Baked In Science

Do we need to be concerned with the ingredients we’re eating and baking with? You may be familiar with the concern over the use of ADA (Azodicarbonamide) in bread. Although the additive is banned in some places, such as the EU, it can be used in the U.S. Dr. Lin Carson talks with Kristine Sherred from William Reed Business Media to clear the air on ADA and other ingredients currently in the spotlight. ADA is used as a whitening agent in cereal flour, as well as a dough conditioner in bread baking. Dr. Lin explains why bakers begin using this ingredient, and the roll it plays in high speed bread production. But is it dangerous? Dr. Lin goes into why ADA shouldn’t scare you. The two discuss the media coverage of this ingredient, the difference in regulations around the globe, and what science has to say about it. A few talking points are: - Why the U.S. allows food other parts of the world doesn't - Public perception on chemical ingredients - Scientific studies done on ADA - Other ing

Finding creative and practical ways to be sustainable is key for the baking industry. From the ingredients we use, and where they come from, we’re finding better ways to bake with the future in mind. Because being sustainable isn’t just what your business does, but the entire baking ecosystem! There are a lot of companies out there making bold strides towards sustainability. Here are two that joined us for this episode. Matco Foods : Safwan Ghori with Matco Foods joined Dr. Lin to discuss how this company is making a difference. Based in Pakistan, Matco Foods exports rice and rice byproducts all over the world. For the baking industry, this means rice syrups. However, 7 years ago they started the Friends of Farmers program to help their area. Safwan shares about how their unique program provides education for not only farmers, but for children in the area as well. Aqua Faba: Water from soaked chickpeas may not seem that exciting. But did you know this simple byproduct can be used as an egg replacer? It’

There was just too much happening on the IFT trade show this year to limit it to one episode! The annual event has always been a place for finding new innovation and ingredients, and 2019 was no different. In this episode, Dr. Lin talks about oat fibers and hydrocolloids, vegan cheese, and sugar replacements. Oat Fibers from Grain Millers: Robert Serrano shares about the many uses of oat fiber, which helps replace gums, improve rollablility and bread crumb. Plus, depending on the processing, it can be used in a gluten-free system. Grain Millers has also found ways to include more than just the oat hull fiber. So, bran and beta-glucans are included to help hold more water. Learn more at https://www.grainmillers.com/ Vegan Cheese from Ingredion: Matt Yurgec talks about a vegan cheese that’s rich in protein, and a baked beet cracker. Both are made with texturizers that help improve quality. Ingredion has pea starch-based texturizers that help with sheatablity and expansion during baking, adding just the ri

The IFT annual event is a place bustling with new technologies, interesting ingredients, and hundreds of other things to spark the interests of the food industry. There’s plenty to explore, so in case you didn’t get to see everything, here are a few of our favorite innovations from the show. Dr. Lin learns about new fiber innovations, sugar reduction solutions and vegan ingredients! New Fibers from InterFiber: Witosław Pastuszka from Interfiber shares about their sugar cane fiber product. Besides adding fiber to products, it’s zero calorie. It also adds no taste or sweetness, and has a very neutral color and taste. They share their favorite use for it, and some other fiber products. Learn more at interfiber.com Sugar Replacement from Ingredion: Eric Shinsato with Ingredion talks about Astraea Allulose, a sugar replacement. A low-calorie bulking agent, it’s 70% as sweet as sugar. Plus, it has browning benefits. The ingredient is available in liquid or crystalline form. Eric covers how it can be used in f

Ancient and heirloom grains are popping up everywhere. While there is plenty of variety and benefits, which ones are hot in the baking industry right now? And what can they offer to products and labels? On this episode I talk with two experts in the field of ancient grains to learn more about this trend. Angela Ichwan is the tech lead at The Annex at Ardent Mills. The Annex is a speciality business unit that started almost 2 years ago to specialize in specialty grains. One grain growing in popularity is quinoa. Angela discusses the sustainable story with this grain, its nutrition, and how it’s been finding a place in U.S. agriculture. We also cover: - Other ancient grains - Gluten-free grains - Products to try ancient grains in - IQF processing to improve functionality I’m also joined by Troy DeSmet, CEO and Founder of Freekeh Foods. Troy shares how after decades in the agricultural industry, he got involved with the production of Freekeh. The timing for its best quality is critical, with

