Bakery Products
President: PAOLO GENTILINI - BISCOTTI P. GENTILINI S.R.L., Secretary: Luca RAGAGLINI
Thanks to their carbohydrate content and nutritional value, baked products are ideal foods for breakfast, tea-time and an energy-boosting snack when doing sports, studying or working. The history of bread starts with primitive humans, who cooked a mixture of water and flour – obtained from the rudimentary grinding of cereals – on hot stones. It wasn’t long before cakes and biscuits were invented: the primary ingredients don’t change – flour, yeast, water – but according to the recipe, they are enriched with eggs, butter, sugar, jam, chocolate, hazelnuts, raisins, candied fruit, to name but a few.
Over time, each region and city has enriched the range of Italian baked goods with their own traditional recipes. The confectionery industry has reproduced these recipes, delivering products that offer all the guarantees of quality, hygiene and control to today’s consumer.
STATISTICS
The vast production perimeter of bakery products reached in 2022 the production quota of 1,319,329 tons, with a settling of -0.3% on the previous year. In value, the share reached € 6,809.1 million, with a +7.9%..
Types
Biscuits
The word “biscuit” derives from the medieval Latin “panis biscotus”, which means bread baked twice. Baking twice removes moisture and allows the product to be stored for a long time, which is why the biscuit was born as food for military supplies. A combination of nutrition and pleasure, biscuits are practical foods that lend themselves to countless interpretations and variations: crumbly (e.g. Frollini - Cookies); soft (e.g. soft amaretti biscuits); spongy (e.g. madeleines); dry and light (e.g. classic Marie biscuits); crunchy (e.g. dry amaretti biscuits or cantuccini); fancy (e.g. Lingue di gatto/cat’s tongues); biscuits designed to be used in other famous desserts (e.g. Savoiardo/ladyfingers); biscuits dusted with icing sugar (e.g. canestrelli) or covered in chocolate; biscuits flavoured with vanilla or lemon.
Crackers
Crackers are healthy and light because they are made with natural yeast and few added fats, and are an ideal substitute for bread. They are packaged in practical single-serving packs and produced in a wide variety of types and flavours (made with wholemeal flours, cereals, olive oil, not covered in salt, etc.). In Italy, the name “crackers” is reserved for baked goods obtained according to a precise production process, established by Presidential Decree 283/93.
Rusks
Rusks is ideal for breakfast and a snack, especially if spread with jam or chocolate spread. The fact that the slices are hygienic and practical to store, has made these products ideal for replacing regular toast, also from a nutritional point of view: the lightness of rusks makes them suitable for everyone. In Italy, the name “fette biscottate” (Italian term for melba toast) is reserved for baked goods obtained according to a precise production process, established by Presidential Decree 283/93.
Italian Seasonal Leavened Cake
These are Panettone, Pandoro and Colomba, traditional Italian festive cakes, but also true ambassadors of “Made in Italy” throughout the world, and now appreciated worldwide.
Panettone - Typically from Milan, this is the classic Italian Christmas cake. The product is particularly soft and fragrant thanks to the double leavening obtained with natural yeasts, the particular richness of the carefully selected ingredients, and a technological process that always respects tradition. Today the traditional product is flanked by a selection of “special” Panettone covered with gianduja, icing, almonds, or filled with zabaglione, hazelnut or liqueur creams.
Pandoro - Originally from Verona, this is a very simple cake consisting of a few selected ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, a lot of eggs (hence the typical golden colour) and cacao butter (which helps give it the typical aroma).
Colomba - The “Easter Colomba” is a baked yeast-leavened cake that resembles the shape of a dove. It is soft cake enriched with candied orange peel, covered with icing and decorated with almonds and granulated sugar.
Other specialties - Alongside the classic cakes created to celebrate religious festivals, in recent years producers have launched a wide range of “festive cakes”. These cakes, which mainly use sourdough as a base, have met with great success among consumers.
L'impatto ambientale dei lievitati da ricorrenza
Merendine
Merendine are small single-serving snack cakes made with sponge cake, puff pastry or shortcrust pastry, made according to the traditional recipes of typical Italian homemade cakes. In addition to guaranteeing constant food safety and process controls, today’s confectionery industry works closely with nutritionists to ensure that these products have an optimal nutritional composition and are increasingly in line with modern dietary needs, favouring simple recipes and enriching them with natural ingredients like fibre, yogurt and fruit.
