Ferré & Consulting Blog (English Version)

What are the latest strategies being used to reduce and replace salt and fats in the bakery sector?

Bakery products have been impacted by the drive to reduce salt and saturated fat content in food. It is not as simple as finding an alternative to replace the taste of salt or the flavour of the fat – these ingredients have functional properties that are fundamental to the structure and texture of the products.

Salt reduction is largely being led by the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA), which in 2003 advised adults to consume no more than 6g a day. Food manufacturers have risen to the challenge, and average salt levels in bread have already been reduced by a third. However, a new target has now been set for 2012 – down to 1.0g per 100g of bread from the current 1.1g, which poses a further challenge.

In most products, the main function of salt is in taste. In bread, it is a little more complicated, as salt is crucial to yeast activity. If salt levels are reduced, the product’s properties are affected, says Maurits Burgering, business development manager at TNO Quality of Life. “The stickiness of the dough is influenced by salt content,” he says. “This affects processability. It also has an impact on microbiology. It is possible to make bread without any salt, but the question is whether this is a product you would want to put on the market! We are looking at the extent to which salt can be reduced without compromising these issues, and if it goes down too far, what are the first problems you encounter in processability?”

Limited alternatives

Saturated fats are still in the firing line

TNO has also worked on bread with layers containing more and less salt, where the sensory contrast helps tackle taste issues As bread differs from one country to another, the best solution to reducing salt will vary, and they are developing a toolbox of solutions, Burgering says. “The flour is also different, and a toolbox would help meet the needs of every regional specialty,” he says.

However, as far as bread is concerned, alternatives to salt are limited, according to Stan Cauvain, director and vice-president of R&D activities at the BakeTran consultancy. “Potassium chloride is the obvious choice, but the problem is its bitterness,” he says. “In the past, when sodium chloride levels were high, you could tolerate higher KCl levels, but when you have less NaCl, you are more likely to pick up the bitter overtones.”

Several companies now offer new crystalline forms of salt containing KCl designed to have less impact on flavour perception, he says, but uptake remains limited in the bakery sector. “It’s certainly more expensive, and of course there’s always the interesting question about the legality of using it in bread in the UK, as there is a debate over whether it is on the prescribed list of ingredients.”

Functionality and processing

Other substitutes focus on addressing flavour issues. “Some companies claim the answer to low-salt bread is

Fat contributes hugely to eating quality

introducing flavours from ferments, brews, and nature identical flavours, but it’s important to separate the impact salt has on flavour, from its the impact on functionality,” Cauvain explains. “Salt cannot be removed without introducing other changes to processing or

even, perhaps, the quality of the bread that is produced. A lot has been learnt, but there remains no 1:1 replacement for salt. And if we are to continue to produce bread as we currently know and understand it, there is no real alternative.”

In cakes, biscuits and pastry, fat replacement is more of an issue than salt, as fat – particularly saturated fat – makes a huge contribution to the eating quality of a cake.

There has been a real drive in recent years to reduce the ‘bad’ fats in the diet, although there is now some doubt about whether saturated fat is really that bad for the heart. A recent meta-analysis of 21 studies in nearly 350,000 patients showed no significant evidence that dietary saturated fat is associated in an increased risk of either heart disease or stroke. Burgering believes, however, that fat reduction will remain an issue in bakery products. “It is possible to replace saturated fat with unsaturated, but this has to be done very carefully,” he says.

The problem is that, all too often, fat reduced cake or pastry is about as pleasant to eat as cardboard. “Fat has an impact on the lubrication effect in the mouth, and hence the eating quality,” says Cauvain.

“But the huge contribution that fat makes to the formation of the structure is often overlooked. This is also a tremendous contributor to the eating quality.”

Thus the structure of the ‘cardboard’ cake is less fragile, and less likely to break down in the mouth, an attribute that Cauvain says is as much down to the type of fat used as the level of it. “There has been a move to remove trans fats and reduce saturated fats, but the big problem is that these are the fats that contribute most to the structure-forming properties.

Health, Ingredients bakery sector, reduce fats, reduce salt

Pleasure and good health are both part of well-being, but when it comes to food we often have to choose between the two. But what if well-being meant having the best of both worlds? Well now we can, thanks to SweetPearl™: a gourmet product can finally boast its own nutritional qualities, on top of that of SweetPearl™.