If you live in the U.S., or anywhere else that’s not the U.K. you may not be very familiar with the Chorleywood baking process for bread. And no, it’s not just another name for no-time dough. It is a whole other process, that has some very intriguing points and uses. To get a birds-eye view of the process, I bring Michael Addams onto today’s show. He is the Bakery Science Manager at Campden BRI, a membership-based organization that works with the global baking industry to help problem solve with ingredients and products, answering the questions behind the science of baking. Based in the U.K., the organization is very familiar with the Chorleywood baking process. This dough-making method originated in England after WWII, as bakers needed to find a way to utilize their home-grown soft wheat. So what is the Chorleywood process? Michael explains the key components of this quick-time dough that relies on the mechanical development of gluten. The dough is mixed not to a certain time, but to a certain energy i

There’s a lot of focus on solutions for replacing emulsifiers. In fact, so much that you’re probably tired of hearing about it. But this is really a fascinating field, with some exciting benefits for baking. So to give you some fresh insight into the trend, I talk with two specialists from Europe about their latest research with enzymes! First up is Dr. Helmut Reuscher, the technical director at WACKER. For more than 25 years, he’s been working with some truly mind-blowing molecules: cyclodextrins. Made from starch sources such as corn or potatoes, an enzyme is taken out. Then, bits of the starch helix are cut out and the enzyme is put into a ring form. As a result, when water and fats are added, it works an emulsifier! Dr. Reuscher goes into the science of this molecule, how it is used in baked goods, and why it’s unlike anything on the market. Next, to understand more about the science of enzymes and their use as emulsifiers and dough strengtheners, I talk with Iannis Samakidis. An industry technolo

Take a close look at flour, and you’ll find a lot of valuable information there. Understanding the makeup of flour gives insight into baking factors such as protein, starch, and moisture. Another key aspect of flour science is analyzing it. Because types and even batches of flour can differ in composition. In this episode of BAKED in Science, Dr. Lin Carson is joined by grain and flour expert Dr. Jayne Bock, Technical Director for the Wheat Marketing Center. Dr. Carson has her PhD in grain science, and is the CEO and founder of BAKERpedia. Dr. Bock, Technical Director at the Wheat Marketing Center, has publications covering topics including wheat and flour quality, dough rheology, and gluten structure-function. The two discuss components of flour, functionality and different flour analysis methods.This covers topics such as: - Just what flour is made of - The function of the components of flour - Flour moisture - Other grain flours like sorghum, corn, barley and rice - Testing flour quality As

It’s time to get au naturel with your baking. Natural colors and flavors are one of the challenges of clean label or natural baking. So let’s dive in to taste and see! We start with one of the most storied flavors: vanilla. Daphna Havkin-Frenkel is a biologist and food scientist, as well as owner and manager of Bakto Flavors—a company that specializes in natural flavors for gourmet goods. Daphna has spent many years focusing on the flavor vanilla, and the process behind it. The world of vanilla is a fascinating one, from farming the plant, to its extraction, to the market surrounding it. Daphna and Dr. Lin discuss all aspects, like: - What makes vanilla so unusual? - What’s the science behind the curing process? - Conventional vs. organic methods - The vanilla crisis - Labeling vanilla If you’d like to learn more about the vanilla world and using it as flavor, learn more at https://www.baktoflavors.com/ To learn more about the colorful side of natural baking, we’re joined by Taygun Ba

Artisan bread and products are flying off the shelves. Why this interest in artisan style baking, and how can you get involved—or do it better? To help sort through this trend, I bring in a few artisan experts to answer some questions. First off, some visitors from Ardent Mills: Abbey Heikes in specialty sales and Ed Reinwald, a technical analyst. Abbey works on the grain side of things, offering insight into popular grains and milling practices that go hand in hand with artisan baking. Ed works to help bakeries solve problems, like how to bake with more natural, simple lines. He shares the challenges artisan bakers face, and new technological advances that can help make a successful product A few questions we tackle are: - What are heirloom and heritage grains, and how do they bake? - What can add rich flavors to artisan breads? - How should you handle high absorption dough - What does it takes to be a successful artisan bread baker? Later, Peter Lachapelle stops by to talk about the inaugural In