L'impatto ambientale delle merendine confezionate
CAKES
“Ready-made cakes” sold in practical and hygienic multi-packs, offer consumers a rich selection of recipes, ranging from the most elegant classic cakes to the simpler, more genuine ones known in Italy as “torte della nonna” (grandma’s cakes). A quality choice for breakfast or a snack.
Temperature-Controlled Brioche and Cakes
In terms of size and prospects, the most interesting innovative segment in the sweet baked goods sector is that of brioche and cakes that can be stored in temperature-controlled storage units. The main characteristic of these products, mainly intended for the catering industry (restaurants and bars), is that their freshness remains unaltered thanks to storage at a constant temperature of -20 °C.
Biscuits
Over the last few decades, the technological processes used in the production of biscuits have changed, especially as regards automation and safety: human intervention is minimal, while the good hygiene practices within the production line and the choice of raw materials guarantees the safety of the product.
The basic ingredient of biscuits is flour. In dry biscuits the recipe is completed with sugar and glucose syrup, butter or vegetable fat, salt, skimmed milk powder, raising agents and flavourings. The recipe for shortbread requires a higher percentage of fat and often eggs. Particular or aromatic ingredients -such as cacao, hazelnuts and other flours- can then be added to these basic ingredients.
In the case of dry biscuits, after the dough has been thoroughly mixed, it is rolled out by passing it through smooth rollers until the right thickness is obtained; it is then put into moulds that give the biscuit its shape. The dough for the shortbread, on the other hand, is not laminated, but shaped with a “rotary moulder”, i.e. pressed into the moulds that give the biscuits their shape, after which a scraper knife levels the surface. There are also more liquid mixtures, for example those for savoiardo or amaretti biscuits, which are extruded, i.e. passed through die plates that give the product its shape, then wire-cut and placed directly in the oven. Finally, there are “wafer” biscuits. In this case the liquid mixture is quickly dried on heated plates that give them their shape. For wafer biscuits, the wafers are layered with alternating layers of cream.
Crackers
Crackers are baked goods obtained from the rapid cooking of one or more types of doughs, including yeast-leavened, made up of cereal flours, water and the possible addition of salt, sugars, oils and fats, malt, malted products, food bran and other ingredients, as well as authorised flavourings and additives. The crackers are obtained by moulding and their moisture content cannot exceed 7% of the weight of the finished product, with an average tolerance of 2%.
Rusks
Once the basic dough has been made, it is divided into portions (“shaping”) to obtain the desired shape (that of a loaf). The loaves are left to rise, then they are baked until they acquire the classic colour we are all familiar with. The next stage is called “maturing”, in which the inside of the loaf is cooled and the moisture is distributed evenly, procedures necessary to make it ready for cutting. The slices are then toasted in another type of oven and at a different temperature from that they were baked at. Finally, the product is packaged: the packaging has the double function of protecting the product during transport and keeping them at their best. The moisture content of rusks cannot exceed 7% of the weight of the finished product, with an average tolerance of 2%.
Panettone, Pandoro, Colomba
The processing of the natural yeast, which normally takes 15 hours, is rather laborious. For this reason, natural leavening was slowly abandoned and is now only used in Italy to produce Panettone, Pandoro and Colomba. The production process for these products is therefore very long: it takes a total of 35 hours to produce a fragrant, soft yeast-leavened product. The production processes are continuous and the different stages – the preparation of six doughs (three for the yeast and three for the doughs), dividing, rounding, leavening, baking, cooling and packaging – are timed exactly. The entire production process for yeast-leavened products is controlled at all stages by the manufacturing industries, especially from a hygiene-safety point of view.
A decree guarantees the “reserved designation”
Our association has always protected the quality of the products that are part of the Italian confectionery tradition: in June 2003, the associated companies signed a good production practice specification for Panettone, Pandoro, Colomba, Savoiardo (ladyfingers) and both soft and dry Amaretto (amaretti biscuits). Since 22 July 2005, the quality of Panettone, Pandoro, Colomba, Savoiardo and Amaretto has been guaranteed by a Decree, jointly adopted by the Italian Ministry of Productive Activities and the Ministry of Agricultural Policies, which establishes the definition and composition of these typical baked goods that are part of Italian tradition. Based on this specific legislation, only products that comply with the product specification sanctioned by the Decree will be able to use the reserved designations Panettone, Pandoro, Colomba, Savoiardo and Amaretto.