Pleasure is part of well-being too! Nutritionists are clear that depriving yourself – especially of sweet foods – can lead to compulsive snacking behaviour.

That means that sweet snacks can play a key role in an everyday balanced diet. Products containing SweetPearl™  make it even easier – they let us indulge in rich and sweet gourmet moments while enjoying all the nutritional benefits not only of the product, but of maltitol as well.

Rediscover food’s natural benefits

By replacing the sugar in food, SweetPearl™ invites us to enjoy their natural benefits by creating a more balanced nutritional profile – with no need for fat or intense sweeteners. The resulting chocolate is naturally rich in magnesium, fiber, polyphenols, etc. Even better, foods contain less sugar and fewer calories – imagine cookies that are a natural source of energy and fiber, but without the sugar!

Some people even whisper that SweetPearl™ also enhances the intense nature of chocolate and reveals the flavors of the grains in our cookies! Why hold back?

Enjoy the health benefits of SweetPearlTM

SweetPearl™ is 100% sugar-free, adding around only half the calories of sugar.

Unlike sugar, it actively promotes oral health by not causing cavities, a benefit often illustrated by the Toothfriendly Tested logo seen stamped on products, including some varieties of sugar-free gum.

SweetPearl™ also contributes to the development of foods that are low on the glycemic index. And because SweetPearl™  is a flavour enhancer, the final recipe or product is not only healthier and better for us, but it tastes even more delicious too!

Health, Ingredients nutritional benefits, sugar-free, SweetPearl

Several major food companies in Australia, including George Weston Foods, Goodman Fielder Baking and Cereal Partners Worldwide, have agreed to reduce the amount of salt in their bread and breakfast cereals as part of a collaborative effort with the government called the Food and Health Dialogue.

Mark Butler, the parliamentary secretary for health in Australia, said George Weston Foods, Goodman Fielder Baking, Allied Mills, Cripps Nubake, Woolworths, Coles and ALDI were among the manufacturers and retailers who have agreed to reduce sodium across bread products to 400 mg per 100 g by the end of 2013. Meanwhile, Kellogg Co., Sanitarium, Cereal Partners Worldwide, Woolworths, Coles and ALDI were among those who agreed to reduce the sodium content of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals by 15% over four years.

In total, the manufacturers and retailers who have agreed to take part in the initiative represent more than 80% of the market share for bread products and approximately 60% of the market share for R-T-E cereal in Australia.

“Agreed targets give industry a level playing field and certainty on expectations,” Mr. Butler said. “Bread and breakfast cereals are the first of several food categories being prioritized by the Food and Health Dialogue to improve Australian diets.”

Bakery, Health australia, bread, reduce, salt

The European Food Safety Authority published new dietary reference values (DRVs) for carbohydrates, sugar, fibre, fats and water confirming proposals made last year. The final levels have drawn criticism from some scientists.

The EU risk assessor was asked by the European Commission to update DRVs for a slate of nutrients on the basis of the most recent scientific evidence, as the last time these were set was in 1993. The values released today are the first of three batches: advice on protein and energy is in the works, and EFSA will start working on vitamins and minerals later this year.

EFSA held public consultations on the new DRVs prior to confirming them. The values will now be used as an evidence base underpinning nutritional policies, public health targets, and consumer info and education programmes.

Carbs, sugar and fibre

EFSA’s advice on total carbohydrates is that intake should comprise between 45 and 60 per cent of total energy intake for both adults and children. A daily intake of 25g of fibre is recommended for normal bowel function in adults; EFSA has also recognised evidence linking fibre to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and its role in weight management.

However it could not find sufficient evidence to support the role of the glycaemic index and glycaemic load in maintaining weight and preventing diet-related diseases.

No upper limit for sugars has been set, either, because of insufficient evidence and health effects are a matter of what foods are consumed and how often, rather than the amount of sugar per se. The panel does recognise that there is “good evidence that frequent consumption of foods high in sugars increases the risk of tooth decay”. But says policy makers should consider evidence for consumption patterns of sugar-containing foods when making national nutrition recommendations.

Balancing fats

Overall, EFSA says fat intakes should range between 20 and 35 per cent of total energy for adults (the values for children are adjusted to take account of their developmental needs).