In this episode we interviewed finalists for the Baking Product Development Competition (PDC) contest at BakingTech19. This competition facilitates the development of innovative bakery products for the wholesale baking industry and encourages students to choose careers in the wholesale baking industry. Awards include: • 1st prize: $2,000 scholarship for each team member • 2nd prize: $1,500 scholarship for each team member • 3rd prize: $1,000 scholarship for each team member • 4th prize: $500 scholarship for each team member Our first team is from University of Wisconsin Medicine, their product is Sobasoy. This product is a buckley-based flatbread with scallion and ginger inclusions served alongside a soy-based dipping sauce. The team discusses the challenges they had with leavening agents, yeast and ingredient ratios with Dr. Carson. Our second team hails from Purdue University, their product is called Lost Grains Pita Pockets. These gluten-free pita pockets are made with three ancient grains (Millet, Sor

What’s your favorite event for the baking industry? If you don’t attend any expos or conventions, you really should start too. Or you’ll miss out on new innovations, valuable connections and informative sessions. Today, we get a special behind-the-scenes look at two of my favorite baking shows: IBIE and BakingTech. First up Jorge Zarate and Kerwin Brown from the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE). This century-old show only comes around every there years, but it’s worth the wait. It’s the largest show in North America focused on baking, creating a space for all the different segments of the industry to come together. Suppliers, equipment producers, and bakers from different sectors get to make contacts, find solutions, and walk away with what they need to make their company successful. What do you have to look forward to for IBIE 2019? Jorge and Kerwin share some new features and what they’re excited for: - All the new innovations, as many companies use IBIE as a launch point - The artis

What’s a new frontier for the baking industry? Cannabis edibles. Legislation at the state and federal level is opening doors for a new market. And while there are a fair share of hurdles and unsteadiness, there is plenty of room for profits and growth. Thinking of throwing your hat into the game? Here are some questions and answers that may help you get started. One of the difficult things about the cannabis edibles industry is a lack of information that would normally be common place for a sector of food and bakery. Doug Peckenpaugh, a Group Director at BNP Media, stops by to share what his group has been finding. They provide business and product development intelligence for every aspect of the food and beverage industry. Lately, they have been digging into the cannabis industry and have noticed a great lack of information providing guidance, especially in areas of quality control, product development, and safety. Research about cannabis’ baking applications is also in short supply. Doug shares ways

On this unique episode of BAKED in Science, Dr. Carson presents from the podcast series My Food Job Rocks, Hosted by Adam Yee. On his podcast, Adam talks to all kinds of industry professionals to help inform people about the cool jobs available in the food industry. On this episode Adam interviews the CFO of Tyson Venture, Tom Mastrobuoni. Tyson Foods has been investing a number of innovative companies, such as Beyond Meat, Memphis Meats, and Tovala. Why? As Tom explains, investing in up and coming companies is the way to get ahead and be truly innovative. So not only do these brand new companies get a leg up, but the investing company gets a boost as well. Tom talks about how Tyson Ventures finds ideas, how the deals are made and the most prominent or popular place for food companies. Emerging Trends But how do you know which up and coming companies to get involved with? It helps to know what trends are on the horizon. Adam and Tom talk about some of the biggest one for the food industry such as: -

What trends should you be paying attention to this year in the baking industry? Here are a few to keep on your radar. But before you can be truly successful with new products and processes, you’ll need a solid foundation in some of the important aspects of baking and key functional ingredients. So Dr. Carson brings on Dr. Jayne Bock, the Technical Director for the Wheat Marketing Center, to answer a few commonly-asked questions such as: - What does peak time on a farinograph mean? - Why do flour properties fluctuate? - What’s the perfect pH for water for fermentation? If you’re looking for more in depth answers, you’re in luck! Dr. Carson and Dr. Bock are launching a series of 2-day technical trainings, called bootcamps! This is the chance to get hands-on experience and learn from the experts! The first one is all about flour and functional ingredients! Register here: http://bakerpedia.com/resources/commercial-baking-bootcamps/ Looking for something a little more inspirational? We’re also offering one

