Jeff has worked in the industry for nearly 30 years. He is a Professional Baker with the American Society of Baking, has a B.S. in Bakery Science and Management from Kansas State University, and is pursuing his M.S. in Food Safety from Michigan State University.

Q: How do natural and chemical mold inhibitors compare?

A: Traditional chemical mold inhibitors often leave an aftertaste and can impact the natural flavor qualities of the fermentation process. Natural formulations that offer alternative ingredients, such as AB Mauri Nabitor, can produce a clean flavor profile when used at recommended levels.

Nabitor works as a functional replacement for calcium propionate. Its functionality comes from the compounds produced by the microbes grown on the corn syrup or wheat starch solids. These compounds are mostly organic acids that are converted into organic acid salts due to the environment in which they are grown. The organic acids from Nabitor and the citric acid act synergistically together so that mold-inhibiting compounds become more effective.

While other natural mold inhibitors exist, nothing can rival the extended shelf life of bread when using Nabitor and Nabitor WS. Lab shelf life data and empirical data from customer trials in actual bakeries demonstrate the ingredients in Nabitor work well together to inhibit mold activity.

Q: What formulation challenges do these ingredients present?

A: The reality is that natural ingredients can be more expensive than traditional ingredients, yet many times, when the entire process or formula is evaluated, total bowl cost savings can be found. However, bakers should remember they can capture a premium price for natural products, so consumers' willingness to pay may offset increased ingredient costs.

Some bakers prefer to use Nabitor WS. Original Nabitor is a system of corn syrup solids cultured with microorganisms and eventually combined with citric acid. Nabitor WS uses wheat instead of corn syrup. While both are natural alternatives to other mold inhibitors, the selection of one versus the other is determined by the formula. If a baker wants to avoid using corn syrup solids, Nabitor WS provides wheat starch solids as a natural alternative.

Both Nabitor and Nabitor WS also are recommended for use in a variety of bakery products, including bread, buns, tortilla, sweet doughs and other applications.

Q: Are there line, labor or equipment considerations?

A: For an ingredient manufacturer, we spend a lot of time understanding the ins and outs of bakery equipment and operations. The team I lead specializes in process optimization and provides a credible, third-party assessment of a bakery's operations. When a customer asks for assistance with a natural formulation, we do more than look at their formula. We also look at their bakery processes and work with them to ensure that any ingredient we might recommend will be successful in that bakery.

Your suppliers should be a main consideration because they will be the ones to help you deliver the end result. As a supplier who aims high, AB Mauri Fleischmann's hires the best, and we invest in ongoing training and education in bakery technology. The technical support team at AB Mauri Fleischmann's has individuals who are recognized as leaders in their field. We have an unrivaled technical support team whose abilities, when combined with our customers' expertise, can deliver superior results.

For more information, call AB Mauri Fleischmann's at 800 772 3971 or visit www.abmf.com