Cargill leverages pectin-starch knowledge for bakery fillings
The company has a store of individual ingredients that can be used as texturisers in foods, but it claims to be one of only a few companies that offer both pectin and starches side by side. This means it is in the position of being able to offer combinations of ingredients that are balanced to meet the customer’s specific requirements.
In the past it has recommended solutions to customers wanting to use its ingredients in bakery fillings, but now, following research and development into how the two hydrocolloids work together, it is able to combine them in a number of different ways and fine-tune recipes in ways that were not possible before.
Virginie Langendorff, processed fruit applications leader for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “Our new recipes include low brix fruit filling for shorter shelf life and the aqueous-based [low fat content] high brix neutral filling (for brioche etc), where it’s very difficult to stabilize with only colloid or starch, especially for the bake-stability.” (Brix is the measurement for sucrose content in an aqueous solution).
According to the company, making bakery fillings is a complex area, as there is a need to have an in-depth knowledge not only of the ingredients themselves, but also of the processes used to make the products and how the ingredients will act in them.
Market context
According to Langendorff, the main trends in bakery today tend to fall under consumer wellness or indulgence. “Within consumer wellness we find the move to balanced diet and weight management – which can be driven by calorie reduction and controlled calorie sized portion packs, reduced or sugar free and increased fiber or grain content,” she said.
She added that the most important driver is improvement of the type of fats and the reduction in fat – “and this has huge impact on the eating properties of the bakery goods”.
“On the other hand, indulgence is also driving growth. Adult goods, for example, are seeing growth in the move to super premium or ‘approved indulgence’ where the indulgence may be balanced by some wellness impact or an enlarging of the flavor offerings.”
Gaining knowledge around fillings is said to fit with both of these trends, by helping with fillings that are attractive in convenience products and comply with the manufacturing, packaging and shelf life requirements. “Furthermore, the choice of stabilizers can help to create solutions meeting clean label or organic requirements.”
