Innovations abound at IBIE

There was so much to see at this year’s IBIE that we’re going to deliver
a veritable Coles Notes’ worth of show facts and figures before diving
right into the good stuff.

There was so much to see at this year’s IBIE that we’re going to deliver a veritable Coles Notes’ worth of show facts and figures before diving right into the good stuff.

Beautiful inspirations were in abundance at the PreGel America booth.   PHOTO: Laura Aiken

More than 21,000 attendees from 100 countries and from every segment of the grain-based food industry united at the Las Vegas Convention Center to discover the record number of innovations at the show. From Oct. 6 to 9, baking professionals explored 815 exhibiting companies, a 13 per cent increase over 2010.

Here’s the lowdown on some of the exciting discoveries Bakers Journal stumbled upon in our half-million-square-feet quest supported by our most comfortable exploratory shoes.

Interesting ingredients
Focus on fibre and protein at DuPont/Danisco: DuPont presented its full line of opportunities created by its expansion for the first time since acquiring Danisco in 2011 (as well as full ownership of former joint venture Solae in 2012). The combination of Danisco’s baking expertise, Solae’s knowledge of soy protein and DuPont’s R&D commitment was showcased under the overall branding of health and wellness in baking through ingredient solutions that deliver enhanced nutritional value and increased satiety. The company views satiety as part of an important aspect of weight management. Its increased research into the science behind satiety is something recent, shares Janelle Crawford, strategic marketing lead for the bakery, fats and oils division.

Litesse is one of the products Crawford was enthusiastic about. Litesse polydextrose is a recognized prebiotic fibre that contributes just one calorie per gram and mediates a low glycemic impact. Litesse is a unique fibre in that it has a high toleration level in the human system, says Crawford. Litesse is slowly and consistently digested, and doesn’t cause the gastric discomfort that high fibre consumption can bring.

Bakers Journal also learned about SUPRO, a soy protein that is a complete, high-quality protein source that adds nutritional fortification and functionality to baked goods, and 

FIBRIM, a non-digestible polysaccharide soy fibre that provides a unique blend of insoluble and soluble fibre (62 to 70 per cent insoluble and five to nine per cent soluble).

Doing away with the bad stuff at Bunge: The buzz at Bunge was all about the debut of the company’s new 148 no-hydro low saturate shortening. The company took its 172 solution, which is hydrogenated, into R&D until they came out two years later with a no-hydro product that would mimick it, says Dilip K. Nakhasi, director of innovation. The shortening has less hard fat and is a soft, all-purpose shortening that is 80 per cent oil. The shortening can reduce saturates by 40 per cent and has zero trans fats per serving.  

Getting fresh at Corbian/Caravan: The Corbian Caravan booth represented Caravan’s new branding under its joint ownership with Corbian. The company’s familiar yellow now has a purple partner. Attendees visiting the booth could sample the results of its Ultra Fresh and Ultra Fresh Sweet shelf life extenders, an all-natural line that appear only as enzymes on the label. Ultra Fresh was introduced in 2012, and its sweets counterpart is the newer product to stretching its legs at IBIE. The sweets extender is designed in particular for small sweet goods that cook faster at higher temperatures. Both products can be added to the formula from scratch or as a pre-mix and can be altered to to create a custom blend. Ultra Fresh Sweet affords up to 45 days or more of high-quality product, according to company literature. 

The fondant revolution at Satin Ice: Satin Ice’s focus for IBIE was on its Fondant Revolution marketing campaign, which speaks to the increased consumer interest in fondant. Satin Ice is also focusing on highlighting profitability for its bakery customers, says Paul McVeigh, marketing director, by outlining specific profit margins in its recent literature and with its customers. For example, 50 cents’ worth of fondant is all that’s needed for a cupcake that sells for $5, and a two- or three-tier cake that sells for $250 to $475 can have a fondant cost of as little as $12 to $20.

Tortillas and technology at AB Mauri: AB Mauri unveiled its new Supremo Tortilla System that provides tortilla manufacturers with more flexibility. This new system allows customization in formula, thickness, softness, stretch and shelf life. It also allows manufacturers to possibly use fewer ingredients than they were before, which simplifies operations. The company also introduced Arctic Frozen Dough Solutions, its new frozen dough and pastry technology. This complete range of high-performance functional ingredients is designed to deliver superior quality while addressing product issues such as volume, tolerance, consistency, crust crispiness, crust colour and crumb texture, which affect artisan and industrial frozen dough and pastry production. The technology is available with a clean label.

