taken into consideration,” the specialists advise. Production can then start and it can be ramped up as planned. From this stage on, MECATHERM services teams continue to follow the customer all along the production line lifecycle.

Upgrades can be retrofitted onto this bread and baguette line. The oven is a prime example: “As our ovens are modular, they can be easily upgraded, for example, switching from a parbaked standard baguette to a fully baked premium baguette oven. The M-Care connected services can also be easily integrated to existing equipment for predictive maintenance, by adding sensors and connecting to the service.

New types of trays can also be added to the production lines to widen the product range, to meet current and future market demands. +++

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This is PROGRESSA FRITSCH has just launched a new compact bread line, the PROGRESSA bread, dedicated to baking artisan-quality breads in mid-sized operations.

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The trend towards breads made from soft doughs with long pre-proofing times of up to 24 hours, and often a high rye content, poses major production challenges. This is especially true in medium-sized retail bakeries.

To be able to produce as many different products as possible at consistently high quality, a production line needs, first and foremost, to be uncomplicated to retool, easy to clean, and ready to expand if necessary. To meet this demand, FRITSCH has launched a completely new bread line – the PROGRESSA bread. Depending on product size, the PROGRESSA bread can process between 500 kilograms and 1.8 tons of dough per hour. “The new line combines a sophisticated hygienic design with the highest product quality on a small footprint,” FRITSCH underlines.

”With our SDS nano and the Soft Dough Roller (SDR) we get a uniform dough sheet which is processed very gently to preserve the structure of the dough. This is the basis for the high-quality products on our line.“ Michael Gier, Manager, FRITSCH World of Bakery

Hygienic design “The design of a system decides how quickly and easily employees can remove or clean individual elements or parts,” says Michael Gier, the Manager of the FRITSCH World of Bakery. The principle is to achieve as many functions as possible with as few parts as possible. During the development, great importance was therefore given to ensuring that all parts are easily accessible and easy to remove. “There are no motors or other electrical parts, such as sensors, in the drive compartment of the line,” explains Gier. “This means

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the machine can be dismantled quickly and, for the most part, cleaned quickly and thoroughly with the steam jet.”

Another benefit of the PROGRESSA bread is that the amount of oil needed for processing the dough sheet has been reduced to a minimum. “The advantage of our soft dough sheeter SDS nano is that it flours the dough sheet from all sides. To flour the sides of the dough sheet, we use fold-up belts”, details Gier. This flour-dusting on all sides means there is no need to use oil at all for the sheeting process. This lowers the cost of oil consumption and reduces the effort of cleaning significantly. On top of that, oil inclusions in the dough are prevented in this way, which, in turn, guarantees excellent baking results of the finished breads.

Product quality “With our SDS nano and the Soft Dough Roller (SDR) we get a uniform dough sheet which is processed very gently to preserve the structure of the dough. This is the basis for the high-quality products on our line”, Gier describes.

The fact that FRITSCH had been part of the MULTIVAC Group for two years benefited the developers regarding the weight accuracy management of the products. As a packaging manufacturer, MULTIVAC has extensive experience with precise weighing systems. FRITSCH were able to benefit from this know-how as specialists from both companies worked together closely within this project.

The weighing system of the new bread line is equipped with two weighing units. The dough sheet is first weighed before cross-cutting. Once the desired weight is reached, the guillotine is released and the dough sheet is cut into individual pieces for further processing. The second weighing is done behind the guillotine. If the weight of the dough pieces deviates from the target weight, the cutting process is corrected accordingly. This ensures outstanding weight accuracy of the products, Fritsch elaborates.

“With the PROGRESSA bread, bakers can process preproofed doughs as well as doughs with a high rye or water content with the same quality results as a largescale line,” Gier emphasizes. This makes the new system an attractive choice not only for medium-sized businesses but also for industrial customers; being only five meters long, it can be easily integrated into almost any existing production hall. +++

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Once the dough pieces have been cut to precision by the guillotine, different options are available for the next steps. Manual processing is an option, for example, or a baguette molding table, if this is preferred. In addition, FRITSCH offers a feeding system specifically tailored to the line. With this lift tipper, bakers can refill a maximum amount of 250 liters to ensure a fast process.

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Therese Mölk Bakery’s century-old history can be understood in the diversity and the quality of the products it offers. Its breads and pastries are made with premium, local ingredients that are free of preservatives.

Over 80 varieties are sold, ranges including organic, vegan, and lactose-free products. The specialties made here include appetizing options such as sourdough buns, ancient grains breads, rye sourdough breads, carrot pumpkin seed bread, and organic butter kamut bread, to name just a few.

The company runs 260 stores in Austria, South Tyrol, and Italy, with a total staff of 6,000 – out of which, the bakery employs 180 people. Sustainability and regionality are the utmost important values to MPREIS, for the food it sells and the ingredients it uses. It is also why they chose to create a distinct identity for each of the locations; each store is unique and sustainable. What started as a bakery founded

by Therese Mölk in 1925 is now a 12,500-sqm, IFS-certified, state-of-the-art facility that produces around 12,000 tons of bread per year. MPREIS rebuilt its facility in 2011 to better fit the operations of Tyrol’s biggest bakery, bringing the latest technology on board to support this rich tradition and the company’s growth. The newest solution to be installed in the facility in Innsbruck is a bread and bun sheeting line from Rademaker, which went into production just a few months ago. Its role is to support an ambitious capacity increase of 250% (with existing product ranges) and raise the level of automation in all manufacturing sequences. The dough for the company’s ‘Alpenspitz’ organic baguette, for example,

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Tyrolean family business MPREIS is taking technology innovation personally. Its bakery in Innsbruck, Therese Mölk, is a state-of-the-art facility that continuously adds the latest improvements to optimize efficiency in production.

was manually rolled, a process this Rademaker line is now automating. Similarly, tray-loading was automated for half of the production before adding the line, and now the system automatically does this 100% of the time.

The project of bringing a new line on the production floor, however, started quite some time ago, before the pandemic.

The market research began as early as 2014. The company saw the momentum that single-serve, smaller breads were enjoying, a trend that fits right in with its focus on product

Björn Buschhorn, sales manager, Rademaker; Catalina Mihu; Nancy den Dunnen, Marketing and Communication, Rademaker; Mathias Mölk, Manager, Therese Mölk Bakery, co-owner of MPREIS

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”This bread line is one of the most versatile versions of the Rademaker bread lines on the market, in what product variety is concerned, as well in its design.“

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Björn Buschhorn, sales manager, Rademaker

variety, and included the organic segment, in which MPREIS is a market leader. Once the assessment was made, a detailed list of requirements followed, which a new line would need to meet: it should support scaling up production, be able to produce a wide variety of breads, including cleanlabel products with no additives and long resting times; and be able to manufacture products with an artisan look and feel. Such a line would also need to have and easily support a high hygiene level, support fast changeovers, and minimize dough waste, detailed Mathias Mölk, Manager, Therese Mölk Bakery, co-owner of MPREIS.

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It goes without saying, flexibility and automation topped the list. It was the flexibility of this line, which could take on the product variety the bakery needed, that made it the best fit for the job, the way it combines handcrafting techniques with high-volume, automated capacities, Mölk added. Efficiency is also in the spirit of the entire design of the modern facility, a must for all new equipment.

Four-in-one The Rademaker bread line was designed around a very similar checklist, which made it such a good fit for the bakery’s needs (and plans). It is one of the most versatile versions of the Rademaker bread lines on the market, in what product variety is concerned, as well in its design, said Björn Buschhorn, sales manager, Rademaker. It can

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E f f e c t i v e & p ro f i t a b l e b re a d p r o d u c t i o n Modular concept

Wide product variety

Excellent dough quality

INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION LINES FOR

BREAD

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be used to produce a wide range of breads, with soft dough, strongly hydrated dough, pre-fermented dough, dough made with organic ingredients, and firm dough.

This particular modular bread line has a working width from 600mm up to 1,000mm, with a pre-sheeting system and inline laminating. The Rademaker bread line produces five product groups/shapes: + Cut products, for instance heart-shaped buns; + Long molded products like baquettes; + Rounded products. e.g., 90-gram bun 650-gram bread; + Coiled products such as salzstangen or kornstangen; + Flatbread, for example fladenbrot.

After or during shaping, toppings can be added to the products such as seeds, coarse (pumpkin seeds), medium (sunflower seeds) and fine (sesame seeds) particles.

Sprinkle mixes can also be used. Sprinkling can be done from above and below. At the end of the line, peelboards, as well as baking trays, can be used.

The dough is brought onto the line and is being formed into a continuous sheet by the pre-sheeting system. The dough is gently reduced with a quick reducer and then travels on the conveyor belt to the next step, lamination, where 4 to 6 dough layers are created. Laminating the dough provides a better proofing stability and creates more volume of the baked goods. For even more product variety, this step can be skipped, and the dough sheet can be rolled out right away, the so-called non-laminated dough. The dough is then formed via a second quick reductor, a cross-roller and two gauging stations. The crossroller is used to avoid dough tension/stress as it runs left and right across the dough sheet that comes out of the reduction stations. It also ensures that the dough is here at the desired thickness and width.

After the reduction steps, the dough sheet is cut lengthwise, trimmed at the sides, spread and cut to length with the guillotine, and then, depending on the shape of the product, formed. At the end of the line, the products are automatically deposited on trays or proofing boards.

