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letter ¦

BY LAURA AIKEN

THE SODIUM TRIALS

Aspecial e-bulletin from the Baking Association of Canada (BAC) sure got my attention Jan. 11. Health Canada has revisited, revised and reduced the proposed sodium targets for baked goods.

The new sodium targets Health Canada proposes are lower than those any other country has achieved on a nationwide level, I read.

“In the UK as an example (which the Canadian program has been modelled after) the sodium target for breads is 400mg/100g or almost 20 per cent higher than what Health Canada is proposing and the industry is currently struggling with reductions beyond 410-430mg/100g,” reported the Jan. 11 e-mail.

I asked Paul Hetherington, president of the BAC, what these yet to be finalized voluntary targets would mean for food companies, both big and small. Some of the considerations for voluntary compliance Hetherington noted included the possibility of a “name and shame” program that would see the government or health/consumer groups do individual product testing and publish the results to put pressure on compliance. Plus, there is the consideration that the government controls some bulk purchasing, such as for hospitals. He noted that there is, of course, the threat of regulation if industry doesn’t co-operate, as happened in British Columbia with trans fats.

The new targets were proposed, not finalized, and the BAC and other industry stakeholders were asked to respond in January, as Health Canada wants to finalize the targets for the end of March. See www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consult/2011-sodium/consultation-eng.php for more information from Health Canada.

}So, bakers are faced with the task of improving the health of the nation, and that won’t be achieved without financial and mental stress.

Health Canada’s position is that a more acceptable sodium intake as a country will not come from people changing their eating habits but from the food supply. There are so many complex layers to the diet question that Health Canada is likely right to seek more success in modifying the food chain than in changing the behaviour of the eaters, although this approach absolves consumers from individual responsibility. I have to wonder if this is an attitude we want to foster. People’s health will only win with a better understanding of how foods work together and where nutrition comes from, but the task of education can be overwhelming for this busy world.

So, bakers are faced with the task of improving the health of the nation, and that won’t be achieved without financial and mental stress. Every reformulation will demand new labels, time, energy, etc. It’s a monumental task the industry faces. I can only hope that what is finalized is also what is realistic.

Sodium targets are coming for restaurants and cafés as well. The issue that may arise down the road is the question of how accurate the results of this mission are, because self-reporting is riddled with issues when it comes to people’s health and diet. A recent StatsCan survey had 52 per cent of participants citing their activity levels as moderate when only 15 per cent in actuality were. It’s only human to under- or overestimate what we do or do not consume. I believe a truly healthier lower sodium diet will only be achieved when people get better at estimating and develop a natural taste for less salty food. Healthy or not, we all know people don’t buy food that doesn’t taste good, and that’s what really makes the bottom line. / BJ

MARCH 2011 | VOL. 71, NO. 2

EDITOR | Laura Aiken editor@bakersjournal.com 416-522-1595 1-888-599-2228 ext. 250

ASSISTANT EDITOR | Brandi Cowen bcowen@bakersjournal.com 1-888-599-2228 ext. 278

TECHNICAL EDITOR | John McColl Puratos Canada jmccoll@puratos.com

NATIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER | Stephanie Jewell sjewell@annexweb.com 705-826-2254 1-888-599-2228 ext. 268

SALES ASSISTANT | Barb Comer bcomer@annexweb.com 519-429-5176 1-888-599-2228 ext. 235

PRODUCTION ARTIST | Emily Sun GROUP PUBLISHER | Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com

PRESIDENT | Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com

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“They listen. That’s what makes financing easier.”

When you talk financing with Farm Credit Canada, we’ll listen

Ready to expand your business? We’re ready to help We get to know you and your business

Once we learn how you want to grow, we’ll create a financing package that helps you do it Work with the leading lender to agriculture, agribusiness and agri-food in Canada Let’s talk business www fccfinancing ca

Lou Albanese, CEO, TMF – The Meat Factory, Stoney Creek, Ont

briefly | Fermented wheat flour holds gluten-free promise | Louis Lesaffre Cup heats up France | FOR MORE news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com

Loving your raisins?

Steve Barnhart won the judge’s prize in the professional commercial category for his recipe Chocolate Gold, pictured here.

NORTH AMERICA – For the fourth year running, the California Raisin Marketing Board is asking working bakers and students across North America to submit their best raisin recipes to win great prizes and publicity. For Canadians, this is a great opportunity to show your stuff to our southern neighbours.

The submissions should entail raisin bread and/or breakfast product with raisins for a shot at winning a five day all-expense paid trip to sunny California and publicity for the baker and his company in trade and consumer publications.

For the recipes, you must create

Packaged Facts predicts thrifty health

NEW YORK – Consumer thriftiness and health-consciousness will continue to exert a notable influence over the ingredient and flavour trends emerging this year, according to Packaged Facts.

The predicted trends are explored in the eighth edition of Packaged Fact’s annual Food Flavours and Ingredients Outlook series.

“Heading into 2011, consumers are growing ever more weary of economic and nutritional health gloom and doom. Many have spent the last few years reinventing their financial and employment lives, and are now starting to focus more emphasis on their overall well-being and happiness in a way that is reflective of their values, being more pragmatic and deliberate in making decisions about how to spend both their time and their resources,” says Don Montuori, publisher of Packaged Facts.

The firm predicts that food marketers from the retail and foodservice sectors will take that consumer mindset to heart in 2011. Some of the key trends predicted to hit it big this year are:

FLAVOURS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

Ethnic food will remain a bright spot for food service and retailers, providing variety and interest without taxing smaller food budgets. The growing presence of food trucks, with their varied ethnic fare at reasonable prices, will bring this national trend home to the local level.

SUSTAINABILITY TRUMPS LOCAL, ORGANIC AND NATURA

Local, organic and natural foods will more often be connected with eco-friendliness and a more holistic lifestyle approach to eating that promotes sustainability. As a result, there will be greater use of natural, organic, local and antibiotic and hormonefree ingredients at QSRs and fast casual restaurants. In retail, the popularity of private label organic products is anticipated to continue while growth in directly marketed local and organic produce, meats and locally processed foods sold via farmers’ markets and communitysupported agriculture is anticipated.

WELLNESS OVERHAUL

Food will get more attention as the foundation of health and wellness activities will be better integrated into overall lifestyle. Growing recognition that digestive health is a key link in promoting overall good health will help drive sales of yogurt and other foods containing probiotics, but gluten-free foods will likely show signs of slowing down after a year of explosive growth that some might consider to be a fad.

PLETHORA OF PRODUCE

Vegetables, more so than fruit, will take on added importance this year as they move to the centre of the plate. More fine-dining

breads that are 50 per cent raisin to dry flour weight or breakfast products with 25 per cent raisins to dry flour weight at a minimum in order to qualify.

Applications must include all ingredients in baker’s percentages and a description provided on the process used in completing your entry. Each person can enter up to three recipes to increase your chances of winning.

The contest closes for students on May 14 and for professionals on Aug. 1. Students and professionals will be judged in separate divisions.

Check out www.calraisins.org for contest details and entry forms.

restaurants are starting to focus on vegetables as the main attraction, with either no accompanying meat, or with meat used sparingly, as a condiment to accentuate flavour. Look for considerable menu experimentation with taste palates developing to savour a broad array of produce. Turnips, parsnips, black and purple kale, broccoli, spiragello, Romanesco, eggplant, celeriac, and sunchokes will become more commonplace.

FLAVOUR AND INGREDIENT CROSSOVERS

A key trend will see greater crossover of savoury ingredients into sweet foods and sweet ingredients into savoury foods. For example, the use of olive oil will extend into a wide range of desserts and sweet goods including ice cream, gelato, cake and muffins.

SATISFYING SWEETS

Agave will surrender some of its sweetening prominence to the less exotic but always special honey, while stevia gains ground at a slower pace. Figs, pears, cherries and blackberries look likely to be the most popular fruits, along with the superfruit combination of blueberry and pomegranate. America’s appreciation of artisanal and retro desserts is expected to continue this year, with home-made pie and ice cream showing a great deal of creativity.

Fermented wheat flour holds gluten-free promise

A recent study showed that hydrolyzed wheat flour combined with specific micro-organisms was safe for celiac patients.

The experiment, which was published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, put people on a 60-day diet of baked goods made from hydrolyzed wheat flour

that was made with sourdough lactobacilli and fungal proteases. The diet was shown to be non-toxic to patients with celiac disease. The journal noted that fermenting wheat flour with sourdough lactobacilli and fungal proteases decreased the amount of gluten.

Canada Bread reaches deal with Premium Brands

TORONTO – Last month, Canada Bread Company reached an agreement to sell its fresh prepared sandwich business to Premium Brands Holding Corporation.

At press time, the transaction was expected to close on Feb. 18, subject to normal closing conditions.

“This sale will allow us to concentrate our resources and management focus on growth in our core fresh bakery and pasta businesses,” said Richard Lan, president and CEO of Canada Bread. “We will also benefit from an ongoing supplier relationship with Premium Brands.”

The fresh prepared sandwich business includes three facilities: a

production facility in Etobicoke, Ont. and another in Gatineau, Que., as well as a distribution centre in Laval, Que. All together, the three facilities employ approximately 280 people. The fresh prepared sandwich business and distribution network services customers, including grocery, convenience, gas station and other retail outlets throughout Ontario and Quebec.

Upon completion of the sale, Premium Brands will maintain a strong relationship with Canada Bread and Maple Leaf Consumer Foods, which will supply bakery and deli meat products for the sandwich business operations.

Comfort Green piping bags hit Chinese market

CHINA – Netherlands-based One Way Plastics B.V. has appointed Chinese distributors for its Comfort Green disposable piping bags.

The decision has resulted in the immediate distribution of the bags to a number of upscale restaurants and major hotels throughout China.

According to a press release issued by One Way Plastics, the bag’s green colour makes it easy for chefs to spot where the piece they must cut off to install the piping tip ends up on their work table. The company reports that the no slip design, intended to make it easy to grip the bag even with wet or greasy hands, is also a popular design feature.

In Canada, One Way Comfort Green disposable piping bags are sold through distributors by One Way Plastics Ltd.

Louis Lesaffre Cup heats up France

A weekend of intense competition recently ended in France with the Louis Lesaffre Cup international selection rounds for the Europe zone. Three teams are now en route for the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (Bakery World Cup), to be held at Europain 2012.

The winners are Netherlands, Poland and Sweden. The Europe zone selection rounds took place at the Sirha Show in Lyons from Jan. 22 to 24. Ten countries took part in the event: Belgium, Croatia, Spain, Israel, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom, Russia, Slovakia and Sweden.

The next selections will be held March 22 to 25 for the Africa Mediterranean zone, and will take place at the Crémai Show (Casablanca - Morocco). For more information, visit www.coupelouislesaffre.com.

¦ technical talk ¦

BY DR. JOHN MICHAELIDES AND DAINA RYE

ALLERGEN AMENDMENTS

Health Canada is proposing changes to allergen labelling. Here’s what you need to know.

Food allergens are still much on the minds of the food industry. There are a growing number of allergen-sensitive individuals who can suffer serious and severe reactions to certain foods. Consequences include sensitivity (adverse food reaction), intolerance (abnormal physiological response), hypersensitivity (immunologic reaction) and anaphylaxis (a severe and sometimes fatal reaction to food). Allergens are present in many ingredients and finished food products. In many cases cross-contamination in manufacturing plants can also affect non-allergenic foods.

}This developing issue poses a challenge for the food industry as more individuals demand greater information about the food they eat. The manufacturing of food products is an intricate process requiring a plethora of ingredients which are themselves complex. Sometimes correct information about the contents of these ingredients is difficult to obtain or some of the components are not declared at all. In this situation the risk of contamination with allergens is very high. Because allergies can have as serious an implication as death, countries have introduced and continuously update regulations pertaining to common allergens.

sulphites category includes many ingredients commonly used in foods such as potassium bisulphate, potassium metabisulphite, sodium sulphite. These nine allergenic core ingredients have to be declared on the ingredient label in Canadian food products.

Health Canada’s proposed amendments to food allergen labelling will enhance labelling requirements for specific priority allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites in prepackaged foods sold in Canada. In summary, the proposed changes will require:

• the specific tree nut and species of fish, crustacean or shellfish to be identified (rather than using the generic terms “tree nuts”, “fish”, “crustacean” and “shellfish”)

• a declaration of source when the food contains any gluten protein (from barley, oats, rye, triticale or wheat, including kamut or spelt);

Allergen detection technology is improving, becoming more accurate and faster with levels of recognition down to a few ppms and techniques like ELISA immunoassays and DNA detection.

• the addition of mustard seeds to the priority allergen list;

• the sources of hydrolysed plant proteins, starches and modified starches, and lecithins to be identified in the ingredient list;

Nuts are one of nine priority food allergens whose regulations are being amended by Health Canada.

cases represent a very small specific peptide of these proteins. For example, beta-lactoglobulin, the main component of milk, is responsible for allergic reactions. Beta-lactoglobulin associated with whey, whey protein concentrates and isolates are widely used as ingredients in many food products including infant formula and baked goods. Casein is another protein in milk responsible for allergic reactions and it is a functional ingredient in the production of cheese. Some soy cheeses may also contain casein, which is used to enhance the texture. Egg whites contain most of the protein in eggs with four allergenic elements: ovomucoid, ovalbumin,

Allergen regulations in Canada, which are currently in the process of being amended, recognize nine priority food allergens. They include peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, milk, eggs, fish (including crustaceans), soy, wheat and sulphites. The general reference to tree nuts includes almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. The fish and crustaceans list contains crab, crayfish, lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, oysters and scallops. The

• the declaration of the priority allergens (including sulphites present at levels of 10 ppm or more) even if the ingredient is exempt from component declaration and/or if the product is exempt from ingredient declaration (certain wines and beers).

Food regulatory agencies in other countries have their own regulations that we have to be aware when we are exporting food to these countries. The table below provides a list of the allergenic ingredients that have to be declared in United States, European Union and Japan as compared to Canada (including the proposed amendments).

Foods that cause allergic reactions have specific elements that are responsible. These are usually proteins and in some

A FEAST OF FLOWERS

FLOWERS

Humans have been eating flowers for millennia and, whether we realize it or not, many of us continue to do so. Have you chowed down on broccoli lately? If so, then you’ve actually been chomping on flowers, or at least their unopened buds. The flavours that flowers can add to your baking are as varied as the flowers themselves, ranging from sweet to savoury and touching on every taste in between. Beyond variety, flowers can also add a splash of colour to breads, cookies, cakes and just about anything else that comes from your kitchen. The only limits to what you can do with flowers are those imposed by your own imagination.

PLANTING THE SEED

“Probably the most popular varieties are bachelor’s buttons, violas and nasturtiums,” says David Cohlmeyer, founder of Cookstown Greens, a 90-plus acre farm in Thornton, Ont., roughly 80 kilometres north of Toronto.

Other popular edible blooms include two varieties of marigolds with strong citrus flavours. “There’s an orange one that tastes like orange peel or has the aroma of an orange peel, and a yellow one that has the aroma of a lemon peel,”

Cohlmeyer explains.

One flower that does experience a lot of ups and downs in demand is the tart begonia. According to Cohlmeyer, these bright blooms are much more popular on the west coast than elsewhere. “And so, in Toronto, when you have an influx of west coast chefs, we start selling them. But then when they move on to Europe or return out west, they don’t leave behind the tradition of eating begonias.”

One of the big draws of incorporating flowers into food is the visual appeal brightly coloured blooms can add to a presentation. For example, Cohlmeyer explains that begonias, which are packed

}If you’re doing a cupcake, you could put in some shredded begonia petals and get a confetti of colours appearing inside of it.

“They’re small, they look nice, and they taste great too.”

The all-organic Cookstown Greens farm has been supplying restaurants and hotels with seasonal edible flowers, as well as assorted vegetables, greens and garnishing leaves, since 1988. In that time, demand for edible blooms from the farm has remained quite stable, weathering the many food fads that have come and gone.

“We’ve been doing it for the past 22 years and it’s been pretty steady all through the years,” Cohlmeyer says. “I find it interesting whenever somebody writes about edible flowers and how they’re going out of fashion. We always say, ‘oh, we’d better plant some more’ then, because they’re always wrong.”

with colourful pigments, can add a colourful touch to a pasta dish. “You just cook the pasta and when you drain it, you throw in the chopped petals. You get bursts of colour in your pasta.”

Although he hasn’t tried it himself, he adds, “If you’re doing a cupcake, you could put in some shredded begonia petals and get a confetti of colours appearing inside of it. I’m sure it would work with baking breads or cakes, and tart flavours are becoming more and more popular.”

TENDING TO TASTE BUDS

In the book Edible Flowers: From Garden to Palate (Fulcrum Publishing: 1993), Cathy Wilkinson Barash identifies what she refers to as “the big 10” in the world

of edible flowers. These flowers are among the most versatile of all edible varieties.

Barash writes that calendula (bright orange flowers often referred to as marigolds) taste slightly bitter and are usually used for colour, while vibrant yellow signet marigolds taste similar to tarragon. The huge number of varieties of daylilies and their hybrids make pinning down the precise flavour of this floral variety difficult, and the same is true of roses. While the ever-popular nasturtiums have a spicy pepper flavour, pansies have a sweet, grassy taste.

Rounding out Barash’s list are a variety of plants that, while not likely new to your palate, may introduce you to new flavours if you simply try munching a different part of the plant than you usually eat. Flowers from the chive plant have a strong onion flavour, while those from the sage plant have a very subtle flavour similar to that of the leaves. The blooms from a squash plant have a mild vegetal taste and complement the flavour of the squash itself. Last but by no means least, the taste of a mint flower depends on the variety of the plant.

These blooms offer lots of flavours to play with, but Barash’s big 10 are only the tip of the floral iceberg. Those pesky dandelions that seem to take over public spaces in the summer can go from nuisance to tasty summertime treat if you remove the stems and sepals and boil them to create a sweet dandelion wine. Flowers from all the different varieties of

Visual appeal is one of the biggest reasons for using edible blooms.

HOW TO LET GO

Are you managing the business or is it managing you? In his groundbreaking book, The E-Myth Revisited, Michael Gerber points out that small businesses are composed of three main characters: the technician (doer and builder), the manager (one who organizes and plans), and the entrepreneur (dreamer or visionary). The author also goes on to point out that small businesses have different life phases. These stages are: infancy (the technician’s phase, when you are chief cook and bottle washer); adolescence (the stage when you start to hire some help); beyond the comfort zone; and, maturity and the entrepreneurial perspective. Gerber uses the term “the E-Myth” because he contends that while the entrepreneur may start the business, it’s often the technician who shows up to run it. If technicians don’t mature to the entrepreneurial phase, they often burn out from trying to do everything themselves. Most businesses that fail do so not from having a bad business idea but from failing to mature organizationally to allow the entrepreneur to lead. Ironically, when a business fails to develop an infrastructure that allows the entrepreneur to flourish, there’s only one person to blame . . . the technician living inside of the entrepreneur who won’t let go of the details.

Savvy leaders understand that empowering people means supporting them even when mistakes occur. Thomas J. Watson, founder of IBM, was one of those leaders who truly understood the importance of delegating with style and grace. He was once quoted as saying: “Recently, I was asked if I was going to fire an employee who made a mistake that cost the company $600,000. No, I replied, I just spent $600,000 training him. Why would I want somebody to hire his experience?” Now that’s an enlightened leader! Of course, IBM has an infrastructure that can afford the time and money to implement a formal training program. Independent bakeries have to contend with less of both and factor a part-time and often youthful and inexperienced workforce into the mix. Just how should one go about delegating in a way that truly ensures the details of

running the business are taken care of easily and consistently?

The term turnkey business has come to represent “a product or service which can be implemented or utilized with no additional work required by the owner/ buyer (just by ‘turning the key’)”, as defined by www.investorwords.com). To create a turnkey business, one must first create systems. If you want the product to turn out the way you make it, then you must document precisely how to do it so that a variety of team members can take over in your absence. List those customer touchpoints that truly impact your business. You’ll likely include such topics as point of contact to take the order, product quality, service quality and packaging. Pick one area to focus on and then watch carefully how that system is currently operating. Draw a quick flow chart outlining the system. Be sure to capture each step in the process, being mindful to document it in as much detail as possible. Jot down the materials and labour costs associated with each step so that you have a baseline for measuring the impact of your improvements. Look at that process with an eagle eye and see if some steps can be bundled together, rearranged or eliminated altogether to make it more efficient. Redraft the process with your changes and then implement the new process as a trial, comparing the new costs and workflow to

the original baseline. Here’s where input from your team will truly help make the process a success. They’ll be the ones to live with the results, so having them weigh in as you develop it will ease any change management issues. Implement the new process formally, making it clear that this is now the standard operating procedure. Next comes the most important step . . . you must now let go. You’ve streamlined the process and quantified it – in essence, you’ve made it turnkey. The point here is to make it easy to follow so you can let go of it feeling confident that a variety of team members can produce positive results consistently. Resist the urge to get down in the weeds but focus instead on where you’d like the business to go next. You may feel a bit out of your comfort zone at first, but embrace the change, for soon you’ll be thrilled to be making strategic decisions instead of burning yourself out over the details. The best part is that your team will love the extra challenge too. As Blaine Lee, founding vice-president of Covey Leadership Center, once said: “The great leaders are like the best conductors – they reach beyond the notes to reach the magic in the players.” / BJ

Michelle Brisebois is a marketing professional with experience in the food, pharmaceutical, financial services and wine industries. She specializes in retail brand strategies.

Learning to delegate effectively and mature as an entrepreneur happens one step at a time.

THE SAVOURY AND SWEET LIFE

After a two-year hiatus, one of Toronto’s top chocolatiers is back on the scene and pushing the contemporary envelope.

Jenn Stone’s creative laurels now reside at XOCOCAVA (pronounced cho-co-cava), where she was hired in July 2010 after taking a couple years off work to spend with her two young children. The chocolate shop is sister to its neighbouring restaurant CAVA, a venue for enjoying Spanish tapas. XOCOCAVA also bears a Spanish and Latin American influence with such chocolate flavours as chorizo and black olive. Both food spots are the brainchild of chef Chris McDonald.