Who’s ready for Baking Tech 2019? In this episode we discuss the American Society of Baking annual conference offering with Kent Van Amburg, Executive Director. ASB is a trade association in the commercial baking industry. Members are individuals, not companies. Members are students, industry professionals and retirees. ASB’s mission is to help all the individuals in the commercial baking industry to further their career by providing education and broadening their network. Their annual meeting is called Baking Tech. This year the highlights are on the future of baking. 3 keynote speakers Dr. Morgaine Gaye – Food Futurologist Dr. Gaye looks at food and eating from social, cultural, economic trends, branding and geo-political perspectives. Her work involves collaborating with food manufacturers on developing new products and ideas. Tom Gumple – Founder of MDJ Baking Inc. Mr Gumple wil be covering what’s going on in the future of bread production and what innovations we’ll be seeing from the baking companies

Are low-FODMAP products the key to people eating bread again? If you aren’t familiar with the term, FODMAPs are fermentable short-chain carbohydrates that are hard to digest, triggering symptoms like bloating and discomfort. With over 15% of the Western world suffering from IBS, or wheat sensitivity, low-FODMAP foods tap into a huge market. There are a millions of people who can enjoy bread again as we find ways to bake for low FODMAP. In this episode I talk with two companies who are making great strides in low-FODMAP baking. Fazer is a Finland-based food company. During some consumer insight research, they found 1/5th of consumers were avoiding bread because of stomach issues. So they begin researching ways to remedy that. Their solution: a enzyme that solves the problem of FODMAPs without hurting quality, texture and taste of the final product! Jussi Loponen, head of research at Fazer, stops by to explain how this enzyme works and how to bake with it. It’s a fanzinating ingredient! Later on I’m joi

Every day we get questions on the BAKERpedia website. With over a thousand visits a day from people all over the world, it’s no surprise! When it comes to the commercial baking industry, there’s a lot of processes and ingredients that have to be just right so the product comes out perfect and delicious—and unique to the brand! So today to help with your unique questions, we’re going to give you some technical answers. I’m joined by Dr. Debi Rodgers, the director of baking services at AIB International. Dr. Debi teaches about the function of ingredients,science-related bakery functions and more for AIB’s classes. Together, we tackle your questions! We cover a lot of issues, like how to solve shelf life issues for both mold and staling or how to troubleshoot mixing, proofing and finishing problems. Through it all, we talk ingredient functionality, where to use what, and the science behind baking. Here are a few of the questions we answer are: - What additives are added to flour and their function - Wha

What’s one of the fastest growing areas of the baking industry with lots of room for innovation and new products? Tortillas! From wraps to tacos to chips, tortillas are big right now. In fact, the global tortilla market is projected to reach $48.51 billion at a CAGR of 5.10% by 2023. So to help all you bakers out, I bring some tortilla and snack experts onto this episode of BAKED in Science. My first guest is Luis Belozerco, a baking professional from AIB International, whose expertise is flatbreads, ranging from pizza to tortillas. He shares what sets tortillas apart from other flatbreads, and the role ingredients play in making a product that has the needed extensibility and flexibility to be successful. We also chat clean label, gluten-free and what alternative ingredients work well. Louis talks about some innovative uses for tortillas, including chocolate ones! AIB is hosting a Tortilla Seminar on Apr 16 - 19, 2019 in Manhattan, Kansas. Learn more: https://www.aibonline.org/Start-Your-Training/Bakin

In this episode, Dr. Carson interviews Dr. Kantha Channaiah from AIB International and Richard Starke from Reading Bakery. Dr. Kantha Channaiah is the Director of Microbiology at AIB International, he’s responsible for performing program consulting and training food safety-related topics. Richard is the Director of Reading Thermal, a division of Reading Bakery Systems. Reading Thermal is an engineering group focused on the SCORPION Data Logging Measurement System. His responsibility is to direct the company’s operations and communicate the technical capabilities and benefits of the SCORPION system. Kantha explains that FSMA requires Kill Step Validation for bakeries, this means that all facilities need to validate their preventive controls and process steps critical for food safety. In this podcast, Kantha delves into the importance of these certifications and how AIB International can help with its multiple Kill Step Calculators available on their website. Kantha also explains why you cannot use the ca