The line includes a new dough recycling system Rademaker developed. It ensures the rework dough, which results from cutting the sheet into its final size, is directly transferred back into the pre-sheeter to maintain the high quality of the dough. Benefits are three-fold: minimizing waste, saving labor and costs, which can be significant especially when using premium, organic ingredients.

The bakery switches in between various mobile modules to have each alternating on the line. The line was producing Mantovane breads when we visited; dough sheets formed, sized, oiled, cut, rolled, and positioned on trays. At the start of the shift, the module is swapped before production

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starts. A product changeover varies from 10 minutes (for cut products) up to 20 minutes (for rounded products). Depending on the type of product and required tooling you need one ore two bakers. The modules are built on wheels for ease of handling and easier changeovers at the request of the customers. The modules can be modified, supplemented and extended at any time, Rademaker explains.

A team of two is assigned to the line’s operating shift: a baker who mixes the dough and a baker who monitors and supervises the production line. Few manual operations are needed, filling the flour sifter among them. Each shift makes two types of products, for efficiency.

The line is suitable for wet and dry cleaning. It is designed with round edges, tubes, ducts and angled surfaces to make cleaning easier.

Never a waste Bread waste is virtually eliminated with the bakery’s newest project, the distillery, which MPREIS kindly included in our tour of the facilities. It uses stale bread, which is fermented with sugar for one week: 100kg of bread crumbs result in 12.5l of high-percentage alcohol. A container of white bread is distilled in about 1.5h, while for dark bread, the process takes up to 3h, depending on the properties of the alcohol, the flavor (of the bread and/or the desired flavor of the resulting drink). At the beginning of the pandemic, hand sanitizer was also made here for in-house use, which helped maintain hygiene when it wasn’t easily available elsewhere. +++

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PRODUCTION

Modern solutions to modern problems From the reception of ingredients to their storage, handling and recipe management, precise tracking of the raw materials going into formulations is best kept automatically, to ensure process accuracy.

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Product quality requirements are increasingly growing in complexity, as the variety of recipes and ingredients used is expanding. Using more types of raw materials creates higher requirements in the area of raw material logistics, in supplying them and in changing them. Other requirements also stem from avoiding cross-contamination.

Modern production control systems must provide solutions for all these necessities.

A complete solution “Integrated warehouse management, recipe management and order control, as well as the tracking of raw material batches and avoiding operator errors are the focus of the KASTOR production control system,” explains Hendrik Langner, Automation, Sales and Consulting at AZO GmbH & Co. KG. This software tracks all raw material inputs throughout the workflow, starting with their transfer to the production area and including all relevant operating points such as material refilling, manual weighing and addition.

“The entire area of dough production is documented, each raw material batch can be tracked. In the end, a log of the entire process is compiled,” Langner highlights.

AZO GmbH & Co. KG automates and documents raw material logistics in bakery production, for which it provides both specialized technology and controls.

KASTOR is a product family consisting of various functional modules that can be combined to a complete solution according to specific requirements. The modules can be used flexibly from incoming goods to manual weighing (with the ManDos) or the automatic KASTOR batch modules, up to the transfer to ovens and packaging.

To control dosing accuracy, the best dosing method has to be selected according to the characteristics of the raw materials: the gravimetric system works best for powders, while liquids are normally metered with electromagnetic or Coriolis flowmeters – the former for conductive substances, and the latter for non-conductive materials. For the different dosing methods, parameters such as the density/bulk must be stored, explains Langner. “For user guidance, various methods are used, in addition to classic recipe sequence controls. User guidance is mandatory at all process points with user intervention. Wizards with an integrated plausibility check are used. Mobile operating devices support the operators directly in the individual work areas,” he recommends.

User input is often simplified by barcode-supported processes, which helps avoid operator input errors. The same system usually works to track raw materials throughout the plant. For intermediate containers, labeling is used. All

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operating steps are logged, to ensure the traceability of the process.

Aside from the classing weighing systems used for large components, which uses hopper scales for the materials conveyed from external silos, there are several ways to automate raw material handling.

Special weighing systems for small components, such as the AZO COMPONENTER ® Step are used, for example.

Exchangeable containers used on an AZO Dosinenter ® are another solution, usually adopted when raw materials are changed frequently, the specialist illustrates. All these solutions can be integrated into a total solution via KASTOR production control system.

Temperature control starts with recording the initial readings of the raw materials, which is done via sensors placed in the storage area. During production, “the temperature of the dough is calculated by measuring the water temperature before the corresponding dosing. Here, readjustment can take place over several dough batches,” Langner explains.

KASTOR: the features In addition to the list of raw materials with the corresponding target values, KASTOR Recipe Management also contains a workflow that controls the recipe creation process. “If an ERP system specifies the target values of the raw materials (bill of material), this is combined with the corresponding

workflow. This enables the integration of the production system with the customer's ERP system,” he elaborates.

Continuous automated data flows can be achieved in this way, to simplify handling.

The operations can be carried out with KASTOR centrally, via a control room, or decentralized, via operating points in the plant. To better serve a higher automation level of systems running with fewer employees, mobile operating devices such as PDAs or tablets can also be used.

The added value of the KASTOR is that it incorporates MES functions beyond the production process: “Order management, material management, tracking and tracing and interfaces to the ERP system or the downstream production processes are possible,” AZO’s specialist explains. KASTOR can also be used as a plant-wide MES system across the entire plant.

KASTOR also includes functions for the management of material pre-planning. The MES analyses the production orders according to their material requirements, taking into account the status of each ingredient stored in the plant, in silos, or other containers. The intermediate products already available are also taken into account. “The needed quantities can be requested from the customer's high-bay warehouse. Here, interfaces to the warehouse can again guarantee an automatic and thus error-free data flow,” Langner explains.

The KASTOR DataCockpit feature uses the data production process data to relay the process accurately, which indicates the potential for optimization. “For example, changes in raw material properties can have an impact on dosing accuracy. If there are several metering errors recorded for a raw material, this can be visualized, providing valuable information on how to adjust the metering parameters. In this way, the data can provide real added value for the plant operator and the plant can be operated as optimally as possible,” he illustrates.

Automated systems Designing a dosing system is a complex process that requires a close analysis of the manufacturer’s processes and detailed information. Cepi Silos works with all departments in the bakery for such a project, from warehouse to production, technical, purchasing and marketing – to include projections of future productions and create a system that will easily accommodate expansions.

“All this input is used to create a customized system that will ensure not only repeatability and accuracy of the recipe but also the traceability of materials and processes, higher efficiency and production volumes, reduced consumptions and pollution, improved working conditions and fewer human errors, as well as enhanced communication with other software and ERP. Our systems make productions more hygienic, with total separation between production and warehouse and optimize space in both areas,” Stefania Montalti, Communication Manager, Cepi Silos.

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PRODUCTION

Starting with the raw materials involved in the production, Cepi Silos analyzes the technical properties of each ingredient, as well as its and their monthly and yearly consumption, to establish their critical points, advantages and to determine potential optimizations and cost-saving opportunities. With this information, the dosing method is selected for the ingredient, according to its characteristics, quantities needed for dosing in each batch and the overall production volume. “Critical ingredients are given special attention, such as liquids whose viscosity determines the pump used during conveyance and if the product needs to be heated before pumping. Products that may cause breakage or contaminations will need separate dosing,” she adds.

Information about the containers in which ingredients are delivered is also helpful in establishing how and where the ingredient will be dosed, and how to optimally coordinate operations between warehouse and production. Moreover, the building and environment evaluations also play a role in identifying suitable storing areas for each ingredient, KOENIG Motiv4 NTS 91x53.qxd

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PRODUCTION

Architecture of traceability operations

Warehouse

Ingredient and lot date

ERP / MES Read lot ingredient data linked with production ID

Load lot ingredient data Ingredient and lot consumption Silo GTIN

Dosing warehouse

Start production Production ID

CEPI Tracking System

SQL

Read and write recipe

Load lot ingredient data

Barcode reader

Recipe number Batch quantity

Recipe backup and Batch history

Batch data

Dosing

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Production ID Recipe number Ingredient set and net weight

Send and receive Mixer’s recipe

Mixer

especially those with special storing temperature and humidity requirements.

“When planning a new line, not only all the elements (bulk-handling system, mixer, packaging) must be taken into consideration and planned in parallel, but all future opportunities should be kept in mind,” Montalti highlights.

Cepi Silos designs the mechanical layout of the bulk-handling installation in parallel to the automation of the recipe. The Italian specialist provides an automated turnkey system, complete with hardware and software design.

Reliable traceability Each recipe is customized in the system; they can be extremely complex, on multiple lines and with multiple phases on each line. It can coordinate with any third-party system or robot on the line, and exchanges information regarding production statistics and ingredient traceability.

Cepi Silos monitoring system virtually labels each lot from the moment it enters the warehouse, and transfers this label through all production steps, adding additional information when necessary and data provided from Cepi’s production management system. Additional checks can be performed, such as checks on dosing with manual scales.

