Lesaffre's inaugural Bread Symposium brought together over 200 industry specialists to examine fermentation science, sustainability and the commercial future of bread as a food category.

The science of baking has never been more exciting. Spring 2026 explores the research reshaping nutrition, ingredients and technology across the baking industry.

Scanning electron microscopes at the University of Leicester have captured baking ingredients magnified thousands of times — revealing the structural science behind why bakes succeed or fail.

Italian researchers tested whether bitter wormwood extract can be used in biscuits without affecting quality. Using alginate microencapsulation, they showed that key bitter compounds survive baking and can be added with only minor sensory impact.