Nutritional Values
Biscuits
The average amount of calories in biscuits fluctuates between 420 and 480 calories per 100 grammes (between 30 and 50 calories per biscuit, depending on the weight and characterising ingredients of each product). The protein content fluctuates between 7-9%, lipid content between 12-20% and carbohydrate content between 65-75%. Nutritionists recommend that 20% of the daily calorie intake be eaten at breakfast, and therefore between 30 to 50 grammes (between 130 to 220 calories in addition to other foods such as milk, jam, honey, etc.) of biscuits can be eaten at this time of day. It is preferable for diabetics to consume whole-grain biscuits that have a lower Glycemic Index than bread, cereals and other products.
Pandoro and Panettone
The calorie content per 100 grammes of Panettone and Pandoro, which are made with simple and natural ingredients such as wheat flour, eggs, sugar and butter, is slightly higher than that of 100 grammes of bread, while the distribution of calories between proteins, fats and carbohydrates is very close to the optimal recommended for the overall diet. The simultaneous presence of complex and simple carbohydrates provides the body with a slow and gradual supply of glucose, which meets immediate energy needs on an empty stomach or in between meals, and prolongs the intake in order to avoid both spikes in blood sugar and short-term hypoglycaemia. As well as the nutritional balance, these products are digested easily and rapidly and are assimilable, promoted by the natural leavening process.
Merendine and Cakes
In the right quantity, jam tarts, small cakes, sponge cakes, brioche and croissants can be enjoyed at any time of the day as a correct source of energy. A snack cake weighs between 30 and 50 grammes, and consequently the calorie intake and nutritional ingredients are quite low, between 119 calories for a sponge cake and 180 for a jam tart. One snack cake therefore covers 6 to 7% of the recommended daily calorie intake for children and young people. They also contain fair amounts of starches, sugars and fats, which in addition to giving the product the necessary consistency, makes them taste good. One snack cake contains approximately: 3 grammes of protein, 20 grammes of carbohydrates (half of which consists of simple sugars), 7 grammes of fat (of which on average 3 are saturated), significant amounts of iron, calcium and vitamins B1, B2, A and E. It is important to note that brand name merendine do not contain trans fatty acids because hydrogenated fats are not used to produce them.
Members
A.D.R. S.P.A. - Via G. Badano 44 - 17046 Sassello (SV) - www.sassellese.it
ALBERTENGO PANETTONI S.P.A. - Via Cardè 2° - 12030 Torre San Giorgio (CN) - www.albertengo.com
ALDINO S.R.L. - Via E. Balestreri 236 - Z. I. - 55029 Ponte a Moriano (LU) - www.mennucci.it
AMARETTI VIRGINIA S.R.L. - Località Prapiccinin 6 - 17046 Sassello (SV) - www.amarettivirginia.com
BALCONI S.P.A. - Via XX settembre 51 - 20014 Nerviano (MI) - www.balconidolciaria.com
BALOCCO S.P.A. - Via S. Lucia 51 - 12045 Fossano (CN) - www.balocco.it
BARATTI & MILANO S.R.L. - Via Don Orione 119/c - 12042 Bra (CN) - www.barattiemilano.it
BARILLA G. E R. FRATELLI S.P.A. - Via Mantova 166 - 43122 Parma (PR) - www.barillagroup.com
BAULI S.P.A. - Via Verdi 31 - 37060 Castel D'Azzano (VR) - www.bauli.it
BIANCOFORNO S.P.A. - Via Enrico Fermi 46 - 56012 Fornacette PI - www.biancoforno.it
BISCOTTI P. GENTILINI S.R.L. - Via Affile 16/18 - 00131 Roma - www.biscottigentilini.it
BISCOTTIFICIO BELLI S.R.L. - Casella Postale 6 - Ufficio Postale di Calenzano - 50041 Calenzano (FI) - www.biscottificiobelli.it
BISCOTTIFICIO D'ONOFRIO DI SAVERIO D'ONOFRIO & C. S.R.L. - Via Manfredonia 28 - 71100 Foggia (FG) - www.doemi.com
BISCOTTIFICIO GRONDONA S.P.A. - Via Campomorone 48/b - 16164 Genova Pontedecimo (GE) - www.biscottificiogrondona.com
BISCOTTIFICIO VERONA S.R.L. - Via Piccinato 4 - 37045 Legnago (VR) - www.biscottificioverona.com
BONOMI S.P.A. - Via Vazzi 7 - 37028 Roverè Veronese (VR) - www.fornobonomi.com
BOUVARD ITALIA S.P.A - via Noemi Nigris 26 - 33034 Fagagna (UD) - www.eurocakes.it
BRIOCHE PASQUIER ITALIE S.R.L. - Via delle Baleniere, 112 - 00121 Roma - www.pasquier.fr/en-int/news/italy
CAMEO S.P.A. - Via Ugo La Malfa 60 - 25015 Desenzano del Garda (BS) - company.cameo.it
CLECA S.P.A. - Viale Dante 30 - 46010 S. Martino dell'Argine (MN) - www.cleca.com
COLUSSI S.P.A. - Via dell'Aeroporto 7 - 06081 Petrignano d'Assisi (PG) - www.colussigroup.com
CORSINI BAKERY DOLCI E BISCOTTI S.R.L. - Via Cellane 9 - 58033 Castel del Piano (GR) - www.corsinibiscotti.com
DECO INDUSTRIE S.C.P.A. - Via Caduti del Lavoro 2 - 48012 Bagnacavallo (RA) - www.decoindustrie.it
DELIFRANCE ITALIA S.R.L. - Cascina Venina 7 - Edif. P - 20090 Assago (MI) - www.delifrance.com/it
DI LEO PIETRO S.P.A. - S.S. 271 Km 51260 Z.I. Jesce - 75100 Matera - www.dileo.it
DINO CORSINI s.r.l. - Via G. Brodolini 4 - 40056 Crespellano (BO) - www.dinocorsini.it
DOLCERIA ALBA S.R.L - Via Vittime del Vajont 40/42 - 10024 Moncalieri (TO) - www.dolceriaalba.it
DOLCEZZE DI NANNI S.R.L. - Via G. Galilei snc - Zona Industria Ponte d'Arbia - 53014 Monteroni D'Arbia (SI) - www.ledolcezzedinanni.net
DOLCI NANNINI SIENA S.R.L. - Strada delle Frigge 5 - 53035 Monteriggioni (SI) - www.nanninidolciecaffe.com
DOLCIARIA ACQUAVIVA S.P.A. - Via Cardinale Guglielmo Sanfelice 33 - 80134 Napoli (NA) - www.dolciariaacquaviva.com;
DOLCIARIA GADESCHI S.P.A. - Strada Provinciale n. 26 km 5 - 26010 Corte de' Frati (CR) - www.gadeschi.it
ELAH-DUFOUR S.P.A. - Strada Serravalle 73 - 15067 Novi Ligure (AL) - www.elah-dufour.it
F. DIVELLA S.P.A. - Largo Domenico Divella 1 - 70018 Rutigliano (BA) - www.divella.it
F.LLI MILAN s.r.l. - Strada Leinì 16 - 10072 Caselle T.ne (TO) - www.la-mole.it
FERRERO S.P.A. - P.le Ferrero 1 - 12051 Alba (CN) - www.ferrero.it
FLAMIGNI S.R.L. - Via M. L. King 17 - 47100 Forlì (FC) - www.flamigni.it
FORNO D'ASOLO S.P.A. - Via Nome di Maria 1 - 31010 Maser (TV) - www.fornodasolo.it
FREDDI DOLCIARIA S.P.A. - Via Mazzini 64 - 46043 Castiglione delle Stiviere (MN) - www.freddi.it
FRESYSTEM S.P.A. - Zona Industriale - Località Pascarola - 80023 Caivano (NA) - www.fresystem.com
FRONERI ITALY S.R.L. - Via A. Vanzetti 1 - 05100 Terni - www.froneri.it
GALBUSERA S.P.A. - Viale Orobie 9 - 23013 Cosio Valtellino (SO) - www.galbusera.it
GALUP S.R.L. A SOCIO UNICO - Via Fenestrelle 32 - 10064 Pinerolo (TO) - www.galup.it
