Targeting more user-friendly formulations in industrial breads, IFF has unveiled a bakery solution for South America, Grindsted PowerBake Clean. 

The ingredient is a blend of soy lecithin, enzymes and natural soluble fiber. It is an alternative to the dough strengtheners currently used in bread formulations, making it possible to avoid the use of oxidizing agents. 

The solution replaces certain ingredients that are traditionally used in bakery applications, some of which have names that consumers are unfamiliar with. It is also a substitute for 100 percent of the vital wheat gluten that is usually added to the formulas of industrialized bread.

“The clean label movement is gaining strong momentum in other regions, and this will most likely happen in South America,” says Vanessa Martins Mendes, marketing manager for Bakery, IFF.

“With the survey, we found that South American consumers who check labels tend to classify ingredients they do not understand as something negative, and product compositions are expected to be a key driver when purchasing industrial breads,” she highlights.

“We urge companies that do not want to be left behind to start taking these consumer insights into consideration now.”

Cost and process benefits
Grindsted PowerBake Clean reinforces not only the gluten network, but also the structure of bread in general.

“This allows baked goods producers to have a better production plan with potential cost savings since vital gluten has a very large price variation,” shares Ana Paula Micheloto, product manager for Latin America, IFF.

“Eliminating both reinforcers and vital gluten from formulations is a difficult task, especially in whole grain breads, due to the high bran content from whole grain wheat flours, as well as other ingredients such as fibers, seeds and grains,” explains Luís Gióia, bakery application specialist at IFF.

“Industrial solutions usually result in a heavier bread loaf and hinder the formation of the gluten network in a way it lacks reinforcement. With PowerBake Clean, we can avoid these complications.”

In addition to increased dough strength, the ingredient delivers higher tolerance, greater volume and better shaped loaves.

“A key benefit is that it enhances dough water absorption (between 1 percent to 5 percent), which increases the yield, resulting in the production of more bread loaves per batch compared to traditional formulations,” notes Gióia.

The ingredient is the latest launch within IFF’s current broad portfolio of solutions for industrial breads, following the recent debut of its dough strengthener Enovera 3001 in the North American market.

Appetite for clean formulations
The term “clean label” is an industry buzzword that generally resonates with consumers seeking products that do not contain artificial ingredients, are naturally processed, free from a component they consider unhealthy, or have a shorter list of ingredients.

Historically, there have been challenges in executing clean label strategies in bread and buns, while also aiming to meet quality benchmarks in finished products.

These challenges include upholding dough strength and tolerance during production; maintaining consistency across varying conditions; preserving finished product quality, volume and crumb structure; and reducing waste.

Outside of the bakery space, IFF debuted several clean label launches including YO-MIX ViV, an “extremely robust” lactic acid bacteria culture for ambient yogurt and other fermented drinks products. The ingredient launch targets the Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on China. 

In May, the company rolled out its Choozit BC Cultures series, which taps into the lucrative Brazilian pizza market with a clean label solution to control cheese browning and, therefore, the pizza’s visual appeal.