For such special ingredients, the system double-checks that the dosed lot is the same as the lot loaded for such specific dosing. The monitoring system follows comprehensive steps: + As soon as materials enter the warehouse, they are assigned a ‘digital ID’ – a bar code, via the company’s native software TRACKING SYSTEM, attaching a virtual label to the lot, with product loading times, names, quantities, expiration dates, packing slip, supplier, and any other information the manufacturer deems necessary, explains Montalti. + The ingredients are ready for dosing in production, the information will be carried through the dosing process,

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and is made available for any other traceability software operating in the factory. + The lot loaded for dosing earns a second digitalization with a bar code. The new data details the loaded weight, loaded units (bags, bowls, etc.) and loading times. “We also perform a congruence check to verify that each ingredient is transferred into the appropriate silo,” she adds. + TRACKING SYSTEM receives a history of production operations from Cepi’s touch panels that manage the respective operations on the lines. The information is available for all dosing and unloading operations of each ingredient lot, including all stations and conveying systems it moves through + All this information is stored on a SQL server and can be exchanged with an ERP or MES system if available.

Ingredients of all kinds All milk derivatives (e.g., whey, milk powder) require complex mechanical engineering and their automation must manage temperature-related processes such as drying and cooling, the specialist recommends. For eggs and other liquid products, a washing system must be provided, and fermentation processes need a very complex software design as they include multiple delicate steps: loading, fermentation, cooling, refreshing, and washing. Salt and sugar may cause lumps, which must be either be prevented with appropriate storing and dosing technologies, or dealt with using lump breaking systems. Viscous ingredients such as hazelnut paste require specific transport and dosing methods.

Cepi Silos also recommends cooling the flour, to avoid seasonal variations that impact leavening times and create unevenness in the finished product. “The flour will also benefit from fluidization and oxygenation, which enable a faster but natural maturation, improving the flour’s rheological properties without using additives,” Montalti highlights.

Cepi provides tailored setup recommendations depending on the selected dosing method, the recipe itself, the type of ingredient (powder or liquid), and its relevance (meaning the quantity and frequency of dosing). Continuous dosing is the preferred choice when the downstream technological process requires it, as the material flow is continuous itself, and stations are not emptied. Batch dosing is the most common and it applies to the majority of hoppers: additionor subtraction-weighed hoppers, flow meters and microingredient hoppers.

Accuracy is first and foremost achieved through the complete automatization of the dosing system: all operations starting from loading, storing stations to conveyance and dosing, and including all processes and parameters such as temperature, pH, and atmosphere. +++

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SOURDOUGH

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Sweet and sourdough Sourdough is established as a growing, enduring trend. It is successfully transitioning from its staple applications in bread to innovation in other product ranges, savory and sweet.

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Sourdough is gaining ground as a popular choice worldwide, with an increasing range of product offerings. While it might be a presence expected to belong in the bread and savory category because of its flavor profile, sourdough also drives product innovation in sweet bakery goods. As global consumers get more accustomed to the flavor of sourdough, it is gaining popularity and becoming an emerging trend in sweet baked goods as well. Here, the biggest challenge lies in “Finding the right balance between the acidity, the sour notes of the sourdough with the sweetness of the pastry and getting the right flavor combinations on fillings and decorations,” explained Joana Ventura, Category Marketing Manager Dry, Europe & AMEAP, Dawn Foods.

Among the consumer trends that Dawn Foods has been observing over the past few years, a taste for experimenting was identified, which the company called ‘Mashup adventure’, characterized by consumers looking more and more for cross-cultural flavors, surprising combinations and twists that allow people to be adventurous and have a unique sensory experience.

The cronut has opened the door to R&D for hybrid creations, and now sourdough is added into the mix for more innovation. The ingredient specialist has been developing solutions to

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support this trend. “This was, in combination with the rising popularity of sourdough, the reason behind the development of our Dawn Exceptional® Sourdoughnut Mix. It is a mashup between Yeast Raised and Sourdough that combines everything consumers love about sourdough bread and donuts,” Ventura illustrates.

Sweet sourdough? Yes, please Not all sourdoughs are the same, and choosing the right one can make all the difference in the flavor and taste of the final product, depending on the type of goods under development.

Each sourdough starter is a unique blend of different strains of yeasts and bacteria, resulting in a lot of different flavor profiles – all strong, aromatic and sour, with a big influence on the overall flavor profile of the application.

In addition, “It is important to realize that sourdough is a fermentation process.

The sourdough starter technically breaks down the flour, impacting the properties of the dough. Because of those dough properties and strong flavor profiles, it is still more common in savory and bread offerings, than it is in sweet bakery,” explains Christoph Rottmann, R&D Center of Excellence Manager Dry, Europe & AMEAP, Dawn Foods.

As a sweet bakery ingredients manufacturer, the company works with sourdough suppliers to find ‘sweeter’

variants that create opportunities in the sweet bakery space. Thanks to its varying properties, sourdough makes it possible to develop new and different texture experiences that consumers seek. For example, Dawn’s Sourdougnut Mix is softer and richer than a traditional yeast-raised donut,” Rottmann illustrates, as one answer to the challenge sourdough poses in balancing the flavor by pairing the acidity of the sourdough with the traditional sweetness of pastry.

The winning recipe As part of its centennial celebrations last year, Dawn Foods held a Donut Co-creation Contest, to develop a new donut, won by the creation developed with Pastry Chef Mathew Rice. “This sourdough donut combines everything consumers love about sourdough bread and yeast-raised donuts: it has a darker crust color, rustic appearance and open crumb structure while still soft and tender. It has a unique buttery sourdough flavor and a soft, light and airy texture.

Compared to the characteristics of a normal donut, the sourdough donut is less sweet, darker and sturdier,” Ventura describes the winning donut that proposes a new sensory experience on all grounds: flavor, appearance and texture.

The R&D team then reverse-engineered the concept, together with Mathew Rice, into a mix. The result was “A mix

SOURDOUGH

that is versatile, works in different bakery settings – from artisanal bakers to industrial lines – while maintaining that recognizable sourdough flavor,” Rottmann elaborates. Dawn Foods uses an ‘authentic dried sourdough‘ as an ingredient for this product, which was selected based on the taste profile and on dough characteristics to fit the functional needs, the specialist adds.

The mix helps achieve more consistent results, especially so when working with sourdough, as each starter is a unique blend of different strains of yeast and bacteria and would result in significantly different flavor profiles.

The Dawn Exceptional® Sourdoughnut Mix is a versatile choice for consistent results and can be used to create a wide variety of unique, sourdough offerings. Like any new product we bring to the market, we support our customers with inspiration on how to use it and what to create with it.

company can provide recommendations depending on the types of applications, combinations with fillings and icings, and local preferences. “Due to the distinctive flavor of the sourdough, the main recommendation is to combine with more neutral-flavored fillings and decorations,” she says.

growth of +15% over the past five years (2). From sourdough bite snacks to dark chocolate with sourdough, innovation in this space peaked in 2021 and we expect this growth to continue,” anticipates Sarah Browner, Market Research & insights Manager, Europe & AMEAP.

A growing interest

Bakeries across Europe are looking into new ways to include sourdough in their product offerings. Sourdough donuts allow bakers to tap into this growing trend, as one in two consumers globally are saying, “They have been more adventurous with their food choices” as a result of COVID-19 (1).

Dawn Foods trend research sees sourdough firmly grounded in consumers’ sweet spot, a trend boosted by repeated lockdowns. This fascination is reflected in the 384% rise in ‘sourdough’ Google searches tracked at the beginning of the pandemic (1). “The food industry took notice of this increased consumer interest, with sourdough new product launches recording an average annual

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References: (1) Google Trends, (2) Innova Database

© Dawn Foods

“Dawn Foods has made several recipes and how-to-videos available, for inspiration on how to use it and what to create with it – all based on the creative ideas from our application chefs in all of our countries, who have extensively tested and tried out the mix before launch,” Ventura adds. The Sourdough Donut Mix instruction YEAST RAISED MIX

SOURDOUGH MIX NEW

flavor

–

4% wheat sourdough

color

golden

darker brown crust/yellowish crumb

water

49%

37.5%

fresh yeast

5%

7% (sweet yeast) or 9% (yeast)

butter

_

6%

mix on low speed

2 minutes

2 minutes

mix on medium speed

12 minutes

15 minutes (fast)

dough temperature

26 - 28°C

26 to 28°C

bench time

10 minutes

20 minutes

sheeting

40 gr

40 gr

proofing

50 minutes

50 - 60 minutes

dry time

10 minutes

5 minutes

frying at 180°C

1 minute flip 1 minute

1 minute flip 1 minute

Source: Dawn Foods

STEPS/CHARACHTERISTICS

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PACKAGING

Leclerc raises the bar In business for 115 years, cookie and bar manufacturer Leclerc Foods has been expanding and modernizing its manufacturing capabilities. The acquisition of two bar systems, each with two packaging legs, was part of this project.

Leclerc and Syntegon: the project

+

François Leclerc started baking cookies in his own small kitchen in 1905. What started as a small biscuit bakery more than a century ago soon became a thriving family business that overcame uncertain times and today supplies the whole world with cookies, bars, and crackers.

Innovation has been a core priority ever since. Leclerc has successfully identified emerging food trends and expanded its product range.