GANDOLA BISCOTTI S.P.A. - Via Lavoro ed Industria 1041 - 25030 Rudiano (BS) - www.gandola.it
GIAMPAOLI INDUSTRIA DOLCIARIA S.P.A. - Via L. Albertini 14 - 60131 Ancona (AN) - www.giampaolidolciaria.com
I.D.B. INDUSTRIA DOLCIARIA BELPASSO S.P.A. - Contrada Timpa Magna s.n.c. - 95032 Belpasso (CT) - www.condorelli.it
IRCA S.P.A. - Viale Danimarca n. 30 - 21013 Gallarate (VA) - www.irca.eu
JESOL DOLCE S.R.L. - Via Confin 49/a Z.A. - 30020 Torre di Mosto (VE) - www.jesoldolce.it
KELLANOVA S.P.A. - Via Torri Bianche 6 - Palazzo Tiglio - 20871 Vimercate MB - www.kelloggs.it
LA SORGENTE S.R.L. - Via Aldo Moro 6 - 20060 Pessano con Bornago (MI) - www.la-sorgente.it
LINDT & SPRÜNGLI S.P.A. - Largo Edordo Bulgheroni 1 - 21056 Induno Olona (VA) - www.lindt.com
LIZZI S.R.L. - Via Mario Idiomi 2/B - 20090 Assago (MI) - www.lizzisrl.com
MAINA PANETTONI S.P.A. - Via Bra 109 - Frazione Tagliata - 12045 Fossano (CN) - www.mainapanettoni.com
MELEGATTI 1894 S.P.A. - Via Monte Carega 23 - 37057 S. Giovanni Lupatoto (VR) - www.melegatti.it
MOLINO CASILLO S.P.A. - Via Sant'Elia Zona Industriale - 70033 Corato (BA) - www.casillogroup.com
MONDELEZ ITALIA S.R.L. - Via Nizzoli 3 - 20147 Milano (MI) - www.mondelezinternational.it
MONVISO S.R.L. - Via Tario 9 - 10020 Andezeno (TO) - www.panmonviso.it
NESTLÈ ITALIANA S.P.A. - Via del Mulino 6 - 20090 Assago (MI) - www.nestle.it
NUOVA PASTICCERIA S.R.L. - Via Friuli 1 - 20098 S. Giuliano Milanese (MI) - www.nuovapasticceria.com
NUOVA RUGGERI S.R.L. - Via L. Ceccopieri 2 - 26100 Cremona - www.nuovaruggeri.it
PALUANI 1921 S.R.L. - Via dell'Artigianato 18 - Frazione Dossobuono - 37139 Villafranca (VR) - www.paluani.it
PANARELLO PRODUZIONI S.R.L. - Via Carso 111 - 16137 Genova (GE) - www.panarello.com
PANEALBA S.R.L. - Via del lavoro 22 - Cherasco (CN) - www.panealba.it
PANIFICIO CREMONA ITALIA S.R.L. - Via della Repubblica 6-6° - Frazione Levata - 26044 Grontardo (CR) - www.panificiocremona.it
PANIFICIO ZORZI S.R.L. - Località Bra 1 - 37020 Brentino Belluno (VR) - www.panificiozorzi.com
PIETRO MASINI & C. S.R.L. - Via Livornese 64 - 50055 Lastra a Signa FI - www.masinibiscotti.it
PIUMA D'ORO S.R.L. - Via Montesanto 6 - 24047 Treviglio BG - www.piumadoro.com
S.I.P.A. S.P.A. - Via della Liberazione 1 - 20098 S. Giuliano Milanese MI - www.bindidessert.it
SAMMONTANA S.P.A. Società Benefit - Via Tosco Romagnola 56 - 50053 Empoli FI - www.sammontana.it
SAN CARLO GRUPPO ALIMENTARE S.P.A. - Via F. Turati 29 - 20121 Milano (mi) - www.sancarlo.it
SAN GIORGIO S.P.A. - Via G. Petti 10/2 - 84083 Castel an Giorgio SA - www.sangiorgiospa.eu
SCAPIGLIATI DOLCIARIA S.R.L. - Via G. di Vittorio 8 - 50063 Figline Valdarno FI - www.scapigliati.it
TIPICO S.R.L. - Zona Industriale Lotto 14 - 08023 Fonni NU - www.tipicodisardegna.com/it/
UNILEVER ITALIA MKT OPERATION S.R.L. - Via Paolo di Dono 3/a - 00142 Roma - www.unilever.it
VALENTINO S.R.L - Zona Industriale - Località Pantaniello - 86090 Pettoranello del Molise (IS) - www.valentinodolciaria.com
VANDEMOORTELE BAKERY PRODUCTS ITALIA S.P.A. - Via Fiorenzo Semini 12 - 16163 Genova (GE) - www.vandemoortele.com
VERGANI S.R.L. - Via Oristano 5 - 20128 Milano - www.panettonevergani.com
VICENZI S.P.A. - Via Forte Garofalo 1 - 37057 S. Giovanni Lupatoto VR - www.vicenzi.it