}rants, before opening JS Bonbons in 2001. She owned two retail shops and the JS Bonbons Chocolate School before closing the doors in 2008 to make time for her family. She also spent four years stretching her chocolate capabilities in collaboration with the folks at the Cadbury Chocolate Couture Collection Fashion Show that featured wearable, edible chocolate. November 2008 was the last show.

Stone is a creative coup for Chris McDonald. She spent 15 years rising up through the ranks of Toronto’s food community, first as a pastry chef in a number of top restaurants before opening JS Bonbons in 2001.

Stone is a creative coup for McDonald. She spent 15 years rising up through the ranks of Toronto’s food community, first as a pastry chef in a number of top restau-

Where savoury meets sweet.

“It was one of my favourite projects to work on,” says Stone, her face lighting up at the memory. “It was really inspiring to work with those designers and push yourself a little bit further. It was really quite a challenge.”

It took a lot of monkeying around with different temperatures and fat and sugar

levels to produce chocolate that could make it through a runway show, with its hot lights, body heat and flashing cameras.

“Getting a very specific edible, wearable chocolate is very different – that was very much fantasy and very different than something like this [XOCOCAVA]. Those techniques are not necessarily applicable in a shop context.”

For Stone, XOCOCAVA holds other opportunities to expand her craft. Making the store’s ice cream and sorbets, which are all produced in house and change seasonally, is a new experience for her.

“Everything’s made from local fruits and processed by hand so our flavours are really bright. It’s been a good fit and it really covers all of the seasons. They may not feel like sitting down to a box of chocolates in July but a bowl of ice cream for sure.”

The position at XOCOCAVA also affords room for experimentation with savoury elements. The aromatic chocolate

Jenn

BY LAURA AIKEN

collection is popular she says, with jasmine, coriander and lime and ginger cardamom selling well. The shop recently introduced a couple of new collections, one of which is designed to be paired with cheese. Stone finds herself among a food-savvy clientele offering insights into the particularities of the future demand for chocolate.

“People are far more aware of where their chocolate is coming from and where it’s being produced right down to the plantation,” says Stone. “And not only the supplier or producer but in terms of growth region in the world as well.”

Chocolate, like wine or coffee beans, takes on its terroir, as it’s referred to in winemaking. Stone says the difference in the flavour profiles of regional is quite remarkable and the products are easier to source than they use to be.

Stone sees the current trend of awareness continuing and enveloping

fair-trade and organic further into its fold. Chocolate is big on the radar of the food savvy, who keep growing in numbers through the extensive access to information found in the labyrinth of food media.

“People are a little more food savvy and they also make intelligent picks in terms of chocolate. Now they take it that step further than they might have in the past in thinking of ‘what’s a great wine or beer to pair with this’ or ‘what is the right

TAKE-AWAY TIPS

chocolate to match that up with the dessert I’m serving.’ I find people are very focused on the meal as a whole and pairing up that way.”

While Stone has climbed right out of the box when it comes to some of her endeavours with chocolate, she offers very linear advice for the up-and-coming chocolatier. As with most endeavours, having a proper grasp of the fundamentals is essential before you can break the rules, whether with wearable food or unusual flavours. With chocolate, tempering is the number one rule to master first, says Stone. Tempering is the process of heating and cooling the chocolate to achieve a uniform crystal structure that makes the smooth, glossy appearance and doesn’t go sticky at room temperature.

“Chocolate is one of those things that are really quite clear cut. It is very scientific in many ways. Sure, being a chocolatier is a very creative job and there are creative aspects to it, but it’s very much science based. As long as you follow the rules of the chocolate and have a solid foundation, then you are able to start experimenting and get creative that way in terms of flavours and textures.”

Tempering and timing are the most difficult thing to master and working quickly is important, she says. You can mix and match your methods of tempering, but remember there is no need to temper if you are adding ingredients like cream for a ganache. But temper, for sure, if you are working with just solid chocolate.

There are 25 chocolates in the collection at XOCOCAVA that are available every day, but seasonal items and treats of Stone’s impromptu whimsy find themselves on the shelves as well. XOCOCAVA is located at 1560 Yonge St. and is open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. A visit to the shop to see what Stone is up to today may be just the trick to tickle your own creative genius with some fresh ideas. / BJ

• Jump on industry opportunities to expand your skills, even if they are not applicable in your current job or role.

• Master your temper.

• Working quickly is key to working with chocolate.

• More people are looking for regional and pairing information with their chocolates these days. Be prepared.

The chocolatier at work in her new digs: XOCOCAVA.

ovotransferrin and lysozyme. The egg yolk allergenicity is not as severe as that of the egg whites.

Some allergenic reactions have been reported with wheat; however, the major concern relates to celiac disease. Celiac disease is an adverse reaction to certain proteins (prolamins) of wheat, barley, rye and other wheat-related grains such as spelt and kamut. These specific proteins are gliadin from wheat, hordein from barley and secalin from rye. Avenin, the protein in oats, is thought not to be involved. However, because of the harvesting, distribution and processing practices involved, it is hard to obtain pure oat products that are not contaminated with wheat, etc. Therefore, considering oats as free from non-allergenic ingredients is difficult. These cereal proteins adversely affect the sensitive individual by causing a modification of the lining of the intestine, thus affecting the absorption of nutrients. The number of individuals suffering from celiac disease is on the rise but some experts

attribute this increase to a better diagnosis of the disease. The only treatment for celiac disease is a permanent gluten-free diet. In Canada, a gluten-free declaration means there is no detectable level of gluten in the food. The Codex Alimentarius currently defines gluten-free as those products containing less than 20 ppm. Gluten is the major functional protein that enables us to produce the desirable, quality baked goods we are accustomed to. It is still very difficult to produce gluten-free baked goods of the same quality as those produced from wheat flour.

There are certain practices that manufacturers can adopt to minimize the risk of contaminating finished foods with allergens. Sanitation and proper cleaning procedures are well adopted by the industry. Allergen detection technology is improving, becoming more accurate and faster with levels of recognition down to a few ppms and techniques like ELISA immunoassays and DNA detection. These techniques can be regularly performed on the ingredients to assure they are free of contaminants but in many cases can detect

the allergens in finished foods as well.

The baking industry, like all other food manufacturers, needs to be very careful not to allow any undeclared allergenic ingredients in their finished products. This is always difficult. To overcome this challenge, the government is in consultation with the food industry and the different allergen groups to develop a precautionary labelling policy. This policy allows a statement on the food label to indicate that there is a possibility that the food may contain an allergen. For example the statement on the label can say “may contain peanuts.” This statement will inform the sensitive consumers and help avoid the risk of allergenic incidents. / BJ

Dr. John Michaelides is Guelph Food Technology Centre’s director of research and technology. This article was written in partnership with Daina Rye, allergen specialist with the GFTC. For more information, or fee for service help with product or process development needs, please contact the GFTC at (519) 821-1246 or by e-mail at gftc@gftc.ca

BAKING UP HEALTHY BUILDINGS

It pays to get green. Just look at these compelling numbers. TD Canada Trust released the results of its Green Business Survey (conducted with Ipsos-Reid) last year. There was no mincing of words. In fact, there’s a touch of reprimand in the language.

The survey reported that 38 per cent of Canadians say they “want to buy from a business that cares about the environment”; 20 per cent want businesses to know that “if you are not considering the environment, your business may suffer”; 25 per cent would consider paying more for goods and services if the company could demonstrate environmentally responsible business practices; and 40 per cent say they seek out environmentally responsible products and services.

What’s the best way to get responsibly green?

LEED certification is one way we’re going to investigate in this article.

LEED’s full name is a mouthful: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating

System, which is trademarked. LEED is “a third-party certification program [and] an international benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings,” says the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), the system’s administrator.

LEED is a scorecard that operates on a point system. There are four grades: Credited (40 to 49), Silver (50 to 59), Gold (60 to 79) and Platinum (80 to 100).

A building’s “greenness” is judged in seven categories: sustainable site, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality, innovation in operations and regional priority.

Ideally, it’s good to connect your building to LEED at the design stage, as Canada Bread did in Hamilton with its new $100-million facility, where the first loaves of bread will be rolling out mid-summer.

LEED has an acronym for bakers in existing buildings and looking at operations and maintenance as the road to green: EBOM, pronounced ee-bomb.

CREDIT RANGES BY CATEGORY

EBOM is a specialty for Erika Mayer, a LEED accredited professional (AP), who guides people through the LEED process.

“The nice thing about EBOM,” says Mayer, “is that there are a lot of credits related to policy development and implementation.” This means there isn’t always a considerable amount of expenditure required at every level.

Seemingly small changes are worthy of good credit. For example, you can chalk up five credits solely by looking at your cleaning practices. If you can develop a green cleaning program, do an assessment of custodial effectiveness, buy sustainable cleaning products, materials and equipment, including the materials for your pest management, you will have

LEED is “a third-party certiﬁcation program [and] an international benchmark for the design, construction and operation of highperformance green buildings,” says the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), the system’s administrator.

earned more credits than those given to a building with LEED-certiﬁed design and construction.

It’s no surprise that optimizing energy efﬁciency can get you major points, as many as 18 points, but other big credits are not always where you’d expect them. For example, employee car-pooling, using public transit and cycling to work can get you as many as 15 credits. See sidebar for a look at more key credits, as well as some prerequisites for LEED, essentially many basic best practices, such as water metering and efﬁcient plumbing.

Also, you can never assume how you’re going to score. Says Mayer: “You can have a business with an efﬁcient heating and cooling system, but its operation isn’t optimal. And you can have another business with a less efﬁcient system, but its operation is better, and both businesses could score the same.

SCORES FOR GOOD LIGHT AND AIR

Source: Industry Canada’s “Business Case for Green Buildings in Canada,” 2005A Sampling from the EBOM Rating System*

GOVERNMENT FUNDING

• Environment Canada: EcoAction

business case with win-win findings. Good daylight increases productivity 13 per cent, and it can increase retail sales by 40 per cent. Increased ventilation increases productivity by four to 17 per cent. Better quality ventilation reduces illness by nine to 50 per cent. Increased ventilation control increases productivity by 0.5 to 11 per cent. High glare reduces performance by 15 to 21 per cent.

A good basic start to considering LEED certification is to have a discussion with an AP (a directory can be found on at www.CaGBC.org). If you’re in a position to make capital expenditures but need a little help, there are 11 government funds to tap into. See sidebar below. It’s good news to find out that businesses can afford to be sustainable. / BJ

• Natural Resources Canada: Buildings Group

• Natural Resources Canada: Canmet New technologies

• Natural Resources Canada: New Buildings Program

• Federal Buildings Initiative (CBIP and IBIP) New buildings and energy improvements in federal buildings

• Canadian Industry Program for Energy Innovation: Energy audits

• Energy Innovators Initiative Energy retrofits

• Federation of Canadian Municipalities Municipal governments

• Renewable Energy Deployment Initiative Incentives for renewable energy systems

• Office of Energy Efficiency- publications Reports and statistics

• Canadian Mortgage and Housing Centre Information on all aspects of building – straw bale and water use

Source: www.CaGBC.org

ATTENDEE REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Congrès Congress 2011

Mai 1 & 2 May

Place Forzani • 4855, rue Louis-B-Mayer • Montreal (Laval), QC FOR MORE INFORMATION: 7895 Tranmere Dr, Ste 202, Mississauga, Ontario L5S 1V9 Tel: 905-405-0288, 888-674-2253 Fax: 905-405-0993 • E-Mail: info@baking.ca • www.baking.ca

A BAKING EVENT WHERE YOU CAN:

• Join industry professionals including bakers (retail, wholesale, commercial), grocery and foodservice outlets

• Visit the trade show – over 30,000 sq.ft.

• Learn at the Exhibitor produced seminars

• Network and enjoy yourself at the social functions

• Located in the greater Montreal area – the “Island City” that blends the best of European and North American charm – Place Forzani is easily accessible via Autoroute Laval 440.

Last held in the Montreal area in 2007 and not scheduled to return until 2015, Congress 2011 is the Baking Specific Event to see the newest, the best and your favourite products, ingredients, equipment, services, technology and baked goods (fresh, proof & bake, par-baked, freezerto-oven, thaw & serve) for 2011!

Congrès Congress 2011

To keep your business successful, it’s important to stay on top of what is happening in the baking industry. Congress 2011 provides a host of opportunities to source new suppliers, discover new trends and products through the Exhibitor Product Showcase and trade show exhibits, and network with industry colleagues at the social functions, plus much more!

Exhibitor Product Showcase

(Free for all attendees!)

Looking for products, ingredients, equipment, technology and/or services? Let the Exhibitor Product Showcase, which features multimedia presentations by Congress exhibitors be one of the first stops in your quest for information. Check out the companies providing presentations over the two show days on the pages 6 & 7.

Two Days of Trade Show

With more than 30,000 sq. ft. of exhibits, the trade show floor is the place to be to see the products in action and meet the people behind them. For only two days, you will have the opportunity to be face to face with the people who truly understand your business. Visit the trade show floor to see unlimited possibilities in ingredients, equipment, services, technology, baked goods (fresh, proof & bake, par-baked, freezer-to-oven, thaw & serve) and much, much more!

BAC Annual General Meeting

Sunday, May 1: 9:30am to 10:30am @ Place Forzani For BAC Members only, the annual meeting provides a review of the Association’s activities over the past year as well as direction for the future.

When planning for Congress 2011, don’t forget to include these great social networking activities. It’s a chance to get reacquainted with friends and colleagues, enjoy local cuisine and experience some of Quebec’s charm. For more details on these socials, visit http://www.baking.ca/congress/congress-attendingdetails.html

Saturday, April 30 – Soiree Degustation Vin & Fromage

Our star quest begins with a selection of wines chosen by our own sommelier, who will be on hand to navigate attendees through the intricacies and joy of wine, from sparkling whites to full body reds and of course something for dessert. Since nothing goes better with wine than food, the evening’s fare will include a heavenly assortment of specially selected Quebec cheeses, pates, breads and dessert to complete our journey. Making the evening more memorable will be its location at the Laval-based Cosmodôme, where attendees will be able to undertake their own star trek through the fabulous tale of Man’s Conquest of Space as told by science centre’s interactive displays.

Time: 6:00pm – 10:30pm

Location: Cosmodôme, 2150 aut. des Laurentides, www.cosmodome.org

Shuttle Bus: Shuttle service starts at 5:45pm from the Sheraton Laval with return service starting at 10:30pm Fee: $100 each before April 15; $115 each effective April 15 (plus GST & QST)

Note: 150 guests maximum

Sunday, May 1 – Gastronomic Rally with the Restaurants of Centropolis

So how do you make a four-course meal more interesting? How about chefs from different restaurants trying to outdo one another as each takes a turn in offering one of the four courses, including the wine. As the chefs duel in originality and creativity, diners will enjoy the friendships and ambiance of the different venues all within easy walking distance of one another in Laval’s Centropolis district. Afterward, diners will delight in the friendly culinary competition, and we will all reconvene for the evening’s dessert finale to compare taste experiences and share some camaraderie.

Time: 6:00pm – 10:30pm

Location: Centropolis, 1799, avenue Pierre-Péladeau, www.centropolis.ca

Shuttle Bus: Shuttle service starts at 6:00pm from the Sheraton Laval with return service from 10:30pm – 1:00am

Fee: $110 each before April 15; $125 each effective April 15 (plus GST & QST)

Note: 150 guests maximum

Hotel AccommodAtion

Sheraton Laval Hotel (Headquarter Hotel)

2440 Autoroute des Laurentides

Laval, QC H7T 1X5

Tel: 450-687-2440 or Toll Free 1-800-667-2440

Fax: 450-687-0655

Online Reservations: www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/res?

Id=11021616

85&key=CD517

Short link

tinyurl.com/4r4nzuq

Note: Online Reservations deadline is Friday, April 15

Room Rate

Plus taxes and fees - Quoted in Canadian Dollars

Traditional Room: $129.00 single/double

Club Room: $159.00 single/double

Executive Suite: $229.00 single/double

Group Name / Code: BAKING ASSOCIATION

CONGRESS 2011 EVENT / BAD28A

Notes:

• Hotel reservations should be made directly with the hotel.

• Quote the special group code to ensure that you receive the correct room rate.

• Cut-off date for special room rate is Friday, April 15.

• Book your rooms early! The hotel has advised that popular nights such as Saturday and Sunday fill up quickly.

• A shuttle bus will operate between Sheraton Laval Hotel and Place Forzani on Sunday & Monday from 8:00am to 6:00pm.

• Room rates are subject to 3% Rooming Tax, 5% GST Tax, 8.5% QST and are quoted in Canadian dollars.

• The Sheraton Laval Hotel is approximately a 10-minute car ride from Place Forzani

Tourism Information

ready for Montreal!

You’re about to experience a city whose passion, joie de vivre and rich culture heritage are legendary. It’s like a taste of Europe right in North America.

Enjoy…à la Montréal!

Tourism Montreal

Web-Site: www.tourisme-montreal.org

Tourism Laval

Web-Site: www.tourismelaval.com

Tourism Quebec

Web-Site: www.bonjourquebec.com

REGISTRATION POLICIESPLEASE READ CAREFULLY.

• Altering your badge in any way (including inserting a business card), misrepresenting information on the registration form including your company’s business, loaning or giving your badge to another person is strictly prohibited and will be cause for eviction from the event.

• Solicitation by non-exhibitors is strictly prohibited. Failure to comply will be cause for eviction and forfeiture of badge and monies paid.

• ADVANCE REGISTRATION ENDS ON APRIL 25. Registrations received after this date will not be processedregister on-site at Place Forzani May 1 & 2. Note: if you are sending your registration form by Canada Post, your registration must be postmarked no later than April 15 to allow sufficient time for it to reach the BAC office.

• Print clearly and use one form per person.

• Registrations will not be processed without full payment and will be confirmed in writing.

• All badges will be held for pickup on-site.

• BAC reserves the right to refuse a registration request to anyone. Completing this form does not guarantee you a badge or that the fee you select is the appropriate one. BAC must verify your eligibility and will contact you if more information is required.

• Refund Policy: Written cancellation must be received no later than Friday April 16 th and will be refunded with a $20 service fee upon the conclusion of Congress. Cancellations after April 16 th are non refundable.

• Badges are required for admittance to seminars and the trade show. Social functions will require a ticket.

Congrès Congress 2011

exHibitors list

Exhibitor List

As of February 22, 2011

 indicates New Exhibitor (did not participate in 2007 Montreal event)

Almost 70% of exhibit space sold, with 32 neW compAnies

AB Mauri Fleischmann’s

Abell Pest Control

Amazing Fruit Products

American Pan Company

Ashworth Bros

BakeMark

Bakers Journal

Baking Association of Canada

Boulangerie Weston Gadoua

Burnbrae Farms

Canadian Dairy Commission

Carmi Flavors

Carmichael

Chemroy Canada

Chicago Metallic

Bakeware

CIS Group

Constant America

Conseil de la Boulangerie

du Quebec

Contemar Silo Systems

CTP Imaging

Dawn Foods Canada

Dealers Ingredients

DecoPac

Demarle

Drader Bakery Logistics

Eckert Machines

Embassy Flavours

Fancy Pokket

Farinart

Foodlinks

Genpak LP

H & A Canada

Hemp Oil Canada

Hobart Canada

Horizon Milling GP

IMS Industrial Marking

L V Lomas

L’actualité

ALIMENTAIRE

La Danoiserie

La Meunerie Milanaise

Label Systems

Lallemand

Les Emballages Carrousel

Lesaffre Yeast

Lockwood Manufacturing

Magazine Le Chef et l’Épicier

Margarine Golden Gate

Michca

MIWE Canada

Nealanders International

Nita Labeling Equipment

Novelis Foil Products

P & H Milling

Port Royal Mills

Prime Pastries

Produits Chimiques CCC

Quadra Chemicals

Reiser (Canada)

Rich Products of Canada

Richardson Oilseed

Satin Fine Foods

Scoritech

Shick

Unipex Solutions Canada

Vegfresh Inc

Ventes Rudolph 2000

Vincent S Variete

VMI North America

Westcan Marketing

White Toque

Zeppelin Systems USA

Congrès Congress 2011

Exh IBITo R P R o D u CT ShowCAS E

F REE A DMISSI o N F o R ATTENDEES! L IMITED SEATING: AVAILABLE o N A FIRST Co ME, FIRST SERVED BASIS

Looking for the latest products, ingredients, equipment, technology and/or services. Let the Product Presentations, which feature multimedia presentations, be one of the first stops in your quest for information. The companies listed below will give you a snapshot of their latest offerings and will have the items on display in their booth if you need more information.

A “new product” is defined as being introduced to the baking industry within the past two years. Presentations with new products are identified below.

sUndAY, mAY 1

10:30am – 12:00 noon

Your BakeMark ... Passion, Performance & Partnership

BakeMark

BakeMark Canada (a CSM Company) is a leader in the baking industry. We offer an extensive selection of products ranging from fine European pastry, bread ingredients and the highest quality of fillings and icings available in the business including exclusive lines from Marguerite, Caravan, Brill, Westco and BestBrands.

Inspiration Sandwich

La Danoiserie Inc

La Danoiserie is proud to present our new range of innovative sandwich breads. Our presentation will let you discover how the ultimate taste can be combined with absolute convenience.

New Trans Fat Compliant Baking Shortenings & Margarines

Richardson Oilseed

The transition from hydrogenated shortenings and margarines to non-hydrogenated alternatives has not been easy for bakers. At Richardson Oilseed, we understand the needs of bakers. Our mission is to produce innovative, non-hydrogenated shortening & margarines lower in saturated fat as healthy, functional alternatives to high palm content products.

EPan

Bread Pan: Save Energy & Save Money

American Pan

(presented in English Only)

The ePAN bread pan provides the most significant improvements to the bread pan in over fifty years … and it is the strongest, most durable, most energy efficient bread pan available in the world. Design enhancements include seamless pan construction, vertical corrugations, a weldless rim span design and stronger pan strapping.

Note: Presentations will be bilingual unless otherwise noted. On each day, English presentations will be done first followed by the French presentations. As well, additional presentations may be added.

Reduction du gluten de ble: une nouvelle facon d’ameliorer vos produits

AB Mauri Fleishchmann’s (presented in French Only)

AB Mauri Fleischmann introduit un nouveau concept a base d’enzymes designe pour reduire l’utilisation du gluten de ble dans les formules de boulangerie. Vital G ameliorera votre soupless de la mie, volume, votre cout de revient et gardera votre declaration naturelle d’ingredients.

Votre BakeMark Fierté, Performance, Partenariat

BakeMark

BakeMark Canada (une division de la compagnie CSM) est un chef de file mondial dans l’industrie de la boulangerie. Nous offrons un vaste choix de produits allant des ingrédients de boulangerie et fines pâtisseries Européennes aux remplissages et glaçages de la plus haute qualité disponibles sur le marché incluant des gammes de produits exclusifs de Marguerite, Caravan, Brill, Westco et BestBrands.

Inspiration Sandwich

La Danoiserie Inc

La Danoiserie est fier de vous presenter sa nouvelle gamme de pain sandwich innovatrice. Cette présentation vous permettra de découvrir le goût véritable ainsi que la facilité absolue.

Nouveaux shortenings et margarines de cuisson selon les normes sur le Gras Trans Richardson Oilseed

La transition des shortenings et margarines hydrogénés aux produits non hydrogénés n’a pas été aisée pour les boulangers. Chez Richardson Oilseed, nous comprenons les besoins des boulangers. Notre mission est de produire des shortenings et des margarines innovateurs, non hydrogénés, à faible teneur en gras saturés comme alternative santé et fonctionnelle aux produits à base de palme.

exHibitor prodUct sHoWcAse

mondAY, mAY 2

10:30am – 12:00 noon

Canadian Dairy Commission’s

Matching Investment Fund

Canadian Dairy Commission

The CDC has developed the Matching Investment Fund (MIF) to encourage growth and innovation in the manufacture and use of Canadian dairy products and ingredients. This program provides non-repayable contributions to Canadian registered companies or Food Technology Centres for product development on a matching investment basis. Visit www. milkingredients.ca for more information.

Formulate for A Clean Label Lallemand

This presentation will provide the steps to convert traditional formulas into clean label formulas. As well, learn about the functionality of enzymes in clean label formulas and introducing Essential CL 732 (our new clean label dough conditioner).

The Role of Mobile Technology in the Future of the Bakery Industry

CIS Group

Mobile technology can help you be at the top of the Bakery Industry by cutting returns, transmitting orders faster and solving A/R problems with the help of algorithm, mobile payment, GPS, banners stamps imaging and other latest developments. Come and discover new ways of doing business and learn from real-life success stories!

Flavour Pearls

White Toque

FLAVOUR PEARLS are sweet and savoury liquids encapsulated, using alginate, into small, frozen caviar-like sphere. The result is a 100% natural pearl with a soft or liquid heart of fruit puree or savoury ingredients.

hemp – A Versatile and healthy Baking Ingredient

Hemp Oil Canada

(presented in English Only)

Hemp foods can be incorporated into everything from breads to tortilla chips. We offer whole seeds, flour, protein powders, hulled seeds and oil among others. Hemp seeds contain the essential nutrients omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, are high in dietary fibre and high quality protein. Hemp is gluten and allergen free, FMO free, vegan, Kosher, Halal, certified organic and eco-friendly.

Farinologie 101

La Meunerie Milanaise Inc

(presented in French Only)

Démystification des farines de spécialité, entre l’épeautre, le kamut, le seigle en passant par le sarrasin: l’univers des possibles culinaires des farines biologiques.

Le Fonds d’investissement partagé de la Commission canadienne du lait Canadian Dairy Commission

La CCL a développé le Fonds d’investissement partagé pour encourager la croissance et l’innovation dans la fabrication et l’utilisation de produits et d’ingrédients laitiers canadiens. Ce programme verse une contribution non remboursable aux fabricants d’aliments pour des projets de développement de produits, sous réserve du versement d’une contribution équivalente de contrepartie. Pour plus d’information, visitez: www.ingredientsLAITIERS.ca

Formuler sans chimique!

Lallemand

Présentation sur les étapes à suivre pour convertir une formule régulière en formule sans additifs chimiques. Essential CL 732 et fonctionnalité des enzymes permettant de reformuler sans additifs chimiques.

Le rôle de la technologie mobile dans le futur de l’industrie de la boulangerie CIS Group

La technologie mobile peut vous aider à être l’une des meilleures boulangeries de l’industrie en vous aidant à minimiser les retours, transmettre les commandes plus rapidement, et en réduisant les problèmes de recevables à l’aide d’algorithme personnalisée, du paiement mobile, du GPS, et en capturant l’étampe des magasins électroniquement. Venez et découvrez de nouvelles façons de faire des affaires!

Les Perles de Saveurs

White Toque

Les “PERLES DE SAVEURS” Frozen Creative Food® sont de petites perles d’alginate surgelées au coeur “fondant” ou “liquide” remplies de pulpes de fruits ou de saveurs salées.

Congrès Congress 2011

neW exHibitor profile

as of February 22, 2011

Congress 2011 is a forum for industry suppliers to demonstrate the latest in products and services for all members of the baking industry. We are pleased to be able to highlight a few of our newest exhibitors to this year’s event.

All Natural Fruit Flavoured Ingredients

Amazing Fruit Products Ltd.

Through our highly advanced, proprietary natural flavouring process we infuse “only the natural goodness of fruit” in dried fruit to create truly unique Baking Ingredients. Our products are all natural, fat free, cholesterol free, rich in antioxidants without trans fats, gluten free, peanut free and a good source of iron, potassium and dietary fibre with a shelf life of 12 months. We don’t add sugar or chemicals in our process. Our products can easily be incorporated into any production process. Our BRC Certified Facility is totally dedicated to the production of ALL NATURAL products and is completely free of peanuts, nuts and other allergens.

Inventor of Silpat, Flexipan and Silform

non-stick bakeware

Demarle

Since it was established in 1965, Demarle SA has been using new technology to develop original non stick products for the food industry which include the first non-stick baguette trays, Silpat® pastry mats and preformed Silform® mats. Silpat® Non-Stick baking sheet is designed for all types of ovens. From bread baking to pastry making, Silpat® can provide even heat transfer to your baked goods! Your talent deserves the best!

Quality Machinery for Cost Effective Solutions

Eckert Machines

ECKERT Machines has provided quality machinery since 1959. Our manufacturers provide cost effective solutions to processing problems with complete lines or just one machine. We offer a full range of equipment including bulk storage/handling of dry or wet ingredients, flour cooling, spiral conveying, optical/ x-ray inspection and size reduction.

Processing & Distributing high Quality hemp Products

Hemp Oil Canada Inc.

Hemp Oil Canada Inc. is Canada’s leader in procurement, processing, marketing and distribution of hemp food products and ingredients. We offer hemp seed oil, hulled hemp, toasted hemp seed with or without sea salt, sterilized hemp seed, coffee, protein powder, flour, coarse powder and milled hulls. Our products are gluten-free and manufactured in a certified organic, kosher and halal facility. Available in bulk wholesale and private labelling packaging.

Identification for Today and Beyond

IMS Industrial Marking System

We meet all your needs when it comes to labels, barcode scanners, label printers, print and apply label applicators and labelling software. IMS allows you to optimize your packaging line, and to track all your products precisely. IMS is more than a supplier; it’s a true partner for all your integrated solution needs: packaging line optimization, data gathering, and traceability.

Label Application Solutions

Label Systems

Label Systems is a Canadian manufacturer of quality pressure sensitive labelling equipment. Our equipment ranges from table top dispenser, to the fully automatic applicators and systems. Label Systems is constantly abreast of ever-changing technology, which we incorporate into our equipment.

Golden Gate – Manufacturer of Fine Quality Margarines

Margarine Golden Gate – Michca Inc.

Margarine Golden Gate Michca Inc. is one of Canada’s largest margarine companies as well as one of today’s fastest growing in the Canadian marketplace. In 1984, with a company philosophy based on consistent quality, innovation, superior taste and great service, Golden Gate introduced to the market a unique margarine made to compete with the very best. Immediate success came from perfect quality and delicious taste. We quickly became renowned, as we still are today, for the consistency and quality of our products. Additionally we recently expanded further with the acquisition of the Monarch and Covo Brands of quality products.

Innovative Ideas for Better Serving the Food Industry

Magazine Le Chef Et l’Epicier

Le Chef et l’Épicier magazine has initiated its conquest of Canada with its first national and bilingual issue! This bilingual magazine specializes in food service and the retail market and its distribution is 45,000 copies across Canada. From now on, leaders of the foodservice and food retail market all across Canada will receive Le Chef et l’Épicier.

New Advances in the world of Baking with MIwE Equipment

MIWE Canada

MIWE is a German manufacture of specialized ovens for the bakery industry since 1919. The MIWE product range encompasses the full range of baking ovens from small in store convection ovens to electrical and gas deck ovens to rack ovens all the way to industrial automated baking systems.

Premium Quality Non Stick Rolled Fondant Satin Fine Foods

Located in New York’s lower Hudson Valley, Satin Fine Foods specializes in the manufacturing of Satin Ice – rolled fondant (sugar paste) cake icing. Satin Ice is a premium quality non stick pliable cake icing that may be rolled out by hand using a rolling pin or mechanical sheeter. Satin Ice produces a satin smooth elegant finish to any cake. It may be used as a modelling paste to create decorative pieces, and is the ideal covering to cover wedding, novelty and special occasion cakes. Satin Ice is packaged in commercial and retail pack sizes and comes ready-to-use in a variety of colours including: white, ivory, dark chocolate, red, blue, green, black, yellow, green, pink, purple, pastel pink, pastel blue, pastel green, pastel yellow, lavender, orange, and our new flavour buttercream.

Quebec Industry Leader in the Distribution of Cake Decorations

Vincent S. Variete Ltd.

Vincent S. Variete Ltd, is a family business that was founded in 1971 by Mr. Vincent Stortini a baker with 20 years of experience. Vincent S. Variete never stopped innovating to provide to its customers the most ‘’avant-garde’’ products in the bakery industry. Whether it is for preparation, decoration, presentation or wrapping of your cakes, our staff will gladly guide you.

¦ concepts for success ¦

BY DIANE CHIASSON

8 STEPS TO BETTER SIGNAGE

Create more impulse buying opportunities and increase your sales with better signage and point-of-sale materials

Proper signage and point-of-sale (POS) materials can help increase sales and impulse buys dramatically if you do a good job with them. Signage is also one of the least expensive ways to advertise your business and build your brand name. Good signage outside your operation will help draw in passing customers.

When customers walk around your bakery and look at all the different products you offer, it is up to your signage to let your customers know what the products are, why they should buy them and how much they cost. More sales opportunities await them at the cash register, where proper POS materials can help entice customers to buy extra treats and desserts, or even gift cards for your bakery. Try following these eight great tips to improve your signage and POS materials.

}smaller POS materials, make sure your signs are placed next to the products you are selling so there is no confusion as to which products the signs refer to.

