An ancient mineral might not be the first thing you associate with baking, but it has a surprisingly useful role to play at Kudos Blends.
Calcium sulphate, also known as gypsum, is supplied to us by Saint-Gobain Formula. This approved food additive is used as a mineral filler in some of our baking powder formulations. Its role in the baking powder formulation is to help stabilise the blend, prevent premature reaction and support shelf life, while also controlling its density and physical properties.
Recently, Harvey Locke, Account Manager, and Fatima Akhtar, Laboratory Chemist, visited their site in Newark to see first-hand how it is produced.
The visit took Harvey and Fatima from the quarry, where gypsum is selectively extracted from different seams according to its characteristics and grade, through to the processing plant, where it is crushed, screened, washed and milled into different particle sizes and grades. Saint-Gobain are keen to promote their commitment to environmental preservation. The quarry will in time be returned to its original state with the added ecological value of a 20% increase in biodiversity, including planting trees, encouraging new species of birds and creating nature reserves. It is fantastic to see this environmental sustainability in action!
One of the highlights of the visit was getting a closer look inside the laboratory and seeing just how much testing goes into maintaining their consistency and quality. Particle size and colour are carefully monitored, alongside additional testing to meet regulatory and product requirements. It was particularly interesting to see the range of equipment and techniques used by Saint-Gobain Formula, many of which closely mirror the methods we use in our own laboratory at Kudos Blends.
Seeing the process from extraction through to testing gives us a much greater understanding of the care and technical expertise that goes into producing the material we work with.
At Kudos Blends, we believe it is important to understand where our raw materials come from, how they are produced and how their quality is controlled. This gives us confidence in the products we develop and helps us build strong relationships with our suppliers.
Thank you to the Saint-Gobain Formula team for taking the time to show Harvey and Fatima around and share their knowledge. We really appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the process behind our baking powder ingredients.
