Shelf life has emerged as a more important function in the post-pandemic bakery universe. More than ever, consumers are evaluating their grocery shopping trips and making bakery purchasing decisions based on freshness and shelf life. For this reason, ingredient companies are fueling more innovation with regard to extending shelf life of fresh bakery products.
Ashley Robertson, director, global marketing, Corbion, Lenexa, Kansas, points out that Corbion is leading the way in the development of shelf-life extension and mold inhibition.
“As customer preferences lean toward products with cleaner, simpler labels, we're offering innovative solutions that align with these expectations, while enhancing the freshness and quality of baked goods,” Robertson explains.
“We've leveraged our legacy in fermentation and microbiology to create natural preservation solutions that effectively extend the mold-free shelf life of bakery products. With our product portfolio, we're responding to consumer demands for understandable ingredients, ensuring that their favorite bakery goods stay fresh longer without compromising on taste or texture.”
A significant innovation in this space is Corbion’s Natural Mold Inhibition Model, she says, which uses predictive modeling based on testing against various mold strains. This model not only informs the optimal natural preservation solutions for a given product, but also predicts its mold-free shelf life, allowing bakers to get new clean label products to the market faster.
“Our trusted solutions are third-party verified, ensuring bakers create products that stay delicious, fresh, and mold-free without depending on unwanted ingredients,” Robertson says.
State-of-the-art softening
From AB Mauri, Softase now offers a transformational extended shelf-life solution to multiple demands for today’s bakers. Offering state-of-the-art softening with the added benefit of elite resilience and cost-in-use savings, new Softase Platinum meets and exceeds the challenges of the modern bakery.
Key features & benefits include:
Ideal for white, whole wheat and variety breads, including enriched breads like brioche
Features improved softness with category-leading resilience
Produces bread with unique, fresh texture and fluffy, springy attributes
Sweetness delivered enables bakers to remove 4-6% sugar from formula
Exhibits elite crumb deformation recovery above other enzyme solutions
Product is approved for use in the U.S.; Canada still under review
Creates bowl cost savings from sugar reduction and other formula adjustments
“At AB Mauri, we are always excited about products that we deem transformational in both their application and capabilities, and our new Softase Platinum 2300 is a unique solution that definitely fits the bill here,” explains Dr. Troy Boutte, Ph.D., vice president of bakery innovation for AB Mauri North America. “Not only does it offer today’s bakers state-of-the-art softening in breads and rolls, but it also comes with the added benefits of superior texture, elite resilience and efficient cost-in-use. While this enzyme-based solution is designed first to meet extended shelf life (ESL) requirements, its sugar reduction prowess offers industrial bakers the opportunity to capture monetary savings while creating outstanding finished baked goods.”
BakeGard is another valuable tool. AB Mauri offers a complete range of high-quality yeast and chemically leavened preservation solutions that help reduce the growth of mold and bacteria and slow spoilage in many food products. The BakeGard family of products features advanced specialty ingredients that provide proven performance and deliver unsurpassed consistency. For customized traditional or clean-label preservation solutions with superior technical collaboration, you can count on AB Mauri to help you find the cost-effective solution to prevent spoilage.
"Additionally, our latest offering in preservation technology – BakeGard VP – is a sustainable dried vinegar solution that provides excellent mold- and rope-free shelf life for 30+ days. Clean labeling, improved flavor profile at equivalent shelf life and free from propionic acid are key benefits that bakers will enjoy when creating a variety of breads, rolls and even tortillas.”
Fueled by innovation
Beyond shelf life, quality remains an issue that is paramount to bakery shoppers. A number of moves have bolstered efforts by bakery companies to enhance their product manufacturing and distribution.
Puratos US has announced groundbreaking plans to open the first dedicated bakery glaze plant in the United States by 2025. The new plant will be built in the heart of the company’s main US campus in Pennsauken, New Jersey, adding a local presence to the company’s extensive global glaze network with well-established sites in Mexico, Belgium, and Italy.
“The strategic decision to establish a new glaze production site in the United States is in line with Puratos’ strategy to be close to our customers and help them be successful with their businesses,” says Andrew Brimacombe, president of Puratos USA. “This investment addresses a clear and growing market need for local, sustainable supply of egg wash alternatives in the world’s largest bakery market.”
The new facility will help Puratos further fortify capacity on its landmark product, Sunset Glaze, a plant-based and allergen-free egg wash alternative known for its shine, color and easy cleaning. The state-of-the-art line will run packaging formats to support a range of needs, from 10L and 20L bag-in-box options to large-scale industrial packaging. The facility will focus on sustainability, with a 100 percent solar roof, LED lighting and on-site electrical charging for vehicles.
Puratos’ Northeast distribution center, previously housed in this location, will relocate to a newly purchased 194,000 square-foot building just down the road, expanding the company’s East Coast base of operations.
