From the comfort of your own office, ASB invites you to join us for year-round continuing education. Whether you are just starting in the industry or a long-time professional, our webinars have something for everyone! See below for our upcoming live webinars, or check out our On-Demand Webinars to watch past recordings covering topics such as ingredient functionality, scaling commercial bakeries, workforce issues and sustainability.
Note: Webinars are always free for ASB members. Not a member? Get a digital membership for $99/year here!
COFFEE BREAK WEBINAR
The Consumer Conundrum: Grain Foods on Today’s Plates
October 23, 2025
11:00 AM EST / 8:00 AM PST
Sponsored by Grain Foods Research Institute
Understanding consumers is the starting point on a road toward innovation. Understanding consumers also opens the door to offering products that will enhance good feelings about buying, using and serving grain foods. Join this session to look deeply at consumers, considering the chance to meet them where they are – and to offer them “more” and “better” in their quest for well-being and (affordable) good health.
Many inside our industry think of grain foods as staple foods – ingredients, entrees, and sides upon and around which we build meals and snacks, both at home and on the go. Consumers, however, have an increasingly divergent perspective on the place of grain foods not only on plates, but also in healthy lifestyles.
By understanding consumers, we can offer solutions that will enhance well-being and bring convenience AND nutrition to busy lives. Along the way, we can re-introduce grain foods as STAPLE foods to younger consumers who are still establishing purchase and consumption habits as individuals and as buyers for young households. Understanding unlocks opportunity which leads to innovation. Let’s walk this path together as a category.
SPEAKERS
Erin Ball
Executive Director, Grain Foods Foundation
Erin Ball has more than 17 years of experience in non-profit association management, including 13 years with the Grain Foods Foundation (GFF), where she became Executive Director in 2022. Under her leadership, GFF has strengthened its role as a trusted source for health influencers on grain foods and carbohydrate science, expanded research through annual calls for proposals, and launched the Grain Foods Research Institute (GFRI) in 2024, where she now serves as president.
With a background bridging science, communications, and advocacy, Erin works closely with nutrition experts, health professionals, and industry leaders to advance understanding of the nutritional benefits of grain-based foods. She holds a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri and a Master of Arts in Theology. Erin lives in Maryland with her husband and three children.
Lorraine Hale, BS, MA
Grain Foods Foundation
Lorraine Hale built a 25-year career in food and consumer packaged goods, holding leadership roles at Kobrand Corporation and Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU). At BBU, she helped reposition Entenmann’s, advanced into Sales Operations leadership, and later served as VP, GM overseeing iconic brands including Thomas’, Sara Lee, Oroweat, and Ball Park. She also led BBU’s Marketing Center of Excellence, establishing expertise in media, analytics, and content before retiring in 2025.
Beyond her corporate career, Lorraine has played an influential role with the Grain Foods Foundation, serving as Co-Chair of its board of trustees and helping shape its vision. Today, she continues to support GFF in a consultative role, bringing her expertise in strategy, brand building, and communications.
Registration: Free
Join us live and submit your questions directly to the expert. Can’t attend? Register and receive the recording.
Utilizing Experimental Design in Product Development
This webinar covers:
- What DoE is and how to integrate DoE into product development.
- How Experimental Design (DoE) can be applied to evaluate alternative ingredients, egg replacers, and enhancing shelf life with a focus on texture, structure, and sensory performance.
- Methods of analyses to collect data for analysis in the DoE.
- How to interpret experimental data to identify optimal ingredient combinations that maintain product quality while meeting cost, nutritional, or production goals.
SPEAKER
Carlana Rodriguez
Applications Scientist, Grain Processing Corporation
Certified for Clean: Elevating Food Safety Through Hygienic Equipment Design
Sponsored by BEAG
This webinar covers:
- A deep dive into hygienic equipment design and certification
- The ANSI/ASB Z50.2 standard and its impact on bakery equipment design and food safety compliance.
- Key benefits of BEAG certification and how it aligns with FDA, BRC, SQF, and IFS food safety frameworks.
- The step-by-step process to certify equipment, including the role of the Internal Equipment Evaluator.
SPEAKERS
Jon Anderson
Managing Consultant, BEAG
Sarah Day
Director of Education, ASB
Baking with Ancient Grains of the Great Plains
This webinar covers:
- Insights into the history and regional significance of ancient grains
- Understanding of their flavor profiles, nutritional value, and functionality in baking
- Practical examples of how to work with these grains in commercial and artisan settings
- Step-by-step look at how these grains behave in doughs, batters, and finished products
SPEAKER
Rachel L. Carson
Food Scientist, Northern Crops Institute
Breaking Into Automation: Baking’s Roadmap to Optimized Efficiency, Higher Profits & Scalable Growth
Sponsored by Harpak-ULMA
This webinar covers:
- Why Automation is Critical: Understand how labor shortages and rising costs are driving the need for automation in bakery operations.
- Scalable Automation Solutions: Explore practical approaches to integrating automation across packaging lines, from case packing to full-line systems.