The saccharine side of plums at Sunsweet: Sunsweet offered “can you tell the difference” delectable brownies to attendees as a way to showcase their line of plum and prune products in baking. The dried plum puree is a good problem solver to add moisture while offering a lower caloric content, says Tom Leahy of Sunsweet. Diced plums have antimicrobial and prebiotic properties.

Sunsweet is the old California Prune Cooperative, and holds 70 per cent of its business in the retail market, Leahy says. The recent plum ingredient initiatives are something the company has been working on for three years as it perfected its pit removal technology. The plum and prune lines offer a pure fruit inclusion that is a sugar and fat replacement, increases fibre in the product, and serves as a humectant and an agglomerant.

One-stop-shop solutions at Lesaffre: The Lesaffre booth and kitchen were humming with the heady smell of fruit and nut bread pulled fresh from the oven and all made with the company’s brand new Star’Bake product, which was first introduced at this year’s Bakery Congress in Vancouver. The product, developed in France, gives bakers all the functional ingredients – yeast, bread improvers and flavour ingredients – in one package. The idea behind Star’Bake was to provide the baker with a one-stop-shop product that comes in vacuum-packed portions designed to be added to 25 pounds of flour. Lesaffre also threw a private party on show after hours to celebrate its 160th birthday. Bakers Journal was on hand to see the candles blown out on one very big cake.

Sans sodium at Kudos Blends: This company exhibited their KUDOS potassium bicarbonate, which was created as a new alternative to sodium bicarbonate that is was designed to helps reduce sodium by up to 50 per cent without compromising the product quality, volume, taste or texture. The potassium bicarbonate is also
hydrophobic, meaning that when it is placed into water it stays solid and then when it is brought out of the water it turns back to a free flowing powder.

Consumer research and wellness at Cargill/Horizon Milling: Cargill shared its latest consumer research with the media at IBIE alongside new products. The whole-wheat breads study involved 360 adults and 170 children (kindergarten to Grade 12) who participated in a consumer taste test. Twenty-five whole-wheat breads were sampled based on taste, flavour, texture, appearance and aroma. It turns out the things that adults like about whole wheat breads are the same characteristics that kids dislike. The study also found that particle size doesn’t have an impact on the liking of finished bread. However, when bitterness is reduced and sweetness and umami notes are increased, the liking is increased.

The Cargill Gatekeeper Purchase Drivers study revealed the attributes that resonate most with parents purchasing bakery items. Most parents try to keep meals healthy, but still allow treats (59 per cent). Younger parents are more likely to say this than older parents: 66 per cent of millennials (ages 18 to 32 years) versus 53 per cent of generation X parents (ages 33 to 47 years). This suggests that a balanced approach may become even more prevalent as more young consumers become parents. Mothers are more likely than fathers to be striving for a balance of healthier and less healthy foods and beverages in their children’s diets (51 per cent, 42 per cent). 

The study analyzed nine categories heavily consumed by children, including four key bakery categories – cookies, bread/rolls, crackers and snack bars. In general, parents showed a relatively low level of satisfaction. Only two in 10 say they’re satisfied and not really looking for healthier choices, but nine in 10 parents say they’d be likely to purchase healthier versions of foods.

Parents are aiming to find products that are dense with nutrients such as protein, fibre, and whole grains, as well as easy-to-read labels. These are key drivers of purchase. On the other hand, finding products with lower levels of sodium, sugar, fat and calories was important, but it was not a key purchase driver according to Cargill’s findings. 

Based on these consumer survey results, Cargill/Horizon Milling unveiled a defatted wheat germ ingredient solution and sprouted white spring whole-wheat flour.

The sprouted wheat flour aims to help bakers provide alternatives to whole-grain products. When compared to non-sprout, the product produced greater loaf volumes (10 to 12 per cent greater) and reduced proof times. The farinograph results showed that doughs made of 100 per cent Horizon Milling’s sprouted white spring whole-wheat flour tolerated abuse much longer than those made with its non-sprouted counterpart. The sprouted wheat flour also exhibited an elevated level of sweetness and a significantly decreased level of bitterness. The new defatted wheat germ ingredient is designed to help bakers and snack manufacturers provide full-flavour, grain-based foods that are rich in protein and fibre.

G-free at Dawn: Dawn Food Products introduced a certified gluten-free product line that includes two cake bases, two creme cake bases and a cookie base. The cake bases, available in white and extra-dark devil’s food flavours, are available in 25-pound bags, with a 12-month shelf life. The vanilla and chocolate creme cake bases can be used to create muffins, loaf cakes, ring cakes and more. They are available in 25- and 50-pound bags with a 12-month shelf life. The cookie bases create a wide variety of gluten-free cookies such as chocolate chip and peanut butter, when sugar, butter, water and inclusions are added in the mixing bowl. Available in a 25-pound bag, the product has a 12-month shelf life and is freeze/thaw stable.

