BAKING; EQUIPMENT FOR MAKING OR PROCESSING DOUGHS; DOUGHS FOR BAKING

Description

Class A21 encompasses baking processes, machinery for dough preparation and processing, and dough formulations used in bakery production. This includes ovens, mixers, kneading equipment, fermentation systems, and specialized apparatus for shaping, dividing, and handling dough in industrial and commercial settings. The class also covers compositions of dough, additives, and ingredients formulated to improve baking performance, texture, or shelf life. Related technologies for bread, pastry, cake production, and other baked goods fall within this classification, while finished consumer baked products themselves are classified elsewhere in food technology.

Filing statistics

IPC A21 recorded 85,524 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 3 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 6,089 in 2013 to 7,542 in 2023 (+24%), peaking at 8,961 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class A21 are KVASENKOV OLEG IVANOVICH (482 applications), JOYOUNG COMPANY (322 applications) and HAAS FOOD EQUIPMENT (307 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings