ZDS celebrates successful chocolate symposium
9 December 2010 – The ZDS chocolate symposium, which has just finished this Thursday afternoon in Cologne, Germany, once again attracted record numbers. Expanding from the already successful last event in 2008, this year’s popular conference saw 400 delegates gather to hear the latest in chocolate technology.
Andreas Bertram, the managing director at ZDS opened the conference along with the chairmen, Dr Torben Erbrath from the German confectionery association BDSI and Dr Stephen Beckett, author, editor and formerly of Nestlé Product Technology Centre.
The initial presentations focused on highly relevant aspects of the industry such as the sustainability of cocoa, trends in the American market and the positive health effects of chocolate. Throughout the symposium, key sessions included an in-depth look at the recent developments in the many aspects of cocoa production and the many impacts of fats in confectionery. The implications of high viscosity chocolate on pump design, conching and tempering were covered, as were food safety considerations both in relation to pesticide, foreign body detection and nut/seed processing. The oral processing of chocolate was investigated and attendants were updated on ProPraline, the international research project to attain a better understanding for bloom formation and cracking in chocolate pralines.
Comments were very positive, both from attendants and exhibitors. Peter Tanis from Tanis Food Tec said, “The whole industry is here and it is very beneficial to gather for the networking perspectives, even if some of the topics are recurring. This will always be the case as solutions to the core problems move forwards in small steps. Tomas Masotek from Hosokawa Bepex added, “You need to be seen here and be involved in the future developments for the industry.”
Andrea Pernot-Barry, technical director at ZDS, is very appreciative of the industry’s support. “Despite the difficult financial circumstances, we have a higher number of delegates than two years ago. A record 390 people were registered and additional delegates have taken that number over 400. We have also significantly increased the number of exhibitors.” She acknowledged that there had been small logistical issues, “but that naturally happens as an event grows – you have to adjust to the space and facilities available to create the best possible event for everyone.”
Confectionery expert Brian Jackson seconded, “I have been at the ZDS chocolate technology symposiums since the start and this year has the highest number of professional industry participants I have seen. The quality of the presentations is high and we are fortunate to be able to still attract the industry in the current times. It is a very strong and beneficial event. An example is that a key industry player came up to me and said that he had finally heard the solution to a technical issue that had been puzzling him for years. That is what this event is about.”
Braving the snow in Cologne, the technologists and developers creating the confectionery products or the future are heading home, considering the impact the current science will have. You can read the in-depth coverage of the symposium in the next issue of Confectionery Production and I will see some of you back in Germany at the end of January for ISM and some at Interpack in May.
