BRUSSELS – Puratos has opened a new flour competence center at its headquarters in Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium, that is dedicated exclusively to flour analysis, the interpretation of variations and application guidance.
The center will lead a series of targeted research initiatives, which include studying the evolution of crops and their impact on bakery and patisserie products, identifying new ingredients to stabilize flour quality, evaluating the performance of regenerative flour, and advancing flour analysis. The insights will assist Puratos in developing bakery improvers and sourdough as well as patisserie mixes. The flour competence center is connected digitally to a network of flour laboratories around the world.
Flour variability is caused by inconsistencies in crops due to changing climate conditions, agricultural practices and global supply dynamics, according to Puratos, which added that the inconsistency and quality fluctuations may impact flour’s process stability and final product quality. Small variations in parameters such as protein content, enzyme activity, water absorption or moisture levels may affect dough behavior, fermentation and finished product characteristics, according to Puratos.
“Flour forms the base of most bakery recipes,” said Paul Baisier, chief R&D officer at Puratos. “Yet it is one of the most complex and variable raw materials in the industry. With our new flour competence center, we leverage global data, advanced analytics and GenAI-driven predictive modeling to better understand and anticipate flour variability, translating insights into practical solutions for our customers. This capability becomes critical as the shift toward regenerative agriculture increases raw material variability, and it enables us to support customers more proactively in adapting processes, maintaining consistent quality and translating variability into new sources of value.”
#center #analyze #flour #variability
About the Author