- Vision Inspection Technology: Learn how advanced tools like ULMA Vision and Neural Vision are replacing manual quality checks.
- ROI and Productivity Gains: Discover how bakeries are achieving up to a 22% productivity boost with automation—and seeing ROI in less than two years.
SPEAKERS
Josh Becker
Bakery/Confection Segment Manager, Harpak-ULMA Packaging
John Weddleton
Automation Product Manager, Harpak-ULMA Packaging
Innovations in Gluten-Free Baking: Grains, Formulations & Emerging Ingredients
This webinar is a collaboration with the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the American Society of Baking (ASB).
This webinar covers:
- Understand the unique properties of gluten-free flours and how they behave in different baked goods.
- Learn how to use amaranth, quinoa, millet, sorghum, and other grains to enhance texture, flavor, and nutrition in gluten-free products.
- Gain practical formulation techniques for gluten-free pan bread, pizza crust, and biscotti to improve structure and consistency.
- Explore real-world applications from industry experts, including process adjustments for commercial-scale production.
SPEAKERS
Amrita Ray, PhD
Milling Specialist, Northern Crops Institute
George Chookazian
Retired Baker
Richard J. Coppedge, Jr., CMB
Professor—Baking and Pastry Arts, The Culinary Institute of America
High Protein in Baked Goods: Science, Benefits, & Challenges
A collaboration with Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the American Society of Baking (ASB).
This webinar covers:
- Protein Claims & Regulations – Learn what qualifies a baked good as “high in protein” under FDA guidelines and how PDCAAS plays a role.
- Ingredient Functionality – Understand how several commonly used plant proteins impact hydration, emulsification, and product texture.
- Formulation Strategies – Explore how to blend plant proteins to create a complete amino acid profile while maintaining dough structure and machinability.
- Market Trends & Consumer Demand – Discover how protein-fortified baked goods align with clean-label and better-for-you trends.
SPEAKERS
Dr. Runnan (Grace) Li
Research Analyst, University of Kentucky
Susanne Stoeger-Moore
Chief Technical, R&D, & Quality & Officer, Nature’s Ingredients
5 Things to Improve Efficiency in Industrial Bakeries
Sponsored by Vantage Food
This webinar covers:
- The automation sweet spot: Where technology meets ROI. When to scale?
- Production scheduling secrets that slash downtime.
- Production efficiency tips & tricks that reduce waste.
- Staff training techniques that stick. Staff training trends and forward-looking techniques to mitigate turnover.
- Quality control methods that deliver consistency every time.
SPEAKERS
Laura Williams
Applications and Technology Manager | Vantage Food
Yannick Gil
Marketing Manager | Vantage Food
Drew Pope
VP of Business Development | Vantage Food
Bakery Enzymes 101
This webinar covers:
- Dissecting the Wheat Kernel: Gain a deeper understanding of wheat’s components—endosperm, bran, and germ—and their unique compositions.
- Enzyme Functionality in Baking: Learn how enzymes like amylase, protease, lipase, and xylanase enhance bread formulation, from increasing volume to improving softness, freshness, and crumb structure.
- Scientific Insights for Practical Application: Explore how enzymes modify flour’s structural components to create innovative bakery products.
SPEAKER
Chef Alex Peña
Founder, Baking Evolution: School of Baking | Director of Product Development & Technical Services, Bellarise
Mastering Whole Grains: Blending Science, Art, and Practical Solutions for Bakers
This webinar covers:
- The benefits of whole grains, including the nutritional features and some of the functional differences that can affect doughs
- Options for formulating with whole grains and for conveying the benefits of whole grains to consumers
- Techniques like pre-soaking, adjusting fermentation times, and other techniques can improve texture and flavor
- Knowledge and skills to overcome common challenges in making whole grain bakery products
SPEAKERS
Richard Charpentier
Certified Master Baker & CEO/Founder of Baking Innovation
Elizabeth Arndt, PhD
CIO & Lead Scientist, Baking Innovation
Transitioning an Industrial Sponge & Dough to Straight Dough
This webinar covers:
- Types of sponges and sourdoughs, and their purposes
- Pros and cons of using preferments
- Challenges associated with switching to a straight dough process
- Necessary equipment and processing adjustments required for a successful transition
SPEAKERS
Brian Chang
R&D Manager Sourdough & Grains, Puratos
Martin Chiappetta
Sr. Application Specialist, Puratos
Why Damaged Starch is a Must Parameter in Flour Specifications for Bakers
This webinar covers:
- What damaged starch is and how does it occur
- Why we measure starch damage
- The importance of damaged starch from the baker’s point of view
- The effects of damaged starch on fermentation and a variety of baked goods
SPEAKER
Dr. M. Hikmet Boyacioglu
Application Engineer, KPM
Monitoring Flour Quality to Reduce Waste in Bread Production
This webinar covers:
- The specific attributes of wheat flour
- What makes wheat flour variable at the mill
- What to look for in your flour specifications
- How to control your flour quality
SPEAKER
Dr. Lin Carson
Founder, BAKERpedia