When Leclerc expanded its portfolio to granola bars in 1980, the business saw a major boost. As a result, Leclerc expanded from Quebec to other locations in Canada and beyond national borders to the US, soon operating a total of eight production facilities. Today, the Leclerc brand name is recognized for its cookies, crispy crackers and healthy bars. However, that is only the ‘visible’ part of the business, which accounts for approximately a quarter of the total value: the bigger share is its business with privatelabel manufacturing, a business segment that has witnessed significant growth over the past years. “As a contract manufacturer, we have to respond quickly to current market requirements and meet our customers’ demands for affordable, high-quality products,” explained Jean-Sébastien Leclerc, vice-president co-manufacturing and manufacturing infrastructure at Leclerc. “This not only calls for flexibility and speed, but also puts product quality and food safety at the forefront. That’s why we need efficient, long-lasting technology and reliable partners that support us with their expertise.”

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Driven by the ongoing diversification of the bar market, Leclerc decided to expand its production capacities in 2019, when it built a new facility in Cornwall, Ontario. It called on Syntegon to provide the custom-made packaging solutions it had planned for this expansion.

A bespoke solution was needed, especially for processing packaging bars, the versatile yet delicate products that are always diversifying.

The equipment features a high level of automation as well as excellent format flexibility.

Klaus Haebig, Sales Manager for North America, Syntegon

Leclerc uses premium ingredients for their products, with minimum preservatives, which is why gentle handling was a core requirement, in a hygienic environment, safe from any cross-contamination. The equipment also needed to be able to package different bars and batch sizes.

Leclerc’s contract manufacturing business brought another challenge to the list of requirements: the machine needed to be flexible to make several different products in various batch sizes. In order to minimize downtime in the production of small batches, short format changeovers and cleaning times for the entire process and packaging line are essential.

Gentle product handling is another important factor to ensure that the ingredients are packaged reliably and reach the consumer in perfect condition. This also means product waste is reduced to a minimum.

PACKAGING

© Sy

n te g

on

The technology for the job At its new production site in Cornwall, Leclerc planned to produce snack and breakfast bars filled with fruit and grain, an increasingly popular on-the-go breakfast alternative. In order to offer consumers maximum convenience, the bars are flow-wrapped individually and then packed in tri-seal cartons of different sizes and counts.

The products are marketed in various configurations in sizes. Consequently, Leclerc needed to be able to change between formats easily and with minimum downtime. To make this process as smooth, flexible and efficient as possible, Leclerc selected a packaging system from Syntegon.

The primary and secondary packaging system consists of a two-legged product distribution system with two gentle cross-feed stations and a multilevel product buffer, two Sigpack HRM flow wrappers for cold sealing with FIT intelligent infeed and two integrated Sigpack TTM2 top load cartoners. Klaus Haebig, Sales Manager for North America at Syntegon, was responsible for the project: “Our highly flexible and efficient system was engineered to meet the highest hygienic standards. The equipment features a high level of automation as well as excellent format flexibility. It is an ideal fit for Leclerc and paves the path to further growth.”

Flexibility is a must

The Sigpack HRM flow wrapper packs the bars at a speed of up to 720 products per minute. The flow wrapper features the intelligent Sigpack FIT product infeed based on the clever application of linear motor technology. It facilitates non-contact and gentle product feeding as well as fast push-button format changes. Syntegon’s patented,

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Once the granola bars have been formed, dried, and cut, the Sigpack DGDE distribution station gently arranges them crosswise and distributes the bars to the packaging legs. In case of a product jam or machine downtime on one of the legs, the products can be diverted to the DBM-3 buffer station for storage on as many as three decks. Once the packaging process picks up again, the products are automatically fed from the buffer back to the flow wrapper.

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PACKAGING

© Syntegon

40

fully automated high-performance splicing unit enables seamless splicing, which in turn reduces product waste.

The packaging solution for Leclerc also features the new Sigpack PFI module, a flexible, vacuum-free infeed solution for high-speed cartoning machines, which also uses linear motor technology. While feeding the wrapped bars into the cartoner, it fully accommodates the speeds of the Sigpack HRM flow wrapper: Thanks to linear motor technology, each product is individually brought into the correct position and fed into the Sigpack TTM2 topload cartoner. The PFI module offers a large format range. New format parts can be produced by 3D print. Changeovers are carried out toolfree within a very short time.

Only one operator is required for operation, format changeovers and cleaning of the machine. Syntegon’s patented changeover concept with pre-set rods is tool-less for quick, easy and fully reproducible adjustments. The TTM can support a generous format and product range to flexibly handle current and future production needs at Leclerc.

Jean-Sébastien Leclerc explained: “What applies to our site in Cornwall applies to all our factories: we have to work extremely flexibly and efficiently without compromising the quality of our products. Therefore, this interplay of highquality production and flexibility is essential for us.”

Next projects The new line is in operation at the Cornwall production site.

Following their experience with this project, Leclerc decided to upgrade more packaging lines at other sites with Syntegon equipment. “After the successful launch of our plant in Cornwall, we decided to upgrade our granola and snack bar production capacities at other sites with Syntegon machines as well.” As a result, Leclerc sourced additional

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packaging systems for sites at its headquarters in St. Augustin, Canada, and in Montgomery, in the U.S. In St. Augustin, Leclerc also produces and packs snack bars from known international brands in up to six different primary packaging formats. A high degree of format flexibility is therefore also required here.

The systems at the St. Augustin and Montgomery facilities also comprise Sigpack distribution stations, HRM flow wrappers with FIT intelligent infeed and TTM2 topload cartoners. In addition, Leclerc invested in four case packers from Syntegon, opting for the Elematic 3001 WA wrap-around case packer. “The challenge: we needed machines that could process corrugated as well as solid cardboard,” Leclerc explains. “The Elematic 3001 can process both types of cardboard and, thanks to its lowerater principle, it offers a large format and pack style flexibility.”

Format changeovers can be realized quickly and easily thanks to the machine’s patented Elematic Click System, which achieves perfect results from the very first case. The click system, which is a standard feature on the Elematic 3001 series, indicates when parts have successfully locked into place with a clearly audible clicking noise. This eliminates the need for adjustments and minimizes errors, helping Leclerc to reduce scheduled downtimes. Format changeovers can be performed in under 10 minutes – depending on the grouping pattern. The machine also features an external hotmelt granulate container and an HMI intuitive control panel which enables operators to program format selection, position, speed, timing and glue position.

Their investments in Syntegon’s packaging technology are aimed at supporting flexibility and innovation going forward. +++

MARKET

BAKERY CHAINS

Europe’s dynamic business models Bakery chains are expanding at a fast pace across Europe, with Germany in the lead. While traditional chains are the steadfast dominant presence in this segment, coffee shops, sandwich chains and other business models are also on the rise, with inviting alternatives.

By Anne Fremaux, Bakery Director, GIRA

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With blurring boundaries between retail and foodservice, and in a growing industrial competitive environment, it is essential to understand which business model will most impact the bakery products distribution and production in the near future. GIRA (Girag & Associates) has just published a new study on the ‘Business Models of Bakery Chains in Europe’, covering the 15 main European countries. Businesses running over 10 outlets are classified as ‘chains’ in the research. Over 400 bakery chains have been counted in this space, totaling about 42,000 outlets, which amount to a total turnover of over EUR 13 bn in 2020 (excluding taxes). Germany sees the highest number of outlets by far, followed by the United Kingdom, France and Poland; but the number of bakery chain outlets is growing rapidly in most European countries.

On top of these ‘traditional’ bakery chains, there are over 100 coffee shop chains, running almost 14,800 outlets. Their total turnover in 2020, minus taxes, was an impressive EUR 6 bn. Branded coffee shops are growing by over 3% per year in Europe and are now offering fresh bakery products alongside traditional coffee.

Gira has identified eight chain business models which are described below: 1. ‘Classic’ bakery chains, offering classic and traditional recipes, among which bread is often the most important, have a blurred positioning between traditional bakeries and bakery-cafés. Notable examples: K&U, Kamps (Germany), Panos (Belgium) 2. Sandwich chains, specializing in commercializing sandwiches, are essentially foodservice outlets. Notable examples: Subway, Pret a Manger (UK) 3. Food to go, comprising fast-food type chains, focusing on quick-service and offering a small range of products.

They specialize in sweet/savory snacks and graband-go offerings. Examples: Fornetti (Hungary), Greggs (UK) 4. Bakery cafés, at the border between restaurants and bakery chains, offer a complete range of sandwiches and snacks. Big players: Paul (France), Granier (Spain) 5. Artisan chains maintain artisanal production throughout.

They are known as ‘boulangerie’ chains in France, ‘artisan guilds’ in the Netherlands, and voluntary artisan chains

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© pexels-dmitry-zvolskiy

42

in Denmark. Examples include Marie Blachère (France), Echte Bakkersgilde (Netherlands) 6. Specialized chains sell specialized ranges, mainly patisserie, donuts or American pastries. Specialty niches include organic or low-carb chains. Examples: Cukierna Sowa (Poland), Krispy Kreme (UK) 7. Discount chains, usually focusing on self-service, are characterized by low-price positioning. Examples: Backwerk, Back-Factory (Germany) 8. Coffee shops are primarily focusing on coffee and cold drinks, but developing sweet bakery offerings and savory products. Examples: Costa Coffee, McCafé All of these business models share some common characteristics, an obvious one being the importance of location: key positions are city centers/high streets, shopping malls

MARKET

and transport hubs. But, there is a growing trend towards non-traditional locations, too. They also have a share of bakery products (bread, viennoiserie, sweet and savory pastries) in their total turnover, over 70% (except for coffee shops, where it averages about 30%). The bakery product mix greatly varies between the chains, and the range of grocery foods is increasing. The store atmosphere aims at differentiating the chains from artisan bakers, modern retailers and quick-service restaurants, with cozy and welcoming outlets. Moreover, chain brands are supported by strong communication to make them easily recognizable and build customer loyalty. Communication is fairly similar for all types of chains and they use in-store or local communication, their own websites, mobile apps and loyalty programs and, above all, any form of social media.