Potato based at Penford: Penford Food Ingredients debuted a way to add soluble fibre and cut calories with PenFibe RO. This non-GMO, potat-based product contains a minimum of 56 per cent dietary fibre. PenFibe RO can be used to reduce calories in a wide variety of food products by partially replacing higher caloric ingredients such as flour and sugar. PenFibe RO is also non-allergenic, kosher and halal.

 New toolbox from Arla: Arla Foods Ingredients debuted a “toolbox” of natural improvement solutions designed specifically for bakers. The Nutrilac Natural Improvers range is a portfolio of multifunctional ingredients designed to offer bakers greater productivity, improved efficiency, more consistent quality and cleaner labels – all at the same time. Nutrilac Natural Improvers are made from functional proteins derived exclusively from milk.

Exciting equipment
Repurposing at Revent: The Kornfeil line in the Revent booth had its exhibitors very excited about the oven’s use of wasted heat using EkoBlok Bypass. EkoBlok Bypass is an environmentally friendly system designed to reuse wasted energy, gases and steam from gas and oil bakery ovens and boilers. The device boasts energy saving of up to 25 per cent and accumulates free energy through repurposing of the waste for heating and cooling in the bakery. The energy management system extends to waste energy from refrigeration as well.

Lifelike flowers for cakes caught our eye at Avalon Deco Supplies.

The hot and cold Panini by PreGel: PreGel America collaborated with Waring Commerical to deliver a new Gelato Panini Press to the market. The co-branded machine is designed to make Panini Gelato sandwiches. It toasts and seals a sweet bun filled with gelato, ice cream or frozen yoghurt and toppings. The end result is a sandwich that is warm on the outside and cool on the inside.

Self-serve at CTP Imaging: CTP Imaging showcased its new tablet kiosk with bakery designer software and online ordering. The self-serve, in-store system, which lets customers upload their own photos, features a touchscreen and wireless capability. The software is Windows based, space saving and can be customized to the bakery.

Tightening belts at Ashworth: Ashworth revealed its Omni-Flex 3 x 1 belts for the first time at IBIE. The belts, which are designed to be more economical and require no sprocket change, are available in widths of 18 to 48 inches. The belts are ideal for conveying pans, trays and large products on turn-curve spiral systems.

Hip to be square at CakeShooters: Larry Bach, owner of Sprinkles Custom Cakes, discovered that a school in his area was complaining about the mess kids were making with cakes, a mess to the point where they didn’t want to order cakes anymore. He started serving cakes in the round push-pop format, but discovered that it was far more “hip to be square.” He redesigned the round push-pop into a square plastic container with a flat cap as a three-piece item with a built-in hole to insert a skewer for display. Bach now holds a patent (US Pat#D687,670 S) on his square design. In the booth, he was demonstrating via video that it was 19 per cent faster to make the square cake shooters and there was 30 per cent less wasted cake. Bach calls it an “ideal product for a food truck.”

Rose-making robotics at Unifiller: Unifiller Systems showed off robotic technology capable of finishing cakes with various writings and drawings at high speed, yet versatile enough to finish cupcakes with intricate rose petals. Unifiller says this is an industry first from them using their latest robot, the Dec-Bot Robot.

Automating macaroons at Bakon USA: Those looking for a faster way to make the popular French macaroon cookies may be interested in Bakon’s new Drop TT tabletop depositor. The Drop TT is designed especially for macaroons, choux, eclairs, cupcakes and muffins. 

Head into the clouds at TwinPeaks: TwinPeaks Online is transitioning from designing traditional desktop software to developing cloud solutions. The company introduced POMePOS, its web- and tablet-based point-of-sale software for bakeries. The product is designed to work with Android-based 10-inch tablets. The software, which will work in the event of lost Internet connection, includes ways to manage wholesale accounts and to receive and process future orders as well as cake orders that allow for custom modifiers and attributes.

Although IBIE proved to be a testament to innovation, entertainment was not forgotten. There was a bevy of beautiful cakes to “ooh and aahh” over for Pillsbury Bakers’ Plus Creative Decorating Competition, and of course the smell of fresh raisin bread during the America’s Best Raisin Bread Contest. There also was a full schedule of seminars for bakers to choose from. All in all, it was a jam-packed show offering something for everyone.

The next IBIE will be held Oct. 8 to 11, 2016, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.