LCI’s range of products provides clean label alternatives to achieving what it describes as “three important cake making objectives”. They are controlling the dough rheology, keeping the cake soft, and suspending added ingredients, according to Anne Lionnet, marketing manager for bakery at LCI.
Clean label demand
The products, farigel wheat H1, 7418 and TM80, are not new to market but Lionnet said the company is always looking for new applications.
She told Foodnavigator.com: “These products have been in our range for some time, but we have specifically fine turned them to respond to clean label demands in pastry applications.”
Lionnet added: “Food manufacturers want to answer to the pressure of the press and also consumers who have some suspicions around E numbers.
“The recommendation is to reduce or really suppress all the E numbers on the labels using ingredients less processed, authentic and well known by the consumer.”
LCI makes functional ingredients by combining different varieties of cereals with a patented hydrothermal treatment process called farigel. This naturally modifies the intrinsic properties of natural cereals.
Functional flours
Lionnet said these functional ingredients, called functional flours, can be used in a lot of applications such as ready meals, snacks and bakery, including pastry applications.
The functionality of the flours depends on the variety and the process but ultimately they can be labelled “wheat flour”.
One recent application for Farigel wheat TM80 is to help improve softness and also substitute fat in pastry.
LCI said manufacturers want to increase both the initial softness and shelf life of, for example, sponge cakes and muffins. It claims TM80’s controlled rheology and binding with water before and during baking means the product stays soft throughout its shelf life.
Controlling the dough rheology and viscosity is also “critical” as dough that is too liquid will prevent the product from developing properly and the desired volume from being obtained. But dough that is too thick will curb pumping on the production lines.
LCI claims that farigel wheat H1 and farigel wheat 7418 address these challenges and offer clean label alternatives to the hydrocolloids often used.
Farigel wheat 7418 can also be used to help suspend added ingredients, such as fruit pieces chocolate chips, in products. This requires even distribution and, LCI said, must therefore have highly effective viscosifying and suspensoid properties.
LCI is a subsidiary of the Limagrain Group, a breeder and producer of plant varieties. It claims this gives it a “unique” understanding of the functionalities of each ingredient and raw material, along with their interactions in the various processes used. And this enables it to develop “authentic and functional ingredients as solutions to improve clients’ products and margins”.