Synergy develops flavor pastes for stand-out specialty breads
The range – which includes tomato, BBQ, Mediterranean, garlic and herb, chili, and olive – can be used in a host of baked items, including wraps, baguettes, flatbread, twists and naan and is available globally.
Vicky Berry, category manager at Synergy, said it was the first time the company had specifically focused R&D efforts on specialty breads.
“We are increasingly seeing demand for differentiated and authentically-flavored bread products across consumer segments – from premium artisan and foreign-inspired breads to more exciting everyday family favorites,” she told BakeryandSnacks.com.
“We developed the range to enable manufacturers to create tailored profiles, so that their artisan breads stand out and offer the exciting taste combinations consumers look for,” she said.
More flavors in the pipeline?
The range of pastes and seasonings had been developed following extensive market research and taste tests across a number of specialty bread formats, Berry said.
Synergy’s work to develop four tomato variants with ketchup, sundried and ripe profiles, for example, gave manufacturers scope to develop a number of different breads, including ketchup-flavored breads for kids and sundried Mediterranean breads.
She said Synergy was constantly investing in product development and more flavors could be developed to meet upcoming trends.
“We anticipate consumers will become more interested in the regional cooking of North America, and predict flavors of the Deep South and Soul Food to become more popular in 2015. Our tomato, chili or BBQ profiles would fit perfectly with this trend,” she said.
Incorporated into or onto the dough
The pastes and seasonings could be incorporated into the dough during the mixing stage, but also spread on top.
Because the pastes were slow cooked, it made them ideal for high baking temperatures, Berry said. “The slow cooking process of the pastes allows the volatile oils and the spices to meld together and produce a rich, full and rounded flavor without the need for additional baking.”
She said using the pastes as a topping could also work to improve the texture.
“When baking bread, the flavor impact of any inclusions can be difficult to retail, therefore using the cuisine pastes as a topping is a good way of maintaining flavor and adding interesting texture, thus appealing to consumer taste for authentic products.”
Mintel previously told BakeryandSnacks that clever flavor development in the bread sector could stimulate growth.