NumberOne

There are however some chains that follow specific concepts: some have stopped selling bread, for example, as is the case with Gregg’s (UK), and Bageteri Boulevard (CZ). Others have specialized to exclusively provide takeaway services, such as Minit (CZ), Dobra Pączkarnia (PL).

Other unique mentions include t’Stoepje (NL), which has only mobile kiosks, and Princess (HU), which runs kiosks exclusively at the Budapest subway.

Bakeware & Coating

Sustained growth The development of bakery chains has been rapid over the past years, building on their aim to diversify over the traditional bakery offerings with products including savory specialties, snacks, and/or drinks. They were also boosted by the development of fast food and food-on-the-go alternatives. Moreover, new concepts, such as artisan chains and bakery cafés, with their opportunities for innovation in this segment, are also contributing to the success of bakery chains.

The main factors that have driven the growth of the bakery chain sector are: + The offer of premium products – or, on the contrary, inexpensive food-to-go items + The development of savory snacks + The implementation of regional, sustainable bakery concepts + Rising demand for artisanal and locally produced products + The focus on traditional craftsmanship + Setting-up of foodservice/coffee bars services that also provide take-away assistance

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The expansion of bakery and coffee shop chains has also been facilitated by the development of the franchise system and by access to financing opportunities, with support from various sources including large industrial bakers, caterers, or Investment Funds.

bakeware and coating Kempf GmbH | Carl-Benz-Straße 3 | 85296 Rohrbach ++49 8442/9669-0 | www.kempfgmbh.de

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MARKET

Sandwich chain

Food to go

Specialised chain Classic bakery

Coffee shops

Bakery café

Artisan chain

Discount chain

Share of chain business models on number of outlets, EU14, 2021

Road to success During the research, Gira gathered comprehensive information on over 150 different bakery and coffees shop chains across the countries covered and identified a dozen key success factors, which have been ranked according to their importance. The following are notable and include: + Location – the quality and diversity of the operators’ sites as well as future targets for opening outlets, i.e. the possibilities for new locations + Range of products – the range of ‘classic’ bakery products is a must-have for everyday purchases, but street food and on-the-go snacks have become important growth drivers + Value for money – quality of offer vs. pricing policy + Store atmosphere – the attractiveness of the store + Supply strategy – control of the supply chain, through instore production from scratch or own bakery plants + Ownership – the ability to sustain the chain’s expansion + Services – seats, ability to transition to omnichannel distribution The bakery and coffee shop chains have been scored for each key success factor; a low score for any one of these being prejudicial to competitive positioning. Across Europe, the chains that have reached particularly high average scores are the following (with some of their main competitive edges): + Gail’s (United Kingdom): attractive neighborhood bakeries in affluent suburbs, vertical integration – innovative artisan bakery image. + Bageterie Boulevard (Czech Republic): seasonal premium gourmet fast-food range, wide range of services (e.g. drive-thru) – strong ownership and management.

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+ Lagkagehuset (Denmark): vertically integrated to be able +

to provide premium fresh bakery to its outlets – high customer loyalty, growing B2B and B2C activities.

Lipóti Pékség (Hungary): combining the profile of a classic bread chain and a modern bakery-café chain – running several of their own plants supplying the outlets.

Competition over market share In many countries, bakery and coffee shop chains are now key players all along the bakery supply chain. In 2021, in the 15 countries under review, they accounted for: 15% of fresh bakery product distribution, 2% of artisanal scratch bakery production, and 13% of industrial bakery production.

The most important business models are Classic bakery, Coffee shops and Sandwich chains, accounting for 70% of the total number of bakery and coffee shop outlets, and 62% of total fresh bakery turnover achieved by the chain sector. However, Artisan chains and Bakery-cafés, while running a lower number of outlets, have a significant share in chains’ fresh bakery turnover.

For the first time ever, this study provides an exhaustive analysis of the fresh bakery product sourcing strategies of bakery and coffee shop chains: scratch baking on the premises, buying and reselling fresh bakery products, or baking bake-off bakery products.

The connexion between the chains and the industrial bakery sector – their degree of integration – has also been investigated. Gira estimates that, in 2021, about half of the bakery chains’ fresh bakery supplies are produced in their

Source: Gira compilations

44

MARKET

Sandwich chain Bakery café

Specialised chain

Classic bakery

Coffee shops

Discount chain

Food to go

Share of chain business models in fresh bakery turnover, EU14, 2021

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Source: Gira compilations

Artisan chain

45

MARKET

© William – stock.adobe.com

46

own central plants (and delivered as fresh or bake-off to the outlets). In addition, their plants have started delivering to external B2B clients (modern retailers, restaurants), which leads to a 13% share of bakery chains in total European industrial fresh and bake-off bakery production.

Therefore, there will be increasing competition between bakery chains and industrial bakers or artisanal scratch bakers. Dynamic bakery chains may produce from scratch, which is an alternative to artisan bakers’ or even modern retailers’ offerings. In addition, as some bakery chains plants do not operate at full capacity and are looking for more B2B clients, we expect external deliveries to grow in the future and bakery chains’ own central manufacturing plants to become competitors of industrial bakers, with the upper hand of offering attractive and local products, having valuable, direct contact with consumers through their own outlets, and, sometimes, even supplying retail stores or restaurants.

Evaluating different business models on the Key Success Factors shows that ‘Classic Bakery’, ‘Artisan’ and ‘Bakerycafé’ chains perform the best. The reasons are a combination of factors, including: + The strengths of classic bakery chains lie in their wide range of classic bakery products, their local origin and the fact that many have integrated on the supply chain with their own fresh or bake-off plants. + Artisan chains make a recent business model that has grown very rapidly, thanks to the high quality of products helped by the scratch production on the premises. + Bakery café chains offer a wide range of products, from classic bakery to complete foodservice solutions, in a warm store atmosphere.

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Expecting the unexpected In some countries, the bakery chain sector has reached a plateau, and new growth drivers need to be found. Moreover, the COVID-19 crisis has had a significant impact on the product mix, from offer rationalization to the introduction of grocery products – ‘survival kits’ to bake at home, and the move towards healthier or more traditional and local products, in addition to outlet closures during lockdowns.

The implementation of click & collect and deliveries has been the salvation for many chains during the pandemic. Nevertheless, many chains are still far behind restaurants or fast-food outlets for online service offerings. The acceleration of the digitization strategy and the development of CRM to increase customer loyalty will be future challenges. The transition to omnichannel distribution will also be key to multiplying the potential contacts with customers and increasing the chain brand awareness. This can be achieved through B2B direct deliveries of fresh bakery products to nearby restaurants or retailers. Alternatively, B2C sales of packaged branded goods in retail and foodservice outlets or through their own website will also count. This is already widely used by coffee shop chains with their branded coffee, but far less developed by bakery chains. For example, 100 Montaditos (ES) selling its frozen branded packaged ‘house nuggets’ to modern retailers, Prêt (UK) selling unbaked frozen viennoiserie and granola to Tesco, and Lagkagehuset (DK) selling a large range of pastries and fresh bread through the online retailer nemlig.com.

NPD in bakery and coffee shop chains primarily concerns vegan and vegetarian lines, gluten-free products, plant-based options, pro-health lines but also more premium recipes (‘artisan’ products, sourdough bread). Branded or exclusive products are also increasingly sought after. +++

NEWS

RBS assigns new director of project services

© Reading Bakery Systems

Reading Bakery Systems (RBS) announced the promotion of Shane Hanlon to Director of Project Services.

In this new role, Hanlon will be responsible for leading the project management, technical services, and application engineering teams.

Hanlon is a manufacturing veteran with 29 years of experience, who has been with RBS since 2013. Throughout his career, he has been active in a wide range of disciplines, including management, sales, customer service, technology integration, manufacturing engineering as well as all facets of project management. +++

Italian flour companies promote premium organic flours The Italian Association of Millers launched an initiative to promote exports of organic soft wheat and durum wheat flour and semolina to the U.S. and Canada and to raise awareness of their high quality.

The effort, called ‘Pure Flour from Europe: Your Organic and Sustainable Choice!’ is co-funded by the European Commission.

The program made its debut this week at Bakery@SIAL America, held on March 22 – 24, in Las Vegas. ITALMOPA had representatives from three of the group’s largest producers at its booth: Molino Grassi, Molino Casillo and Molino de Vita. During the show, the association hosted a private event at Eataly Las Vegas with culinary creations using organic flours sourced by its members.

The association was established in 1958 and counts more than 80 flour companies from across Italy among its members. +++

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Czech bakers anticipate bread prices to increase The Association of Bakers and Confectioners in the Czech Republic said that an increase in the price of bread should be expected this year, due to rising costs of raw materials and energy, as well as concerns about the Ukrainian workforce.

