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While sugar reduction technologies are not considered new to the baking industry, the focus on sugar reduction in bakery products has sharpened in recent years. Changes to the nutritional facts panel now require “Added Sugars”, sugar added during the food production process, to be labeled and quantified. According to pre-COVID studies, 71% of consumers are tracking sugar content in food, and 1 in 3 have a more negative perception of sugar than a year ago. Bakers have options when it comes to sugar reduction. Enzyme based sugar reduction systems can have limited effectiveness for replacing the sweetness of sucrose. High intensity sweeteners, like aspartame and sucralose, can impart negative flavor attributes when used to replace high levels of sucrose in bakery formulas. This presentation will explain the science behind the utilization of state-of-the-art fermentation technologies to extract key components of plant-based sweeteners for application in bakery products to reduce sugar. It will also demonstrate the positive impact on bakery sustainability as the fermentation technology used requires 60% less carbon footprint than other manufacturing methods.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the fundamental science and impact of sugar reduction in bakery products.
2. Understand the various methods commercially available for reducing sugar content, while maintaining the positive attributes of sugar in bakery products.
3. Understand the impact on sustainability through the reduction of sugar in bakery products.

Presenter
Nicole Rees
AB Mauri North America

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Product Quality and Shelf Life are significantly affected by environmental conditions in processing and packaging areas of packaged baked goods facilities. Particulates, mold spores, and product consistency are major sources of consumer complaints and product returns. Although various points of concern exist during the baking process, cooling exposed product post bake through to packaging is when finished goods are most at risk. The past several years have ushered in an increased emphasis on both creating and maintaining environments which promote superior Food Safety and consistent quality. This presentation will build on previous presentations with focus on the science of heat, humidity, pressurization, filtration, and airflow variations on final product temperatures, moisture loss, and unwanted particulates exposure. Additional discussion will include incorporating Monitoring and Verification control systems for finished product observing Food Safety and Quality parameters related to the environment – stressing the importance of notifications should parameters exceed Product Quality defined set points.

This presentation will focus on Product Quality and Food Safety for the following bakery processes:

• Ambient Coolers
• Enclosed Coolers
• Blast Freezers
• Packaging Areas

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the difference between an enclosed cooling room and a hygienic “clean room” zone for exposed product.
2. Identify in their existing process potential methods for improving product consistency with environmental changes – small changes can make a big difference!
3. Learn how to significantly reduce environmental exposure to molds and product moisture complaints.

Presenter
Scott Houtz
Air Management Technologies

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The attraction for frozen bakery goods keeps on growing due to the economic advantage of a centralized manufacturing and distribution process as well as easier standardization of product quality. This market trend creates opportunities for artisan bakeries but also bring new challenges as several problems can result from frozen storage. Frozen doughs usually exhibit less volume and poor texture due to dough weakening as well as reduced yeast viability.

Pre-proofed frozen dough can help alleviate some of these challenges, but this process also has the disadvantages of higher storage cost and shorter frozen shelf life. Freezer-to-oven dough avoids some of these problems but has similar constraints. Other processes, like retarder-to-oven and freezer-to-fryer, are alternatives to better match production and demand at the bake-off location. For each option, bakeries can turn to adapted solutions composed of enzyme-based preparations and specialty bakers yeast to improve dough tolerance and stability during freezing and prevent volume loss and coloration issues during baking.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the effects of freezing on bakers yeast leavening activity and the dough properties.
• Understand the advantages and disadvantages of pre-proofed frozen dough and freezer-to-oven baking techniques.
• Look into the benefits of enzyme-based and bakers yeast solutions and how they can be applied to your production process.

Presenter
Eymard Freire
Lallemand Baking

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Individuals with industry innovation and entrepreneurial spirit will be recognized and inducted into the Baking Hall of Fame, joining 89 past Inductees, on Wednesday, March 2. Please join us in celebrating their contributions to the baking industry during the opening general session.

For a full list of Hall of Fame Inductees visit www.asbe.org

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Beaulieu is a leading economics expert and his presentation will provide a 2022 economic forecast and how it applies directly the wholesale baking industry in the year ahead. Beaulieu’s company, ITR Economics, is the oldest privately-held, continuously-operating economic research and consulting firm in the U.S. ITR Economics forecasted major economic events, such as the 2008 recession, well in advance and possesses a long-term 94.7% accuracy rating.

Presenter
Alan Beaulieu
ITR Economics

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8:30 am – 8:45 am: Welcome
8:45 am – 9:45 am: Keynote Address by Alan Beaulieu
9:45 am – 10:15 am: Baking Hall of Fame Ceremony

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