Health and wellness remains the most common theme of patent applications lodged in the global bakery sector, data shows.

Overall, the number of patent applications made in the bakery sector is down year on year but most still relate to health.

Between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022, some 542 bakery applications were lodged, GlobalData, Just Food’s parent, suggests.

In the corresponding period a year later, that number dropped to 463, the research and intelligence group said.

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics database contains global figures on the patents filed – and granted – by businesses across multiple sectors. Each patent is classified by theme, including those linked to areas such as the environment or health and wellness.

In both periods under review, health and wellness was the most common classification. During the year to the end of June 2022, 117 applications were made. In the 12 months to the end of June this year, 82 requests were filed.

China topped the list geographically in the year ending June 2022, with 110 applications. A year later, South Korea leapt over China. Some 158 applications were made in South Korea, versus 104 in China.

In the most recent year under review, General Mills filed the most applications, lodging 12 patent proposals.

Each week, Just Food’s journalists analyse data on patent filings and grants that illustrate innovation trends in our sector. These patent signals show where the leading companies are focusing their research and development investment – and why. We uncover key innovation areas in the sector and the themes that drive them.

This new, thematic patents coverage is powered by our underlying Disruptor data, which tracks all major deals, patents, company filings, hiring patterns and social media buzz across our sectors.