They also need to be placed in the right spot. If the name of your bakery is placed above a window or awning, it may not be visible to potential customers walking by. Consider putting your logo on the front door and hanging a banner perpendicular to the storefront. Banners will also move around in the wind, which helps attract attention.

Also, place your signs in unexpected locations such as the ceiling, restrooms, parking lot, stairwell or any other spot in your operation where customers are bound to look. However, don’t get overzealous with your signs. Be strategic.

CHOOSE YOUR FONTS AND COLOURS WISELY

Your signs and POS materials should all be cohesive and visually coordinated.

Consider putting your logo on the front door and hanging a banner perpendicular to the storefront. Banners will also move around in the wind, which helps attract attention.

CONVEY A CLEAR MESSAGE

A big, beautiful sign may not necessarily sell your product. Hire a good marketer who will know what to put on your signs to sell your products. Use alluring adjectives to describe your baked goods. Sell the benefits and reveal the savings. For example, let your customers know how much they would save if they bought a dozen cupcakes or two loaves of bread instead of one. Be sure to spell out all the health benefits of your whole-grain breads. Don’t leave your customers guessing. Make it easy for them to make decisions.

USE THE RIGHT SIZE AND POSITION

The size of your signage and POS materials can make a big difference to the overall message you want to send. Signs that are too big can be overwhelming for customers. Signs that are too small may be hard to read. Your signs should be placed at eye-level so customers do not have to crane their necks to read your offer. For

They should be the same size and colour, use the same fonts and reflect the same images. If you use too many different sizes, colours and fonts, you will confuse your customers as to what message you want to send them. Use high-contrast colours to attract attention, but keep it simple and easy to read. Avoid handwriting your signs or using fonts that are written in italics, slants or all caps.

ENTICE WITH COLOURFUL PICTURES

Use photos that have been taken by a professional photographer. Tantalize your customers with pictures that will make their mouths water. Most people can’t resist buying an extra treat for themselves or for their family if it looks good enough.

USE SIGNS TO CROSS-PROMOTE

Since most people will visit a bakery when they are planning a celebration of a holiday or an event, use colourful signage and POS materials to create cross-promotional displays to sell items for upcoming holidays. Make sure that your signs

reflect the colours of the holiday, but still keep in line with your brand.

DIGITAL SCREENS ARE THE FUTURE

Digital point-of-purchase (POP) offers many benefits, mainly because it can be updated instantaneously. It is also more environmentally friendly as it eliminates the use of paper, which can also tear and rip easily. Digital POP can also provide more entertainment value to your customers, as you can create slide shows or even short commercials of your promotions. You can also create short cartoons or animation to attract the attention of kids.

CLEANLINESS IS KEY

The sign outside your store is the first impression customers get of your operation. Make sure that your sign is clean, fresh and positive. If your sign is dirty, has missing letters or lights that are burned out, it gives the impression that your bakery does not care about itself, and therefore, will not care about its customers. Make sure that your signs are always updated and accurate. Market only those promotions that you are currently offering or will be offering in the near future.

SELL AND RESELL YOUR BRAND

Your logo should appear somewhere on all of your signs and POS materials (ideally, in the same place, such as always in the lower right-hand corner). The most successful companies use memorable images that help keep their brands dominant in the minds of consumers. Review these easy-to-implement tips to evaluate how effective your current signs and POS materials are. A few simple tweaks may be all your operation needs to bring in extra sales. / BJ

Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping restaurant, foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 25 years. Her company provides innovative and revenueincreasing foodservice and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns, and much more. Contact her at 416-926-1338, toll-free at 1-888-9266655 or chiasson@chiassonconsultants.com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com.

From pretzel makers to cupcake mixers, Bakers Journal keeps you “in the know.” FOR MORE on new products for the baking industry, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com.

Bakery calendar from DecoPac

DecoPac’s 2011 bakery calendar is filled with special dates and dazzling images of imaginative cupcakes. This colourful guide will inspire creativity throughout the year with monthly cupcake features and supporting decorating videos available online. A limited number of calendars are available. To order yours, contact your sales representative. www.decopac.com

Primo Weigher from CombiScale

The Primo Weigher combination scale is now available from CombiScale Inc.

Built with food-grade stainless steel, the scale features an open frame design, and tool-less access to the rotating centre hopper, vibratory pans, buckets, product and discharge chutes. The scale is available in 10-, 14-, 16-, 20- and 24-head configurations, and with 1.5-, 2.5- and five-litre buckets, which can operate at speeds ranging from 80 to more than 200 cycles per minute. CombiScale reports that the scale can be stripped down in minutes for thorough cleaning, and is designed to eliminate areas where biological hazards can reside. www.combiscale.com

Cupcake mixer from Globe Food Equipment

Globe Food Equipment’s SP30 produces 300 classic or 200 jumbo cupcakes at a time, offering versatility in mixing the most delicate batter or the toughest dough.

The mixer has a rigid cast iron body with a powerful one-horsepower, custom-built motor. It also features a high-torque, permanently lubricated gear transmission; a removable stainless steel bowl guard with built-in ingredient chute, safety interlocked bowl guard, and bowl lift. The SP30 comes complete with a heavy-duty, 30-quart stainless steel bowl, flat beater, stainless steel wire whip, and a spiral dough hook. www.globeslicers.com

Fritsch’s Multitwist

The Fritsch Multitwist moves beyond the classics to include sweet dough pretzels and ring-shaped products in its repertoire.

The Multitwist is designed to maximize profitability in industrial automated pretzel making. Components can be switched up in minutes without special tools and a single module can manage 2,000 pieces of dough per hour.

date: June 7-10, 2011

location: nait school of hospitality & culinary arts, edmonton, ab

Don’t miss this outstanding opportunity for hands-on professional development. NAIT Bakes is a unique, four-day experience where you will learn and practise new techniques with two of North America’s most renowned baking educators.

Didier Rosada

All About Sourdoughs. Master the complexities of sourdough cultures in this comprehensive two-day workshop.

Cost: $1,295

Ciril Hitz

Laminating With Flair. Learn innovative techniques for making delicious breakfast pastries in this creative two-day workshop.

(includes workshops, ground transportation and all meals) Details & Registration: www.nait.ca/naitbakes Registration deadline: April 15, 2011.

LAURA AIKEN

NO BLUES WITH BLUEBERRIES

Delicate and distinct, blueberries have earned a deserved spot in the coveted realm of the baker’s staple. Whether fresh, frozen, dried or liquefied, these wee beads are a fruit fan favourite.

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council shared with Bakers Journal some interesting history and insightful tips for baking with one of the few fruits native to North America. Blueberries have been flourishing here for more than 13,000 years; however, today’s highbush variety has only been around for the last century when its domestication led to the year-round availability we enjoy today. In

the early 1900s, Elizabeth White and Dr. Frederick Coville shared a passion to perpetuate the blueberry’s most desirable characteristics, eventually cultivating a plant that could be grown commercially by farmers.

Large-scale farming allowed for the convenient byproduct of multi-format packaging. Fresh, frozen, dried, liquid or essence; there is no shortage of ways that chemistry has helped various blueberry applications. Products like high-tech blueberry powders work well in rice cakes or bar cookies. Osmotically preserved blueberries, which can be used like fresh berries when none are available, are put in a vacuum chamber and subject

to a slow, natural infusion process with syrup solution and stabilizers. They are then delicately dried to preserve colour and flavour and appear as typical fresh berries but without need of refrigeration. Actual dehydrated blueberries work well in mixes and other dried products. One pound of dried berries is equal to about 2.7 kilograms (six pounds) to 3.2 kilograms (seven pounds) of fresh. Other formats such as powders work well as a confectionary coating while freeze-dried products provide crisp flavour notes with tang. Liquid blueberry co-products have many uses, as fillings, salad dressings, syrups and frozen desserts, and more.

TIPS FOR BAKERS

The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council gathered the following tips for successfully using blueberries from professional bakers.

Optimal defrosting: For the best possible defrost, thaw block frozen blueberries in the fridge then transfer to an airtight container. Never re-freeze thawed fruit.

Adding blueberries to batter: Gently fold fresh or frozen berries into batter at the end of the mix cycle to reduce streaking. Add individually quick frozen (IQF) berries into batters while frozen and steer clear of overmixing to stop breakage and bleeding. Bake immediately to prevent colour leaching. Try dropping half the batter into the pan to minimize blue colour. Simply put blueberries on batter in the pan then add the rest of the batter on top. Some bakers coat blueberries with flour or starch to soak up juices before incorporating into the batter.

How to avoid sinking berries: Should your blueberries sink to the bottom of the pan during baking, then specific gravity may be too low or too much air has been allowed into the batter. Be wary during the first stage of creaming. This is the cycle where most unwanted air is let in. To raise specific gravity, use a thicker, denser batter.

Keeping colour: Acids, such as lemon juice or vinegar, cause the blue pigments to turn reddish. In an alkaline atmosphere, such as a batter with too much baking soda, you may see a greenish-blue tinge. The secret to staying blue is proper pH.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Blueberries have garnered much attention in recent years for their associated antioxidant benefits. The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council cites the publication of Dr. Steven Pratt’s book, Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life - Superfoods RX, as giving blueberries a boost in fame. Pratt identifies blueberries as one of the major superfoods, calling them “brainberries.”

There have been numerous medical investigations in the health properties of blueberries. In one study, Jim Joseph, director of the neuroscience laboratory in the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center (HNRC), fed mice an amount of blueberries equivalent to a human eating one cup of blueberries a day. He then conducted a series of motor skills tests. Joseph discovered that the blueberry-fed

mice outperformed their control group counterparts in motor behavioural learning and memory. He also reported an increase in exploratory behaviour. An examination of their brains revealed a notable reduction in oxidative stress in two parts of the mind and improved retention of signal-transmitting neurons when compared with the brains of the control mice. Joseph is testing the effects of blueberries on humans. Preliminary results showed that people who ate a cup of blueberries a day did five to six per cent better on motor skills tests than the control group.

Anthocyanin, the compound thought to be responsible for this neuron protection, also gives blueberries their colour and might be the critical part of the fruit’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Phytochemicals found in fruits like blueberries are being explored for their potential benefits in slowing the aging process, including memory loss. Studies of older laboratory animals eating blueberry-supplemented diets showed measurable strides in memory, co-ordination and balance. While the

role of blueberries in health is being studied thoroughly, it’s important to keep in mind the concern that all claims for beneficial effects be supported.

The blueberry’s storied history and popularity has earned it a place as the official state fruit in New Jersey.In Minnesota, blueberry muffins have been signed into law as the official state muffin. July has even been dedicated National Blueberry month. For more information on baking with blueberries, visit www.blueberry.org. / BJ

STORAGE TIPS

Fresh: 32 to 34 F (-0.6 to 1 C) 90-95% relative humidity

Liquids: 0 to –10 F (-18 to –23 C)

Canned: shelf stable in a cool dry place

Essence: tightly closed container at 40 F (4 C) or lower

DII Dealers Ingredients Inc.

Whe th e r yo u a re bu yi n g Bas e I ngre di e nts, i mpro v i ng yo u r pro duc t 's val ue p ro pos it i on or twe aki n g margi ns, trus t De al e rs I ngre di e nts to d e l iv e r re su l ts.