However, they expect no shortage of bread.

Representatives of the union were assured in a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture that bakery and food production generally fall under critical infrastructure, so they do not currently have to worry about drastic cuts in gas supplies. “In the production of wheat, the Czech Republic is more or less self-sufficient. However, we expect that if global grain production decreases, its price will increase,” said Bohumil Hlavatý, Executive Director of the Association of Bakers and Confectioners in the Czech Republic. While it is difficult to predict how the situation will develop further, the association is confident that supply chains and production will be at least partially reassured, and that there will be no sharp rise in prices.

The Association of Bakers and Confectioners in the Czech Republic (SPaC CR) currently has 130 members – bakeries and confectioneries, suppliers of machinery, raw materials, services and food schools.

+++

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48

INTERVIEW

“Recognize your market, go in-depth!”

This spring, Aart-Jan Hartman, Chief Commercial Officer, celebrates 25 years with Royal Kaak. Here is a glimpse into building a successful concept of vertical integration, the silver lining for better value offerings for the company’s markets, and the concepts around which Kaak builds its strategy.

+

Mihu: When we met last year, it was one of our first in-person meetings since the pandemic. Since then, the world has changed again. What are your thoughts on the recent events that upend lives – and work scenes?

Aart-Jan Hartman: We were well into the pandemic, but we were able to celebrate being granted the Royal title when we met, in October. It is, unfortunately, a completely different atmosphere today, indeed, the geopolitical setting is now entirely different than six months ago.

© Royal K A AK

Mihu: How do these events impact Kaak and the industry?

Hartman: When the news was announced, we immediately checked in with our people in Russia. On the same day, we agreed that, under the current circumstances, we clearly could not continue to do business in Russia, and we stopped day-to-day operations there, which we mainly had in St. Petersburg and Moscow. We are not considering projects in Russia by choice, and we cannot discuss work in Ukraine at present, unfortunately. Elsewhere in the world, projects are advancing, ranging from production lines to entire factories. Despite concerns regarding the current situation, work continues, from the UK to Latin America, the U.S, Germany, the Netherlands, and Greece, to Romania and Poland or Switzerland, and the continent of Africa.

Currency fluctuations and availability of raw materials or energy (grain, gas, etc.) in specific regions determine our present attention to markets! A more direct impact is expected to be felt in the supply of wheat and grain coming from Ukraine and Russia. Thankfully, countries such as e.g.

France, USA, Germany and the UK are still able to export, and several countries can immediately switch crops to start growing wheat; however, the availability will clearly not be

INTERVIEW

the same in the coming months. Gas prices going up, along with those of raw materials, means that costs will increase significantly, while retail prices are fixed for bakers honoring ongoing contracts, for example.

Reaching a milestone

click was there, because the culture and the family feeling were evident. A long, long time ago I was born in a little village in the east of the Netherlands, Twello/Deventer and people there ‘tick the same way’ as in Terborg or Nieuwkuijk or Contres, Zwolle, Ala or Hamburg! I never regretted it, not for one moment; there have been difficult moments in the last 25 years; however, there has not been a single negative moment in the past 25 years. Of course, business-wise, there are always ups and downs in a company, but we have always found our way up again.

Mihu: Looking at brighter moments, you are celebrating 25 years with Kaak this spring, which closely follows a landmark moment for Kaak – being granted the ‘Royal’ title.

What does it mean for you? What is the significance of such an acknowledgment at this particular time?

Putting things into perspective Hartman: I am thinking about what we accomplished, Mihu: Looking back 25 years, what moments would you what we didn’t, and what brought me the most satisfaction recall as turning points for yourself and Kaak, that helped this whole time. Indeed, it all came together sometime in shape the company into what it is today?

September last year, as we were announcing the Royal Hartman: On the business side, it is important to stick to Kaak name change, and celebrating 175 years. There was what one does best. We are very good at what we do: we a long path leading up to this. What makes me proud, have an understanding of the bread and yeast markets, of today and every day, the same as 20 years ago, is the fact fresh products, in general, and the visions in this sector, that we, a family company, were able to grow together with based on which we develop the bakers, to provide inteour machinery. Being able to grated solutions to our cus“Decentralized production will be the name of the recognize these things within tomers. We created this game for the next 20 years and we all need to our teams is what creates vertically integrated concept, our success, while also being which meant providing ‘from adapt to this. Long-term sustainable models need closely connected to the silo to truck’ solutions. We to be put into place.” market. It is also fundamenwere able to remove barriers Aart-Jan Hartman, Chief Commercial Officer, Royal Kaak tal that we always maintain and provide bakery lines the family atmosphere; there and entire factories. On the is not a lot of politics in our company, and we always work business side, I value the time we spent developing this, to as a team. We very much nurture and strive to remain this value-engineer our products, and our control systems; to way, a down-to-earth, pragmatic, pro-active organization. grow in companies, step by step, each specializing in a This is shown in opinions, behaviors, and beliefs. certain process. The latest addition was just as important In addition, the strategy of bringing added-value solutions as the first one we made, 20 years ago. By adding the is where our growth is coming from, the ‘silo to truck’ phiteam of Silowacht (today, Kaak Silos and Dosing), we grew losophy. We not only branded it, but we embraced and nurin the expertise we can provide. tured it – and it worked, 25 years ago and today. More so, If I look back 25 years, this is the red line for me: being able it progressively works even better. That is something I am to develop the concept of vertical integration, to work on it proud of. and, in the end, have a better value offering for our markets.

Throughout all events that happened in the last 25 years, the I think that went well. most important thing has always been Kaak – the comLooking at the type of company we are and my personal pany, the people and the products, as well as the market wellbeing in it, another important element is that we have – from project negotiation to line architecture, and the final always managed to remain a pragmatic family business. products coming from our lines. Everywhere in the world, Even today, with 800-900 people, we know the names of the the product will always smell and taste great and nourish; people at all Kaak companies. Not only that, we know what it is loved and appreciated. Another important reason why they do, why, and what their strengths are. Team-building I very much enjoyed working and have stayed in the industry has always been very strong, 25 years ago and now. for the last 25 years!

Mihu: And on a personal level, when was the moment Mihu: What are some meaningful moments putting your when you decided Kaak was the company where you wanted work into perspective? to build your career? What determined your decision?

Hartman: There are so many. One of the most important Hartman: 26 years ago, I was working for a company making moments was the realization that we needed a clearly robotic solutions for the packaging industry. I sometimes different philosophy than other components, machinery crossed paths with Kaak, and met the people, as the builders. Not to downplay their importance, as the strength company would work on projects to transport baked of the line is determined by the power of its single goods. I learned Kaak was hiring a sales manager. The

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INTERVIEW

© Royal K A AK

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components; but, our strategy came from our need to underNewfoundland for over a week. The little village of St John’s, stand the necessity of strong components, through bringing with a population of just around 6,000 people, saw an influx them together in a system. The product we developed startof enough people to fill 25 airplanes, coming from all over ing from the machine was their integration, the component the world, and all stranded there together. Being a part of architecture, the software arthis was an unfortunate lifechitecture, the HMI structure, changing moment, seeing “We were able to remove barriers and provide then the line or complete the full range of passengers’ bakery lines and entire factories.” bakery engineering. When I reactions, and the people started, we were in the from Saint John’s mobilize.

Aart-Jan Hartman, Chief Commercial Officer, Royal Kaak process of taking over Daub, The few hotels on the island after we had just added Benier. Our growth accelerated were immediately booked by airline staff and pilots, while from that point on. In this effort, it was essential for us to still in the air, and there were clearly not enough ‘beds’ to have a single control system of the line, one software host 6,000 extra people. However, the Red Cross, the reflecting the architecture of all our companies. I am quite Salvation Army, and village volunteers immediately organized proud that we developed this software together, with input army beds for everyone, in schools, in the University grounds from our sales teams, marketing, product development, and other places, in just one day. A few days later, flights and specifically software/electrical engineering; a clear started to resume, slowly. At that moment, not only did the market-first 20 years ago. whole world change, but I witnessed crisis behavior, ranging from anger, polarization to alliances being made, and Mihu: Which of your personal values are embedded into solidarity. It put everything into a different perspective. All Kaak today? my thanks go to the University of St John’s, the Red Cross Hartman: Recognize your market, go in-depth, determine and the Salvation Army for taking such good care! the product and be close to the customer – these are the ‘From silo to truck’ priorities I find essential that we follow, and they have Mihu: What would be your favorite success story, in your helped us grow. shared timeline with Kaak?

Hartman: One of the most important moments was, for Mihu: What experiences come to mind, from your projects me, the development of the concept ‘from silo to truck’, and travels? which was the start of substantial projects in all parts of the Hartman: Some moments can change your view of the world (this being ‘a product’ in itself). We developed strong, world; one of them was the 9/11 crisis. The entire business enormous, beautiful projects, worldwide; the common world was in the air, sitting in airplanes flying to the next denominator to all of them has been this philosophy. agreement or meeting. A terrorist attack immediately resulted Second is the integration of Robotics in the baking lines, in all flights being halted and absolute chaos followed, especially important given the lack of manpower and the with a lack of information adding to the confusion. My US need for the utmost hygiene to operate bread production Airlines flight, being off-radar for a couple of hours (which lines all over the world. With robots, there is no need for did not help the situation at home either), was stuck in

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© Royal K A AK

INTERVIEW

human hands to ever come into contact with the product.