But evidence for impact of different kinds of fat is recognised, such as the link between saturated and trans fats and blood cholesterol levels. Here too, though, EFSA leaves it to national policy makers to decide how to couch the message that mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids are better than trans and saturated.

In the case of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, however, it is more prescriptive. It says a daily intake of 250mg for adults “may reduce the risk of heart disease”. However academics and industry have been lobbying for far higher values than this – ideally over 500mg a day.

Following the publication of the proposed values, a 22-strong of scientists wrote to EFSA to ask it to “reconsider its conclusions and advice on omega-3 fatty acids afresh, right from the beginning.”

The scientists also objected to the proposal that ALA (alpha-linolenic) acid is a “viable precursor” to longer-chain DHA and EPA fatty acids. EFSA’s final opinion states that “ALA cannot be synthesised by the body, is required to maintain metabolic integrity, and is therefore considered to be an essential fatty acid”.

It proposes an adequate intake level of 0.5 per cent of energy, but says there is not enough evidence to set an average requirement, a lower threshold intake or a population reference intake. It also sees no need for a tolerable upper intake level, as it says there is no convincing evidence of any detrimental health effects.

The final DRV included in the current batch is for water. EFSA says 2 litres a day is considered adequate for women, and 2.5 litres for men.

Food Safety, Health dietary reference values, EFSA, fat intakes, sugar intakes

Cereal foods are major dietary sources of energy, carbohydrate and fibre. Studies are increasingly showing that intake of both whole grain and cereal dietary fibre are able to protect against rapidly increasing chronic diseases related to a sedentary lifestyle, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The HEALTHGRAIN Integrated Project aims to improve well-being of consumers and to reduce the risk of metabolic diseases in Europe by increasing the intake of protective compounds in whole grains or their fractions. The aim is to produce health promoting and safe cereal foods and ingredients of high quality which are attractive to consumers. To achieve this, our integrated comprehensive research, training and communication program will deliver means and motivation for optimising levels of compounds in European grain foods that have a biological effect. These health-protective compounds in grains may in addition to dietary fibre include lignans, phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols, phytosterols, folates, tocopherols and tocotrienols, other vitamins, trace elements and minerals. All of these compounds are concentrated in the outer layers of the grain, and are thus removed in production of white wheat flour. HEALTHGRAIN is developing ways to producing cereal foods containing more of these protective compounds. The role of cereal food structure and other factors influencing postprandial glycemic and satiating properties are also being studied in order to develop foods which contribute to metabolic health and weight management.

Read more about this projet here

Bakery, Health Healthgrain, safe cereal foods

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, research out this week suggests eating chocolate may have a positive impact on stroke. Don’t go buying too many heart boxes just yet, though, say the study authors.

A new analysis, which involved a review of three prior studies, suggests eating about a bar of chocolate a week can help cut the risk of stroke and lower the risk of death after a stroke. But the evidence is still limited, says study author, neurologist Gustavo Saposnik at St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto.

One study they looked at found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22% less likely to have a stroke than people who ate no chocolate. Another study found that 1,169 people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46% less likely to die following a stroke than people who didn’t eat chocolate.

The research appears in this week’s Neurology and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd annual meeting in Toronto in April.

New chocolate-stroke studies should also take into account age and gender of consumers, says Italo Mocchetti, a professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Georgetown University Medical Center. Mocchetti, who has studied flavonoids, says this chemical, which is found in cocoa, is linked to anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

The chocolate-health connection is something many clients are interested in, says Katrina Markoff, owner of the premium chocolate line Vosges.

Chocolate, Health Chocolate, cocoa, flavonoids, stroke risk

The European Commission has announced the winner of its contest to design a new logo to appear on all organic food and beverage products in the European Union: a leaf-shaped design from Germany that attracted 63 per cent of the votes.

The Commission turned to design students to come up with the new logo after the initial insignia was withdrawn for resembling too closely the logo of a supermarket chain. The three shortlisted entries were scrutinised closely to ensure there were no infringements, and some 130,000 people voted online for their favourite.

The winning design comprised twelve stars in the shape of a leaf and is said to be “a very straightforward sign containing two clear messages: Nature and Europe”. It was drawn up by German student Dusan Milenkovic, who receives €6000 in prize money. The identities and nationalities of the three final contenders have not previously been published, to prevent skewing the voting.