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Bu tte r, cre am an d che e se natu ral dai r y c o nc e ntrat e s re du ce f at w hi l e enh anc i ng f lav o ur c harac te ri sti c s a t a lo we r tot al co st. Im pro ve y ou r pro du ct pe r fo rm anc e – nat ural l y

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P rod uct of t he Un i t ed S ta te s

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Prod uct Pe r fo rman ce So lu ti on s - Nat urally

BY WAYNE GELB AND CHRISTINE MATTEAR

THE VALUE OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

You’re a busy business owner, but understanding what your financial statements mean to your company is priceless

What’s in your financial statements anyway?

More than you think. This article helps you understand two things: What the key financial statements of your business mean and, more importantly, the value of your financial statements to your business.

Today’s business owners are, well . . . busy. But successful owners recognize the importance of understanding the basics behind their financial statements as an essential tool to monitor the performance of their business. It isn’t just about the bottom line at the end of your fiscal year. Monthly monitoring is critical so that you can take advantage of opportunities and/or correct any issues as the year progresses. Business owners should review a monthly reporting package. Here are some tips on what it should include and what the information means for your business.

INCOME STATEMENT

This statement summarizes the amount of revenue less cost of goods sold less operating expenses to arrive at your net profit for a stated period. The income statement in your monthly package should include a comparison to budgeted figures as well as a comparison to the prior year for the same period. It is most helpful when each expense line is measured as a percentage of sales so that you can easily monitor trends and make corrective decisions. Key items on the income statement are cost of sales, gross margin, total expenses and net profit.

BALANCE SHEET

This summary statement shows the business’s financial position by indicating assets, liabilities and owner’s equity at a particular moment in time. Key items to monitor on the balance sheet are cash, accounts receivable, inventory and accounts payable. The information in your package should also include detailed listings by age for accounts receivable, inventory and accounts payable so that you can monitor any credit risks, slow-moving inventory and help to anticipate upcoming cash outlays. Another way to use this statement is to ensure your cash account is reconciled to your bank statement on a monthly basis.

}It isn’t just about the bottom line at the end of your fiscal year. Monthly monitoring is critical so that you can take advantage of opportunities and/or correct any issues as the year progresses.

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

This statement shows the overall sources and outlays of cash from operating, financing and investing activities for a period. This is not only a key monitoring tool that indicates how much cash is available; it also allows you to see how you’re spending your money at a bird’s eye view.

Financial reporting can seem overwhelming. If you take the time to understand some basic concepts and to review results monthly, you will be able to focus on the numbers most critical to the health of your business that deserve your attention. / BJ

Wayne Gelb is a partner in the audit and assurance practice and Christine Mattear is a senior manager in the audit and assurance practice in the Toronto office of Fuller Landau LLP. Fuller Landau provides tax, accounting and business advisory services to owners of growth oriented, mid-sized businesses. www.fullerlandau.com

ASK THE ADVISOR

QUESTION / I am planning to get financing from the bank to expand my product line. I’ve been told I need to have a report prepared by an accountant included with my financial statements. What is the bank looking for and what does it mean for my business?

VISIT www.bakersjournal.com AND CLICK ON THE BUSINESS ADVISOR LINK FOR THE ANSWER.

apple trees can add fresh flavours to your baking long before the orchards are bursting with those staple fall fruits. In short, there are an endless number of floral flavours to experiment with.

GROWING YOUR REPERTOIRE

When working with edible flowers, there are a few key things to keep in mind.

First and foremost, remember that not all flowers are edible; some are poisonous. Cohlmeyer warns that it’s important to work with a knowledgeable supplier because, “There’s a lot of misinformation. Poinsettias, for instance, are considered poisonous, but they’re not . . . . There’s no record of anybody getting ill from them.” A trusted supplier can help you unravel urban legends and learn which flowers are right for your business.

If you’re sourcing flowers from a personal garden, pay careful attention to how they are grown. Blossoms destined for the kitchen should be raised organically, without pesticides. In Edible Flowers, Barash also warns that flowers cultivated with an eye to culinary use should be grown away from roads, as they can become contaminated with emissions from passing cars.

Both Barash and Cohlmeyer emphasize that edible flowers should never be purchased from a florist, as these flowers

may be contaminated with pesticides or other chemicals that may be harmful if eaten.

Once you’ve sourced your flowers, it’s important to learn the proper ways to prepare them. Some flowers can be eaten raw, while others need to be cooked. The stamens and styles should be removed from all flowers before use, while the sepals should be removed from everything but Johnny-jump-ups, pansies and violas. With some flower varieties, only the petals may be edible, as is the case with the rose. Understanding how to safely prepare a flower is key, as proper uses may dictate how you incorporate edible flowers into your baking.

Although flowers make a beautiful standalone ingredient, you can also use them to infuse other ingredients with floral flavours. Floral butters, flours, sugars and syrups are easy to make, and the Internet is bursting with recipes and step-by-step instructions.

However you choose to incorporate edible flowers into your baking, remember that pretty presentations are nice, but so is being able to eat a floral flavoured treat. Cohlmeyer suggests keeping flowers small and bite-sized. “I’ve seen presentations of a whole rose, but how do you eat it unless you pull the petals off?” / BJ

The Road From Garments To Bagels Paved With Success

Joe Puiia began his professional career when he joined father, Vito, in the garment industry. As the industry began to send work overseas, the two sought new business opportunities.

In February 1989, they opened J. P. Bagel Express in Hoboken, New Jersey, which was an immediate success. In June 1989, Joe’s brother, Jerry opened a similar business called Bagel Stop in Vernon, Connecticut. In 1990, Joe moved to South Windsor, Connecticut, to join Jerry in opening a second Bagel Stop. Today, Joe and Jerry own the Bagel Stop Production Company that supplies a variety of baked goods to Joe and Jerry’s newer company, Between Rounds Cafes. Combining several marketing concepts, Between Rounds Cafes offer bagels, gourmet sandwiches, salads and gourmet coffee. Joe and Jerry have a total of six Between Rounds locations in two states, offer catering services for large events and are building a franchise business.

Joe recognizes that a business needs to change in order to grow. ‘‘If you are not competitive in a crowded market, you will lose customers to the next guy,” he said. ‘‘I believe our success comes from our ability to stay competitive, and the work ethic we learned from our father.”

Joe relies on International® Bakers Services (IBS) to stay competitive.

‘‘IBS is the most professional company in terms of meeting their customers’ needs, said Joe. ‘‘They also let their customers know they are appreciated.” For their famous bagels, Between Rounds uses Blueberry Flavor, Maple Flavor, Apple Cinnamon Flavor and seasonally, International’s Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend.

If you want flavors that help you compete in a crowded market, rely on International® Bakers Services. Contact us toll-free at (800) 345-7175, by fax at (574) 287-7161, or in writing at 1902 North Sheridan Ave., South Bend, Indiana 46628. We have the flavors your customers deserve.

ECO-FRIENDLY PLASTIC PACKAGING

Green packaging is a growing trend that can appeal to eco-conscious consumers and build a business’s reputation for corporate social responsibility. But, like so many other choices you make for your bakery, deciding how, or whether, to introduce greener packaging can be complicated by the number of options available. Two factors you must consider are which eco-friendly option best serves your customers’ needs, and which will be the most effective. Plus, of course, cost.

Remember last March, when Frito-Lay rolled out a new 100 per cent compostable SunChips bag? In a press release the company boasted: “This new package will completely break down into compost in a hot, active compost pile in approximately 14 weeks. On store shelves, it has a unique sound, the new sound of green.” That sound of green soon had consumers seeing red. The compostable bag was made from a plant-based material called polylactic acid (PLA). Unlike the materials used in traditional chip bags, PLA isn’t soft when stored at room temperature. This resulted in a loud bag that annoyed many customers (and the people around them).

}By October, Frito-Lay had announced it would only use the bag to package its original flavour chips for the American market; all other varieties available in the United States would switch back to traditional packaging. In Canada, it seems the noisy bag is here to stay.

There are seven different types of plastics, and your municipality’s recycling program may accept all or just a few.

composting facilities don’t want residents composting bioplastics like PLA. On its website, the City of Toronto states: “Biodegradable plastics do not compost well in Toronto’s or other municipalities’ systems, regardless of whether the processing uses an anaerobic (without air) or aerobic (with air) system.” The city also warns that biodegradable plastics can ruin

According to data collected by Statistics Canada during the last census, approximately 90 per cent of all households in Canada have access to some sort of recycling program.

Frito-Lay’s intentions were good, but they miscalculated their customers’ tolerance for inconveniences introduced through green initiatives. However, that’s not the only miscalculation the company made along the path to greener practices. It turns out most municipally owned

recycling markets, as recycled plastics are used to manufacture new products designed to be durable, such as car parts. According to the city’s website, “The presence of biodegradable plastics puts the durability of these products with recycled plastic content in peril.” Since their municipalities would rather they toss the compostable SunChips bag in with their trash anyway, why should consumers put up with the inconvenience of excessively noisy packaging?

Frito-Lay’s experience with compostable bags may seem like a case study in what not to do when rolling out green packaging, but rest assured, there are valuable lessons to be learned from the company’s mistakes.

If you’re considering making the switch to green packaging, it’s important to understand the eco-friendly options that exist for both your business and for your customers.

RECYCLABLE PLASTICS

Recycling processes used materials such as plastic, paper and metal into new products.

According to data collected by Statistics Canada during the last census, approximately 90 per cent of all households in Canada have access to some sort of recycling program. The proportions of households with access to recycling programs for plastics (84 per cent), paper (83 per cent) and metal cans (81 per cent) are roughly the same. This may be good news if you’re considering a switch to, or are already using, recyclable packaging. Your customers can probably pop your packaging in their blue bin, confident they’re doing their part to cut down on the

amount of waste headed for the landfill.

However, not all recycling programs are created equal. There are seven different types of plastics, and your municipality’s program may accept all of them, or only a few. In Canada, plastics bear a small triangle with a number stamped in the middle. That number identifies the type of plastic an item is made from. Check with your municipality to find out which plastics your local recycling program accepts before introducing any plastic packaging as a green option.

BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS

There are two types of biodegradable plastics: oxo-biodegradable and hydrodegradable. Those of the first variety (also referred to as oxo-degradable plastics) are made from a byproduct of oil refining. They are designed to break down when small quantities of metal salts are added to act as catalysts, speeding up the reaction. In the right environmental conditions, these types of plastics will break down into biomass, water, and carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas – in a few years or even a few months. In contrast, traditional plastics can take hundreds of years to break down.

According to the Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association, based in the United Kingdom, oxo-biodegradable plastic “does not just fragment, but is consumed by micro-organisms” after the metal salt is added. “This process continues until the material has biodegraded to nothing more than carbon dioxide, water, humus and trace elements.”

The second variety of biodegradable plastics are the hydro-degradable variety, made from plant starches. These plastics tend to break down more quickly than oxo-biodegradable varieties, converting into biomass, water, and the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane. Because these types of plastic give off more greenhouse gases than oxo-biodegradable plastics, they’re considered to be less eco-friendly. Moreover, while oxo-degradable plastics can be recycled normally, recycling hydro-degradable plastics requires special machinery.