Thirdly, being able to always adapt our product to our customers’ needs is essential. Everywhere, always. We have brought ideas, technology and even final products from all over the world, to all over the world!

Mihu: What are the challenges in building this concept, ‘from silo to truck’? And how are they coordinated?

Hartman: It is extremely important to recognize what you have, what your strengths are, and what you lack, and you do not excel at, respectively. The last two are especially important. Innovation has to start with a market analysis and assessment of what we can provide and what we do not have in our portfolio. If there is an important element that, according to our ‘silo to truck’ philosophy, is missing, we identify it, do the market research, get feedback from the market, then proceed to make or buy it. When we consider acquiring a new company, we look very closely at its culture and its people to evaluate not only how its products fit into Kaak’s portfolio, but also to make sure the culture matches the family environment we have been nurturing.

Mihu: In this regard, what made Silowacht a good fit?

Hartman: Our latest acquisition is a perfect example: their culture matches the one at Kaak perfectly, we are the same type of people. Silos were a product category missing in our integrated solutions, as well as the distribution techniques from the silos to the mixers. These factors gave us the green light to start negotiations. In addition, the momentum was there as well, as Silowacht was also interested to be integrated and wanted to benefit from the strengths behind a bigger company.

Mihu: What key policies do you have in place? And what recent changes have been made to them?

Hartman: We reinforced project management over the

last 2-3 years, ensuring supply chains, cost levels, and product quality. We remain very open-minded regarding opportunities on the market, but we are also very critical in evaluating them. In addition, safeguarding and improving existing assets is also among the things we do very well.

Aligning these gives us the strength for our next move, and there are absolutely more to come, following the integration of Silowacht. There could be opportunities in the pizza production chain, for example – after baking, and in the bread market. This is what we do well and also what I like to do, personally, in our ‘silo to truck’ philosophy.

Mihu: How is Kaak preparing itself for such unpredictable events?

Hartman: Our reaction regarding the COVID-19 pandemic measures could be a good example. We did not have any decline in turnover during the two years of restrictions; on the contrary. There were several reasons for this outcome: we had people in each market, for that market. We could always travel within countries, and having service, installation and sales people locally has been a tremendous help.

We already knew this, but it was an important lesson, which confirmed the importance of having companies all over the world.

The center we created in Terborg to manage working at a distance was a great success, with all the technical support available today from the Netherlands, working 1:1 with installation teams abroad. We will head towards more decentralized (in the country, for the country) ways of doing business, fortunately, or unfortunately. We are seeing this with pharma, computer chips, energy and we will see it in the food industry. Decentralized production will be the name of the game for the next 20 years and we all need to adapt to this, as it tackles issues such as transport costs, CO 2 emissions, employee availability, the need for quick local response on a problem, and much more.

Mihu: Thank you for an interesting conversation. +++

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Molecular and functional analytics: an integrated research

© Africa Studio – stock.adobe.com

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Improving the profiles of baked goods benefits from gaining a deeper understanding of all the process steps and reactions behind them. Combining functional and molecular flour analytics will establish a comprehensive picture of the grain, and help to achieve better baking results.

+

By Dr. Julien Huen, ttz; Dr. Tina Bohlmann, ttz; Jessica Wiertz, Brabender

Cereal commodities are subject to quality variations resulting from genetic differences between varieties as well as cultivation and storage conditions. However, cereal processing companies aim at delivering products with constant properties. Therefore, they need appropriate methods for assessing quality variations in their raw materials to be able to take appropriate measures.

In order to characterize cereal grains and flour, two approaches may be used: either functional analysis that describes the behavior of samples in a simulated application (e.g. lab kneading test), or molecular analysis that aims at quantifying the single groups of substances contained in the sample.

This article describes both approaches based on selected examples of analytical procedures and discusses in which context each approach may be most appropriate. Functional analysis may be seen as the most pragmatic approach for routine quality control in processing companies, because of the simplicity and robustness of the methods.

Molecular analysis, in contrast, is often more difficult to implement but delivers insights on the mechanisms explaining functionalities. Therefore, it is of particular value for solving complex quality problems or establishing new recipes and processes.

1. Functional analysis The objective of functional analysis is to assess in the lab how a sample will perform in a certain application. In most cases, only little sample preparation is required. Grains

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have to be ground prior to measurement. The modalities of grinding vary according to the type of grains. Roller mills with sifters can be used, for example, which use cylindrical rollers to grind the grains, or break mills with adjustable milling gaps, consisting of a stationary upper block with three reversible cutting plates and a rotating block with four more reversible cutting plates. Other plant-based materials, such as beans or pulses, can be ground with e.g. a break millm which is a standard mill Brabender uses for analytics processing of flour and bran fractions. The grains should be free of foreign materials (e.g., stones, soil, etc.) before grinding.

Often, the moisture content of the sample has to be determined, as the quantity of sample used in the measurement is adjusted accordingly. When measuring water absorption in a Farinograph test, 300g is the reference weight to be used. If the moisture content is different than 14%, however, the system software automatically corrects the weight of the flour required.

There are several physical methods to test a flour, which replicate the processes in an industrial bakery. Brabender’s approach is based on three steps of phases: Phase 1: mixing Brabender measures the water absorption of the flour, which gives a good indication regarding the types of products for which it can be used. Biscuits and wafers require flour with low water absorption, while bread uses flour with high water absorption, since the starch and proteins are able to retain it. In addition to this, the mixing characteristics of the flour are also measured. How the dough behaves during

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the mixing process gives an indication of its tolerance to mixing on an industrial scale and the energy required to be put into the dough.

Phase 2: extension Dough is formed and shaped similarly to industrial operations, at first to a round piece of dough, then to elongated pieces. The dough is allowed to rest before being stretched to test its extensibility. This test indicates if the dough is able to expand and hold the gas during the proofing stage, to obtain a high-volume loaf of bread. If the dough breaks quickly during this test, it will not be able to hold the gas, making it better suited for products in the ranges of biscuits or wafers.

Phase 3: pasting The flour is gelatinized, a procedure similar to a pure starch sample analysis. Water is mixed with flour and heated up to 93°C to observe the height of its gelatinization peak.

This will help gain a better understanding of how the starch will behave during the baking process. As the crumb is heated up, the starch and the proteins continue taking up water and the gelatinization process takes place inside the bread loaf. If the viscosity is too low, the starch is not assimilating enough water. While for the flour, it is interesting to observe the heating process, while for the starch

Brabender Brabender supplies equipment for testing material quality in all areas of research, development and industrial production in the food and chemical industries worldwide. Brabender’s specialty laboratories in the fields of grinding, baking, rheology and extrusion are also available to customers who want to solve complex questions in measurement and process technology. Materials and their functional properties can be tested directly on-site or online.

ttz Bremerhaven ttz Bremerhaven is an independent research service provider and conducts application-related research and development. It supports especially middle-sized companies in their innovation and quality optimization projects. In its technical field and laboratories, ttz can conduct process trials, raw material and end-product analysis as well as sensory characterization. This multidisciplinary approach helps solve complex problems and develop disruptive products and technologies.

In the past five years, ttz has worked on extending its analytical possibilities from functional analysis to molecular and microstructure characterization, thus now offering a very wide field of possibilities.

activity, the cooling process is also investigated, due to the broader application range of starch.

The Farinograph and Extensograph give an indication of the mixing and extension properties of wheat flour (phases 1 and 2). In addition, Brabender uses the GlutoPeak as the main method of gluten characterization. The GlutoPeak can also be used in industrial mills when flour is received. Flour is mixed with water at high speed (over 2,000rpm), so that the gluten within the slurry of water and flour aggregates and forms a network causing a torque peak. The quantity and quality of the gluten influence the readings and anticipates how the flour will perform: a big amount of strong gluten translates into a short and high peak, while the absence of enough gluten to aggregate and/or a low protein flour will determine the peak to be late and very small.

For gluten-free flour testing, the Farinograph is used as well, with an additional tool called FarinoAdd. Gluten-free flours lack elastic properties given by the gluten network, meaning they have a different consistency (more plastic), and require attention to mixing. The same procedure is followed beyond this stage to test gluten-free flours. For wheat flour dough, a consistency of 500 FU is defined; for gluten-free flour, individual values have to be defined in advance, depending on the type of flour.

There are clear trends toward faster tests for bakery applications, looking into gluten functionality, on the one hand, and improvements in the gluten-free segment, on the other.

GlutoPeak analysis is a quick measurement that can be performed in around 5 minutes, for example. In addition, Brabender developed two further methods: the analysis of pure, dried gluten that can be added to flours and bakery mixtures and gain control of its quality (in collaboration with ttz Bremerhaven and CSM), and a method for wafer flour analytics (in partnership with Bühler) to solve challenges in the industrial processing of dough for wafers – as this is a type of dough that should have a very low protein level since it tends to form lumps because the gluten aggregates when pumped through nozzles.

