By Dr. Bernhard Reichenbach, Chefredakteur

The coronavirus crisis continues to hold the world under control, but gradually, the light at the end of the tunnel becomes brighter. By and by, the restrictions are loosened, and the mood in the economy is slowly brightening. This is shown by our survey in the Technology section, in which managers of companies in the production and packaging sectors provide information about their current situation and their expectations for the future. In this section, we also present innovative solutions in the field of inspection technology.

The effects of the Covid-19 crisis also play an important role in our special section on baked goods & snacks: Gustav Deiters, Managing Partner of the large supplier of wheat products Crespel & Deiters, reports on the consequences for his company and the industry sector in an interview with sweets processing. In the special, we also inform you about the advantages of ingredients such as nuts and almonds in the production of snacks and pastries, and how the dependence on egg can be reduced in the production of baked goods.

The Ingredients section is dedicated to new natural food colourings that are obtained from fruits and vegetables. Another topic is natural aroma solutions for sweetness modulation with the help of which the amount of sugar used in confectionery and baked goods can be reduced.

When packaging confectionery and snacks, a new vertical packaging machine is to offer maximized performance. With this system, both plastic and functional paper can be used to make bags in different sizes.