Finally, hydro-degradable plastics may sometimes go inert and stop degrading when buried beneath other waste, deep in a landfill. If customers fail to properly dispose of packaging made from this type of plastic, or if you operate in a municipality that doesn’t accept these varieties of plastics, choosing one may undermine

your efforts to go green.

If you’re thinking about making the switch to greener packaging, bear in mind the lessons to be learned from Frito-Lay’s compostable chip bag. First and foremost, consider what customers expect from your packaging. If you don’t understand their needs, you won’t be able to pick a packaging option that meets those needs. You should also be sure to do your homework. Consumers are increasingly sensitive to “greenwashing,” a term used

to describe the deceptive use of green marketing to give the impression that a business or product is more eco-friendly than it really is. Advertising that your breads are sold in recyclable plastics that aren’t actually accepted by your municipality’s recycling program can hurt your green credibility and anger eco-conscious customers. It’s also important to remember what your customers expect from your packaging, and make sure your new eco-friendly option delivers. / BJ

BLAST FREEZER – ROLL IN RACK

Model: CG/BF Series

Blast your way into Profitability while maintaining Quality!

The G. Cinelli – Esperia® Corporation BLAST FREEZER was designed and built to maintain the quality of your product and furthermore, to drastically reduce the amount of time, space and expense required in doing so.

For those who wish to preserve inherent quality or distribute a product that is of the highest qualitative standard such as any dough, bread, cake or pastry product and even foods and sauces - simply put, one of the main contributors to preserving high quality is for it to be frozen or chilled as rapidly as possible – our line of Blast Freezers guarantees this quality like no other.

The Blast Freezers or alternatively sometimes called Blast Chiller, can offer 2 modes of operation;

• BLAST FREEZING – from +90/70°C (190/158°F) to -18°C (-0.4°F) at product core

• BLAST CHILLING – from +90/70°C (190/158°F) to + 3°C (37.4°F)

– Mainly used for Gastronomy but not limited thereto.

Compared to normal cold storage freezers or refrigerators; Not only do they freeze extremely fast, the Blast Freezer can maintain the correct degree of product moisture content that is necessary for the proper product condition in its subsequent stage of product life and/or endowing it with the properties for optimal regeneration. Furthermore, it drastically reduces ice crystal formation avoiding “freezer burn” and other unpleasant aesthetic changes.

With the G. Cinelli – Esperia® Corporation Blast Freezer, it is now within reach for anyone to properly preserve or distribute their product.

BY MARIO FORTIN

LABELLING FOR SUCCESS

It’s important to understand the rules of food labelling before you decide if it’s right for your bakery

Labelling your products can be a great way to communicate with your customers. A good label may contain information about your product’s ingredients, nutritional information, or even claims of the nutritional or health benefits your product has to offer.

Before you decide if food labelling is right for your bakery, you should understand the rules and regulations Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have established to inform consumers about what they’re eating, and to protect them from misleading advertising.

NUTRITION LABELLING

}On its website, the CFIA states, “Canada’s nutrition labelling regulations have been designed to provide a system for conveying information about the nutrient content of food in a standardized format, which allows for comparison among foods at the point of purchase. Clear, uniform information should support consumers in making informed food choices toward healthy eating goals.”

LABELLING CLAIMS

Health Canada allows for three types of claims on a food product. For all three claims, words with no explicit meaning or those that convey partial truths when describing a food should be avoided. The idea is to limit the use of language that can leave consumers with false or misleading impressions about a food or the effects of consuming it.

The CFIA defines a food claim as a statement about the composition, quality or quantity of a food product. Statements about the origin of a food are also classed as food claims. Statements such as “no preservatives,” “no preservatives added,” or “contains no preservatives” fall into this category, as do statements such as “no MSG added” and “contains no MSG.”

Of particular interest to bakers are the rules around the word “homemade.” The CFIA’s website states, “The term ‘home -

The idea is to limit the use of language that can leave consumers with false or misleading impressions about a food or the effects of consuming it.

Last but not least are nutrient content claims. These types of claims either explicitly state or otherwise express to a consumer, the quantity of a nutrient that can be found in a food. Bakers should be aware that if they make this type of claim about a product, they must also include a Nutrition Facts Table with that product. A nutrient content claim voids the exemption that allows foods prepared in-store to be sold without the NFT.

ADVERTISING

If you want to do any specific promotions of your products, you should also be aware of the rules that govern advertising. Generally speaking, mandatory information, as well as any claims that are acceptable on a food label, can also be used to advertise food. Information that is not acceptable on a food label is typically also not acceptable in advertising. As such, the CFIA recommends ensuring any labels on your products are compliant with the rules and regulations before developing advertising materials.

To that end, Health Canada requires all pre-packaged products to carry a Nutrition Facts Table (NFT). The NFT table provides consumers with information about the amount of energy (measured in calories) contained in a food, as well as information about 13 core nutrients, and their levels as a percentage of the recommended daily value. This information must be provided based on an indicated serving size. It must also be presented in the manner outlined by Health Canada in the Nutrition Labelling Regulations.

Foods prepared or processed in-store, including bakery items, are not required to have a Nutrition Facts Table.

made’ describes a food that is not commercially prepared. ‘Homemade’ foods do not require further preparation.” Moreover, the website reads, “The use of a brand name or trademark symbol in conjunction with the term ‘homemade’ is considered misleading if the food is prepared commercially.” The federal department considers the term “homemade” misleading if a food is prepared in a commercial establishment, and this includes small, artisan establishments. In such cases, terms like “homemade style,” “home-style” and “like homemade” should be used.

The second type of claim the regulations allow for are health claims. Health Canada defines a health claim as: “any representation in labelling or advertising that states, suggests, or implies that a relationship exists between consumption of a food, or an ingredient in the food, and health,” whether those claims are “stated explicity with words, or implied through symbols, graphics, logos or other means, such as a name, trademark, or seal of approval.”

Last but not least, if you want to draw comparisons between one of your products and a similar food product, you must ensure that you provide a complete comparison, and that the foods are similar in character, composition, and any other factors that are relevant to comparing the two.

Food labels can be a great way to inform customers about your products. They can allow you to communicate the nutritional benefits of your products, as well as any health benefits they may have. However, there are strict rules governing the food labels, and you may be asked for evidence substantiating any claims you make about your products. Ultimately, food labels are a tool that may be more useful for some businesses than for others. It’s up to you to decide whether or not labelling is right for your business. / BJ

Mario Fortin is an international bakery consultant and owner of FORMA-LAB, a consulting service to bakers and suppliers. If you have a technical problem, send your questions to info@forma-lab.com.

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BY JANE DUMMER, RD

A WALK ON THE SAVOURY SIDE

Seek out savoury herbs that diverge from the usual staples and discover new ways to satisfy your customers

}There is one particular moment from my time in the early 1990s as a student at the University of Guelph that really stands out in my mind. I was taking the Cultural Aspects of Food course and we were identifying flavours associated with countries around the world. For example, oregano with Italy, curry went with India, the Middle East and the Caribbean, and so on. Then, we arrived in the United States and Canada. I heard ketchup, mustard, salt, and, oh yes, maple syrup for Quebec. I expect over the past two decades, with Canada’s diverse cultures, easy access to world travel and the ability to download international recipes, that thyme, rosemary, cinnamon and ginger are now fundamental herbs and spices in most Canadians’ kitchen (perhaps along with the ketchup, mustard and salt).

with cumin and a mild curry that was an ideal taste experience at that stage of the meal. Coppolino encourages bakers at restaurants and small bakeries to move beyond the basic herbs and spices most people have in the cupboard (rosemary, thyme, oregano and cinnamon) and develop new and bolder creations. Coppolino would like to try a crunchy flatbread seasoned with the zaatar spice, which includes a mixture of sumac, sesame seed and herbs frequently used in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Some manufacturers are experimenting with new twists. Last fall, Canada Bread launched a new line of rye breads that includes Country Caraway.

“The use of caraway seeds provides a specific taste experience,” explains Daniel Morin, senior innovation manager of business development for Canada Bread. “Caraway seeds have a sweet and spicy

Coppolino would like to try a crunchy flatbread seasoned with the zaatar spice, which includes a mixture of sumac, sesame seed and herbs frequently used in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

flavour, plus crunch that adds complexity to the rye bread.”

There is a world of spices to explore when it comes to savoury baking.

Herbs and spices commonly used in savoury cooking can lend a powerful and unique taste to many baked goods. Andrew Coppolino, restaurant reviewer for Waterloo Region Eats and food enthusiast, agrees.

“Standard herbs such as rosemary and thyme have been infiltrating the restaurant scene for the past decade, injecting interest into the pre-dinner baguette bread basket,” Coppolino suggests. “The use of a paprika around the perimeter of the olive oil plate for dipping, is not only inventive, but a colourful way of incorporating the spice into the meal occasion.”

Coppolino describes a pre-dinner bread basket he was served recently that included a variety of bread types, flatbreads and crackers with many flavours, herbs and spices. He recalls a very delicious piece of flatbread spiced

Morin details another new product launch, the Oven Ready Rosemary and Olive Oil baguette, which is sold in a modified atmosphere package of two. It gets a 60-day shelf life and is aimed at both the lunch and dinner occasion. People can cook it in eight minutes and have a bakery-style experience as part of their meal.

“Using herbs such as rosemary is very multifunctional, not only for taste and texture, but rosemary is known for its antimicrobial properties, which help extend shelf life.” Morin says to stay tuned to your local grocer’s bakery department for another flavoured baguette to be launched in April of this year.

In addition to herbs and spices giving great flavour and texture, along with some having antimicrobial properties, there is that antioxidant word again (December 2010, The Final Proof). Many herbs and spices naturally contain antioxidants. In 2003, to advance the

science of spices and herbs, McCormick created the McCormick Science Institute (MSI), an independent research organization whose mission is to support scientific research and disseminate scientific findings on the health benefits of culinary spices and herbs. McCormick equates a half teaspoon of an antioxidantrich spice (for example, cinnamon) to a half cup of antioxidant-rich fruit (for example, raspberries).

With the amazing world flavours and textures that herbs, spices and seeds provide in breads, it is good to know these ingredients may also provide health benefits. So explore and create away! Take a pass on the “fundamental spice rack,” and let’s see some interesting bread types for both retail and food service over the next few years.

Here are some websites related to this article that you may be interested in: www.waterlooregioneats.com, www. dempsters.ca, www.mccormickscienceinstitute.com. / BJ

Jane Dummer, RD, is a leading dietitian for the Canadian food and nutrition industry. Jane offers services specializing in agri-food, functional foods and food safety. For more information, visit www.janedummer.com.

Congrès Congress 2011

Mai 1 & 2 May

Place Forzani • 4855, rue Louis-B-Mayer • Montreal (Laval), QC

A BAKING EVENT WHERE YOU CAN:

• Join industry professionals including bakers (retail, wholesale, commercial), grocery and foodservice outlets

• Visit the trade show – over 30,000 sq.ft.

• Learn at the Exhibitor produced seminars

• Network and enjoy yourself at the social functions

• Located in the greater Montreal area – the “Island City” that blends the best of European and North American charm – Place Forzani is easily accessible via Autoroute Laval 440.