Starch performance is easily seen in the quality of the baked goods. If the starch gelatinizes properly, it reflects in the characteristics of the crumb. If not, the starch is unable to absorb all the water added to the dough and there will be a certain amount of moisture in the crumb, which might be visible as a water streak. The type of flour and its corresponding starch composition plays an important role in the baking outcome. For a more crispy or sandy structure, starch is added into the composition that typically uses a flour with a low protein content - as in the case of sand cakes, biscuits or wafers, for example; whereas bread would not require additional starch to the quantity normally found in flour. In contrast, gluten is rather added to the flour.

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For starch analysis, sample preparation is also a simple procedure: a slurry is made combining starch and water and placed in a mixing bowl to rotate continuously. The sample is then ready for rheological measurement. It undergoes heating to certain temperatures to simulate the processes the starch undergoes in industrial applications.

Gelatinization can be observed in this way (increased torque), as the starch absorbs water and the slurry becomes more viscous. It is also interesting to see how the starch behaves in the cooling phase and its final viscosity, because many applications use it in lower temperatures, such as desserts

or puddings. Enzyme activity should also be taken into consideration. If enzymes have affected the starch and broken it down, this starch is unable to gelatinize, resulting in a lower peak.

In terms of gelatinization properties, the functional analysis is an established process, done according to ICC standards usually. Modified, cold-swelling starches are interesting cases that require different methods of analysis.

They can be obtained through various methods, either chemical or physical, by heat and shear treatment or

Torque [GPU]

Time [sec] – Torque – Torque (mean)

Figure 1: from top to bottom: gluten in wheat flour as characterized by (a) Brabender GlutoPeak measurement (aggregation profile), (b) high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC, here: gliadin sample) and (c) confocal laser fluorescence microscopy of bread dough (gluten: pink phase; starch granules: green phase)

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Source: ttz Bremerhaven

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extrusion. These types of starches have a high viscosity, to begin with, which will immediately further increase when submerged in water. They are commonly used in desserts and sweet products, in general.

2. Molecular analysis The objective of molecular analysis is to quantify the substances contained in the sample. Cereal flours are mainly composed of starch grains (themselves made of amylose and amylopectin), storage proteins (gluten in the case of wheat) and non-starch polysaccharides (arabinoxylans, fructans and beta-glucans), as mono-, di- and oligosaccharides, fats, minerals, vitamins and enzymes as minor constituents.

Sample preparation for molecular analysis often involves extracting the components of interest from the overall matrix. This may imply dissolving in appropriate solvents and separating phases by centrifugation, filtration or evaporation. Mono-, di and oligosaccharides as well as some fructans and arabinoxylans, for instance, are soluble in (hot) water. Gluten constituents are soluble in different solutions used in Osborne fractionation, i.e. NaCl-Na2HPO4

solution, ethanol (60%) or DTT solution, at the exception of glutenin macropolymer. Fat may be extracted with petroleum.

Starch granules may be separated from the other components by filtration and/or centrifugation. Further purification can be achieved by the use of enzymes that will specifically degrade substances that are not in the focus of the analysis.

The extracted substances may then be weighted for quantification and/or further processed in order to separate them into subgroups for more precise description. In this step, chromatographic methods are of particular interest: high pressure liquid chromatography may be used to separate protein fractions, triglycerides, arabinoxylans, beta-glucans,

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fructans and vitamins according to their molecular weight.

For each application, appropriate columns, solvents, detection systems and parameters (pressure, flow, temperature) need to be defined. In addition, reference substances with known molecular weight need to be measured to calibrate the method. IR spectroscopy of mass spectrometry can be used, in addition, to further characterize the molecular composition of the separated substances. The application of these methods requires a high degree of expertise, but will deliver very detailed insights on composition. It has the potential to distinguish in a very fine way between different samples.

Another approach to molecular analysis consists of the use of enzymatic test kits. This allows for the quantification of substances that may be specifically degraded by a certain enzyme. The application of these methods still implies extraction steps, but further processing requires much less equipment and qualification as chromatography, as it is usually based on colorimetric measurements that only require a photometer. Enzyme test kits are available e.g. for amylose and amylopectin, fructans, arabinoxylans, beta-glucans as well as mono- and disaccharides e.g. glucose, fructose, saccharose, maltose.

The total content of minerals may be determined gravimetrically after ashing, but detailed analysis involves atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).

How functional properties and molecular composition are related to one another It is understandable that functional properties must be related to their chemical composition. Table 1 gives examples of such relationships. Water absorption, for instance,

which can be measured by the Brabender Farinograph, mainly depends on three categories of substances that are able to bind water: arabinoxylans (which are present at low quantities but have the highest water-binding properties), gluten (which binds different quantities of water depending on its composition) and starch (which binds more water if it is mechanically damaged, e.g. as a consequence of the milling process). Based on this, it is obvious that the same level of water absorption may be achieved by different combinations of gluten, starch and arabinoxylan composition.

This explains why flour batches showing the same values in functional analysis still may exhibit different behavior in baking applications.

It results from the above that functional and molecular analysis are two different ways to look at the same materials, and that they deliver data that complement each other. When the objective is to understand how functional properties arise and why different batches of flour behave differently, molecular characterization of the relevant components is necessary. This is especially the case because molecular composition can, in turn, be interpreted in the light of the knowledge on the genetic properties of the single varieties (ability to synthesize specific substances) and on environmental factors of cultivation (soil composition, use of fertilizers).

Ongoing research In a recent research project (AiF 20283N), ttz Bremerhaven and Leibniz LSB worked at investigating the relationship of molecular gluten composition and baking performance of wheat flour. A main hypothesis of the project was that, in the context of the reduction of nitrogen fertilization, the level of protein in commercial wheat flour may decrease. As the available protein quantity gets lower, it becomes more important to understand which protein quality i.e. composition is required in the different applications to obtain satisfactory results. Optimizing protein quality for single applications may also help reduce the use of additives,

Table 1: Examples of relationships between physical properties and molecular composition in the case of wheat flour FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS TEST

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

MOLECULAR COMPOSITION composition of gluten (gliadins, glutenins, glutenin macropolymer)

Farinograph

water absorption

amount of total starch and damaged starch amount and type of arabinoxylans

ViscoQuick, Micro Visco-Amylo-Graph (MVAG), Viscograph

GlutoPeak, Farinograph dough development time

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pasting properties

gluten aggregation properties

amount of total starch and damaged starch proportions of amylose and amylopectin gluten composition (gliadins, glutenins, glutenin macropolymer) ascorbic acid

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thus satisfying the demand for clean label products. The project was supported by a large group of industrial companies from the whole supply chain, under the coordination of Brabender.

One of the main conclusions of the work was the importance of the degree of polymerization of glutenins in the flour for functional properties. The optimal degree of polymerization was different depending on the application. The detailed results of the project will be published in separate articles.

Importance of microstructure One may argue, finally, that not only the molecular composition of a sample is important, but also the spatial distribution of the constituents in the sample. Hence, biological

materials are not perfect blends of the single molecules they are made of. Investigating raw materials, intermediate and final products by microscopy techniques gives further insights on the mechanisms of functionality (see figure 1c).

Conclusion While daily quality control may be well performed by the use of functional analysis, molecular analysis helps with the understanding of the mechanisms at the origin of quality features. Some of the corresponding methods, especially the colorimetric tests, can be implemented quite easily, while others, especially the chromatographic ones, require expensive equipment and extensive knowledge. This makes them more appropriate for implementation in specialized laboratories than in processing companies. +++

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NEWS

© Di os na

DIOSNA offers a series of Hygienic Design Wendel Mixers for efficient and clean dough production. The Hygienic Design product series has been expanded for flexibility with a Wendel Mixer with a mobile vat, the DIOSNA WH 240 A with a capacity of 240 kg (wheat dough at 100:56 ratio of water to flour). The compact mixer can be used in smaller plants as well as for fully automated large-scale production integrated into a linear transport robotic system. The benefits that DIOSNA Wendel Mixers offer include: working with cooler doughs, shorter mixing times (by up to 50%), higher dough yield, higher water absorption, improved and measurable and shorter cleaning cycles for reduced downtime, the company detailed.

Higher production capacities can be achieved, and a higher quality of the final product, while meeting hygienic requirements. They are designed to meet hygienic regulations in food production.

“Hygienically designed machines in food production are advantageous, to for example, optimize cleaning between production processes and consequently lead to reduced downtimes,” DIOSNA explained. +++

© Bühler

Hygienic design Wendel Mixer with mobile vat

DIOSNA Hygienic Design Wendel Mixer with mobile vat WH 240 A

ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

Lesaffre publishes ‘Fermentation’ book Lesaffre presented its new book entitled ‘Fermentation’ at Sirha Europain, published

by Flammarion and produced in partnership with the Institut Paul Bocuse. Lesaffre aimed to provide a better understanding of the contribution of fermentation thanks to micro-organisms such as yeast and bacteria. The book is available in French and English, and other translations of the book could be soon published.

The book retraces the history of fermentation through an educational and entertaining approach, then draws up a panorama of the leading products resulting from fermentation, including bread. +++ © Lesaffre

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PUBLISHING HOUSE Food2Multimedia GmbH Schoolkoppel 27 21449 Radbruch, Germany +49 4178 244 9797 www.foodmultimedia.de EDITOR EMERITUS Hildegard M. Keil hildegard_keil@t-online.de PUBLISHER James Dirk Dixon dixon@foodmultimedia.de EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Catalina Mihu mihu@foodmultimedia.de

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