Lametop S80 is an emulsifier which allows manufacturers to improve baking quality without breaching additive guidelines set down by food regulators.
The new product is a DATEM - Di-Acetyl Tartrate Ester of Monoglyceride - an ingredient in crusty breads which strengthens the dough by forming a gluten structure.
Typically DATEMs have contained tartaric acid which is strictly regulated by the US-based Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) whose guidelines state that the quantity of the acid must not be greater than 20 per cent.
However, according to Cognis the higher the tartaric acid content, the better acting the emulsifier.
With Lametop S 80, the company claim to have found a solution by increasing the effectiveness of the emulsifier without raising the tartaric acid content.
In addition, a smaller dosage of the product is required in comparison to standard DATEMs which will have the added benefit of cutting costs for manufacturers.
Developing the ingredient was part of a year-long process for Cognis who set up a specific DATEM manufacturing plant to research the production of emulsifiers in which all the component molecules actively contribute to the baking process rather than just a selection as in common in baking processes.
Cognis' product group manager of food technology Andreas Funke said: "By using state-of-the-art laboratories and by strictly controlling the reaction sequences with a fully automated computer-aided device we are able to create tailor-made solutions for specific customer needs. Lametop S 80 is a result of these efforts - offering excellent performance while at the same time complying with all applicable regulations."