Agriculture and rural development commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said: “This exercise has raised the profile of organic food and we now have a logo which everyone will be able to identify with. It’s a nice elegant design and I look forward to buying products carrying this logo from July this year.”

The new logo has to be inserted into the organic farming regulation’s annex in the coming weeks. It will then be compulsory on new organic products as of 1 July 2010, but industry has until 1 January 2012 before labels on all existing products need to be changed. National, region, or private labels will be allowed to appear on packaging alongside the common EU logo.

Not everyone was so delighted with the design, however. Molly Conisbee, director of communications and campaigns at the Soil Association said:

“The Soil Association doesn’t believe the EU logo will address the desire of consumers to know more about the provenance of their food and its journey from the farm to plate, or help to develop a connection between food producer and eater.

We don’t think people who buy organic food are so much concerned about EU origins – as that it was produced to high environmental and animal welfare standards, and is free from GM and harmful additives.”

Richard Jacobs, chief executive of UK control body, Organic Farmers & Growers, told FoodNavigator.com in December:

“As tends to be the case with EU regulation, the timescales are getting tight for implementation. Lead times on new products can be significant and if the logo is adopted only by April or May, it doesn’t give long before the July deadline for its introduction for new products to be suitably labelled.”

Health EU, nutrition labelling, organic logo

vitamin d

A petition to amend US food additive regulations by increasing the safe limit of vitamin D in yeast-raised baked foods was reported by the Food and Drug Administration in The Federal Register of 17 December. Lallemand, Inc., Montreal, QB, filed the application “on behalf of the US baking industry” to raise the safe limit to 400 IU of vitamin D per 100 g of yeast-raised baked foods. The petition’s full text is available at www.lallemand.com/VitaminD/petition.pdf.

The petition addresses the fact that consumption of vitamin D by many consumers is below Adequate Intake (AI). It goes on to request the safe use of vitamin D2 yeast for baked foods be set at levels higher than the current 90 IU vitamin D per 100 g food.

“Upon approval by FDA, bakers will have the opportunity to achieve the levels of vitamin D necessary to make ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ source claims, giving them one more tool at their disposal to reinforce the contribution bread can make to a healthy diet,” said Gary Edwards, president of Lallemand/American Yeast.

Lee Sanders, senior vice-president, government relations and public affairs, American Bakers Association, noted support from ABA and thorough discussion of the topic within its Food Technical Regulatory Affairs Committee (FTRAC) prior to submission. “This will be good for the American public and for the baking industry,” she said. “While Lallemand was the sole petitioner, the idea is grounded in science as well as studies that indicate average consumers do not consume sufficient quantities of vitamin D in their diets.”

Scientists urge the availability of more food sources of vitamin D, according to Lallemand. The US Department of Agriculture stated that approximately 69% of the population is not meeting their AI for vitamin D. “Considering the widespread deficiency and that vitamin D plays a critical role in bone health, as well as new information indicating that it could potentially play a significant role in strengthening the body’s defenses against chronic and immune diseases, one can realize the importance of improving the vitamin D content of the food supply so that the status of vitamin D improves,” said Wendy Dahl, PhD, assistant professor of nutrition at University of Florida, Gainesville.

Based on consumer surveys made by Angus Reid and TNS Global, milk is perceived to be the most important dietary source of vitamin D. “While fortified milk has been recognized as an important source of vitamin D, there are many in the population who choose not to consume this food,” said Dr. Dahl. “Thus, non-milk drinkers are placed at an increased risk for deficiency. Were there more foods containing vitamin D, especially foods that are consumed by persons of different ages and different ethnicities such as baked foods, this would go a long way to improve vitamin D intakes.”

Bakery, Health adequate intake, baked foods, Vitamin D

Nestle USA’s Baking Division announced today it will begin using heat-treated flour in the manufacture of its Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough. “Consistent with our quality standards for Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough, this change will only further enhance the safety of our products,” said Paul Bakus, General Manager, Nestle USA Baking Group.

In June 2009, Nestle USA voluntarily recalled refrigerated cookie dough after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control notified us they were conducting an investigation into reported E. coli O157:H7 illnesses that may have been related to consumption of raw cookie dough. The product was relaunched in August of 2009 following a thorough investigation at the Danville, Virginia manufacturing facility and implementation of a “best-in-class” testing protocol. The quality assurance protocol includes testing ingredients before they enter our facility, rigorous environmental sampling throughout the facility, and testing of finished product before it is shipped to customers.

