The company said that the demand for trans-free fat fillings and cake shortening has opened up new opportunities in the puff pastry and cake and cream margarine sectors, thus extending the possibilities of creating healthier indulgent snacks.
The new solutions, which are part of the Grindsted Crystallyzer Emulsifier Blends range, are designed to improve the crystallisation and performance of trans-free fats and optimise production capacity.
Danisco claims that in most cases, the overall quality of the final food product is also enhanced.
"Our aim is to continue increasing the applications covered by this range in order to help manufacturers solve the issues they face in relation to trans fatty acids," said industry marketing manager Dorte Petersen.
"With this trans-free campaign, we want to tell manufacturers that we have the commitment, knowledge and expertise to optimise their production."
Trans fats, which are mainly found in (partially) hydrogenated vegetable oil, common ingredients in thousands of food products, have been negatively linked to raising blood cholesterol levels and promoting heart disease. Research shows that when too much 'bad' cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain resulting in atherosclerosis.
There has been growing pressure for the whole of Europe to follow Denmark's example and force food makers to clearly label the presence of trans fats. For example, this is the thinking behind the UK Campaign Against Trans Fats in Food, a web-based organisation that aims to put pressure on industry and regulators and raise awareness of the dangers of trans fats.
The difficulty for food makers is that partial or selective hydrogenation is a cost-effective means of giving fats a series of desirable characteristics. Danisco's new blends are therefore targeted at producers of bakery and filling fats who have replaced trans-rich partially hydrogenated fats, but are finding that the slower crystallisation rate of trans-free alternatives means reduced capacity and increased costs.
By speeding up fat crystallisation, Daniscos Grindsted Crystallyzer is designed to enable manufacturers to get the most out of their production line and secure top fat performance opportunities that are now available to puff pastry and cake and cream margarine as well as cake shortenings and fat fillings.
"We have ensured that puff pastry and cake and cream margarines made with our latest blends continue to provide a superior performance in the final applications," said Petersen.
"For croissants, we can even show improved lamination when puff pastry margarine contains Grindsted Crystallyzer."
FoodNavigator is running a special feature tomorrow on how the cereal snacks industry plans to tackle growing consumer health concerns.