Quick Tip

More complex formulas tend to be labor intensive, and there is less room for error. At the same time, consumer research indicates that bakery customers are looking for simpler products that they perceive to be less processed, therefore more wholesome and healthful.

PROBLEM: How can bakers simplify their formulas?

SOLUTION: By making sure each ingredient is doing its part.

Consumers continued interest in getting back to basics has created a need in the industry to simplify formulations. “Recipes become complicated after many years of adding extra ingredients to resolve problems, but seldom is an ingredient removed,” says Wouter De Beuckelaer, R&D bread manager at Puratos. This results in long ingredient statements, but consumers are looking for something less complex.

“Consumer interest in the importance of ingredients was quite clear in a recent study of top household shoppers,” says Doug Jump, national trade marketing manager, Puratos. “The research showed that while taste and freshness are givens, ingredients are examined quite carefully by some consumers. The overall impression is that the longer the ingredient list, the more processed the bread is, allowing the perception the bread is less healthful.”

In addition, speed and flexibility have never been more essential for product development and production teams. The right choice of ingredients can contribute heavily to this. Complicated formulations often take a long time to scale, resulting in longer labor hours and more room for scaling errors. A more efficient product would reduce costs for both ingredients and labor.

In an effort to reduce cost for bakers and simplify ingredient statements for consumers, Puratos has developed Soft'r Intens improvers for soft breads and rolls. This modular approach for improvers optimizes individual characteristics of the dough or final bread. It enables bakers to differentiate the texture of products in terms of resilience, short bite, freshness and more. Texture is key to consumer satisfaction. This product line uses the synergies between ingredients and approaches a product as a whole. These synergies are made possible thanks to a combination of surface response and other advanced technologies, as well as in-depth knowledge of bakery applications. Soft'r Intens also allows for tailor-made solutions by using it either in combination with an existing improver or in replacement of a full improver, to create a custom solution for your formulas. It is a flexible tool that speeds up the development process.

This solution from Puratos is a continuation of the long-standing effort to be a reliable partner in innovation. Key in this effort is studying consumer demand. Every product solution is thoroughly tested, not only in R&D, but also with consumers. This ensures not only performance, but also true consumer acceptance, which is vital for bakers making products for their customers.

Relying on many years of industry experience allows Puratos to deliver solutions that are pertinent to the needs of today's baker — using new technology with old-world knowledge.