Introduction
KPM Analytics has recently unveiled a state-of-the-art baking lab at its Rheology Center of Excellence, located in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, France. This innovative facility represents a significant advancement in the baking industry, merging traditional baking tests with objective analytical technologies to enhance flour quality assessments.
The Need for Innovation
For years, milling and baking professionals have relied on baking tests as the primary standard for evaluating flour and dough performance. Despite their importance, these tests often involve subjective interpretations, significant time investments, and substantial ingredient costs. More often than not, bakers are left puzzled when results fall short, creating a gap between expected quality and the final product.
Bridging the Gap
KPM Analytics aims to eliminate this uncertainty with its newly established baking lab. This facility is equipped with cutting-edge baking instruments including mixers, proofing chambers, and industrial ovens. By integrating these tools with KPM's advanced analytical technologies, the lab provides bakers with the opportunity to correlate traditional test outcomes with concrete data analyses.
Objective Insights
Lionel Bernard, General Manager for KPM Analytics France, emphasizes the lab's mission: “The baking test has always been a valuable tool, but it does not always tell the complete story.” The lab allows users to collect data through various instruments, transitioning from final product evaluations back to flour quality insights, leading to a deeper understanding of the relation between ingredient behavior and product quality.
Advanced Testing Instruments
The KPM Center houses an impressive suite of instruments, such as the Mixolab®, Alveolab®, and TheiaVu® Vision systems, which facilitate comprehensive evaluations of flour characteristics, dough behavior, and finished product quality. Users can now analyze parameters like damaged starch, protein content, and moisture levels, enabling them to make informed decisions about their baking processes.
Advantages for Millers and Bakers
With the enhanced capabilities offered by the KPM Baking Lab, customers will:
- - Streamline baking tests by incorporating pre-screening of raw ingredients using analytical instruments, which saves time and reduces costs.
- - Utilize objective data to inform their baking tests, thereby increasing accuracy and reliability in their quality assessments.
- - Access actionable insights that allow for adjustments in formulation, including enzyme usage and proofing time, ultimately leading to improved efficiency.
Customer Education and Training
A core component of the KPM Center's objectives is customer education. The facility will provide hands-on training for clients, allowing them to see firsthand how different instruments contribute to better production outcomes. According to Bernard, “Training is most effective when customers can see how the data connects to their daily challenges.” This immersive approach fosters confidence and comprehension among users, aiding them in applying analytical results to practical decisions.
Collaborative Growth with Synar Group
The development of the KPM Baking Lab was made possible thanks to support from the Synar Group and its subsidiary Euro Food Product Company. Their partnership highlights a mutual commitment to advancing the baking and milling sectors. “Our investment represents more than just equipment; it embodies a shared ambition for the future of flour analysis,” notes Rustam Mamirov of the Synar Group.
Conclusion
As KPM Analytics opens its new baking lab, the baking and milling industry stands to benefit from a more data-driven approach to quality control. This initiative not only fosters a deeper understanding of ingredient interactions and baking processes but ultimately leads to a more dependable end product. For those interested in exploring the capabilities of the KPM Baking Lab, further details can be found at
KPM Analytics.