On January 11, 2010 we informed the FDA that two samples of Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough manufactured at our Danville, Virginia facility did not pass this rigorous protocol, and had tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Consistent with our quality assurance protocol, the finished product involved never left our factory or entered the supply chain, and none was shipped to customers. Product currently on store shelves displaying the “New Batch” sticker is not affected, and no product is being recalled.

The process of converting to heat-treated flour will begin today, January 13 and will result in a temporary suspension of production. Production with the new ingredient will begin the week of January 25, and the product will begin to appear on grocery store shelves in early March. Consumers may notice some shortages on store shelves as we implement this change at the factory.

We have informed the FDA of our plans and will continue to cooperate with them. In addition to converting to heat-treated flour, we also plan to continue our rigorous protocol of testing ingredients and finished product. While we are pleased our quality assurance protocols are working, we are taking these steps to further ensure the quality of our products.

As an important reminder, Nestle strongly advises that cookie dough should not be eaten raw, and to bake our products before consuming. Maintaining high food quality standards and ensuring the safety of our products and consumers continues to be our highest priority.

For more information, visit www.NestleNewsroom.com

Source:Nestle Toll House

Companies, Health

Increased blood levels of vitamin D may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 40 per cent, says a study with people from 10 European countries.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, is said to be the largest of its kind to date and adds to the science supporting the apparent health benefits from increased vitamin D. Indeed, a meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in 2007 reported that higher blood levels of vitamin D were associated with a lower risk of colon cancer.

The link between vitamin D intake and protection from cancer dates from the 1940s when Frank Apperly demonstrated a link between latitude and deaths from cancer, and suggested that sunlight gave “a relative cancer immunity”.

“However, before any public health recommendations can be made for vitamin D supplementation, new randomised trials are needed to test the hypothesis that increases in circulating 25-(OH)D concentration are effective in reducing colorectal cancer risk without inducing serious adverse events,” wrote the researchers behind the new study, from six European countries.

Study details

Using data from over half a million participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer Study (EPIC), the researchers analysed dietary and lifestyle information obtained from questionnaires, and collected blood samples.

During the course of the study, 1,248 cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed and matched with 1,248 healthy controls.

Colorectal cancer accounts for nine per cent of new cancer cases every year worldwide. The highest incidence rates are in the developed world, while Asia and Africa have the lowest incidence rates.

It remains one of the most curable cancers if diagnosis is made early.

The EPIC data showed that blood levels of vitamin D below a mid-level of 50 to 75 nanomoles per litre were associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, while blood levels above this were not associated with any additional benefits, said the researchers.

The association was significantly stronger for colon cancer than rectal cancer, added the researchers.

“Additionally, higher consumption of dietary calcium, but not dietary vitamin D, was found to be associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer,” they report.

Plausible mechanism(s)?

Commenting on the potential protective action of vitamin D with respect to colorectal carcinogenesis, the EPIC scientists noted that both vitamin and mineral may be involved. “The main proposed colorectal cancer protective mechanisms of calcium action (binding bile acids and fatty acids) could pertain largely to its concentration in the colorectal milieu rather than to a direct vitamin D-mediated effect,” they said.

Controversy

The potential benefits for the vitamin, alone or in combination with calcium, for colorectal health are somewhat controversial, with some studies reporting benefits while others report null results.

Indeed, back in 2006 results from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) stated that daily supplements of vitamin D and calcium ‘had no effect’ on the risk of colorectal cancer. The results were questioned however and independent cancer experts said at the time that the claims should be interpreted in the light of the complexities of the study.

Michele Forman and Bernard Levin from the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas, noted that the WHI trial had three overlapping components, with 69 per cent of the women enrolled on the Dietary Modification trial, 54 per cent enrolled on the Hormone Therapy trial, and 14 per cent enrolled on both

“The enrolment in three overlapping trials maximised the participation and size of the WHI trial but created a complex approach with potential confounders for biological interpretation,” said Forman and Levin.

Source: British Medical Journal

Health calcium, colorectal cancer, Vitamin D