Webinars

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!

BAKING EDUCATION WEBINARS SERIES

Baking with Ancient Grains of the Great Plains

June 10 | 11:00 AM ET 

Join us for a visually rich and insight-filled session exploring the power and potential of ancient grains in modern baking. Led by a seasoned expert with 15 years of hands-on experience, Baking with Ancient Grains of the Great Plains offers a practical look at unique grains like einkorn, spelt, Khorasan wheat, millet, and buckwheat—highlighting their origins, nutritional benefits, and performance in today’s bakery formulations. 

This webinar features real-life baking applications captured on video and narrated by the presenter, offering an engaging, step-by-step look at how these grains behave in doughs, batters, and finished products. Whether you’re a commercial baker, educator, or simply passionate about grain diversity, this session will expand your knowledge and spark new ideas for product development and innovation. 

What you’ll gain from this session: 

• 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 

SPEAKER

Rachel L. Carson
Food Scientist, Northern Crops Institute

Rachel is a Food Scientist at the Northern Crops Institute in Fargo, North Dakota, with over 15 years of experience specializing in baking applications that showcase the unique characteristics of wheat, soy, and gluten-free ingredients. She conducts laboratory analyses of northern-grown crops and contributes to pilot-scale processing initiatives. Rachel also leads technical demonstrations and training sessions for domestic and international trade teams, as well as participants in specialized short courses. Her expertise in food science, combined with practical experience in both research and education, makes her a valuable resource to the industry and to every audience she serves.

Cost: Free for Members / $20 for Non-Members. Join for $99/year to attend the whole series.

Join us live and submit your questions directly to the expert. Can’t attend? Register and receive the recording.

Past Recordings

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