Demand for breads with longer shelf life is surging, but for many consumers, not just any longer-shelf-life product will do.
Increase in social media and self-made researchers has brought an abundance of information to different markets, including the bakery world. Shoppers today are more concerned about health, clean labels and transparency than ever before, and they’re also better informed.
Synthetics like calcium propionate and sorbate or sorbic acid are popular, relatively low-cost options for giving a product a longer shelf life. But using these products give a label that consumers may not like.
Lenexa, Kan.-based Corbion has a number of preservation solutions to help maintain and even extend the shelf life of bread and other baked goods, and the majority of those solutions are naturally fermented, said Ricardo Moreira, Senior Global Product Manager for Preservation.
For consumers who want peace of mind that they’re getting nature-based products, these solutions can give baked goods a label that is easier to understand while producing the shelf life consumers expect.
Once you have the shelf life you need, the clean label consumers want, all that’s left to do is to communicate that.
A “no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors” claim prominently displayed on packaging is one way.
Another, Moreira said, is to list enzymes for softness and freshness and cultured or fermented ingredients for mold inhibition and natural flavors.
Consumers are asking for this honest communication from the companies that are producing their baked goods. That’s why getting an authentic, natural solution that has been verified by a third party is important.
Authenticity testing determines whether the active compounds providing longer shelf life in a product are chemically synthesized or come from plant extractions, fermentation processes, grinding, milling and other natural processes.
Corbion’s extensive authenticity testing process is completed by an unbiased third-party and provides results to customers on ferments, plant extracts and juice powders.
When implementing a fermented solution, in some cases, tweaks need to be made — for instance, to reduce salt or sugar in the original formula or adjust pH or acidity, since many products are produced in different plants with different equipment and set-up. Corbion’s service teams work in its labs with customers, R&D teams and bakers to ensure that its naturally based solutions work seamlessly in their formulations.
Corbion has always innovated to create solutions based on consumer trends, market volatility and generating efficient operations. Clean label preservation technology that has been proven authentic by a third source is now giving companies the building blocks to be transparent with their consumers.
“Along the way, Corbion is providing the necessary product specifications, certificates, and regulatory documentation so that the bakers can market with confidence their new innovations to a wider customer base,” Moreira said.