Isabella's has faced several challenges when formulating its functional muffins, including “honing in on levels of probiotic to use in the muffin application; achieving an all natural status with sufficient shelf life; achieving great texture and flavor despite all the vitamin fortification, high fiber, etc.; and sourcing relatively obscure ingredients,” says Monica Curtis, president, Isabella's Healthy Bakery.

Still, the bakery seems to have overcome these obstacles, as consumer feedback has been positive. Isabella's plans to launch major campaigns in January as part of a health and wellness initiative, Curtis notes.

Dempster's Smart 100% Whole Grain Wheat Bread with life'sDHA™Canada Bread Co. Ltd., Toronto and
Wonder+ Headstart 100% Whole Wheat Bread with MEG-3® Omega-3 DHA/EPA
Weston Bakeries, Toronto

Two bakeries launched bread made with omega-3s during the past year, yet the source of these beneficial fatty acids used in each product is quite different. Canada Bread Co. Ltd. introduced Dempster's Smart™ 100% Whole Grain Wheat bread with life'sDHA™, a patented, sustainable and vegetarian source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), produced by Martek Biosciences Corp., Columbia, Md.

Fish that consume DHA-rich microalgae are generally considered a good source of omega-3s; however, life'sDHA derives its source directly from microalgae.

DHA is a long-chain, omega-3 fatty acid that supports brain, eye and cardiovascular development during childhood and throughout life.

Aside from DHA, Dempster's Smart 100% Whole Grain Wheat Bread also provides 13 essential nutrients and 4 g of fiber per two-slice serving.

Weston Bakeries Ltd. introduced Wonder+ Headstart 100% Whole Wheat Bread with Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd.'s MEG-3® brand omega-3 DHA and EPA ingredient. DHA and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) have been scientifically linked to maintaining healthy brain function, visual acuity and supporting cardiovascular health.

“Canadian adults are consuming an average of only 130 mg per day of DHA plus EPA in their diet,” says Bruce Holub, Ph.D., professor, Human Health and Nutritional Science, University of Guelph, Ontario. And, children, aged two to three years are averaging only 19 mg of DHA and 10 mg of EPA daily, according to Holub. Dieticians of Canada and the American Dietetic Association have recently recommended 500 mg of omega-3 DHA plus EPA per day for adults.

“The addition of MEG-3 brand omega-3 ingredient into our launch of Wonder+ Headstart is important because it contains both DHA and EPA. We chose MEG-3 ingredients and have put the distinctive MEG-3 logo on our packaging because we want consumers to know they are getting the best source of omega-3 in Wonder + Headstart,” said Craig Hutchison, vice president, marketing and sales, Weston Bakeries.

Sara Lee's Wholesome Indulgence Bakery Bars
Sara Lee, Downers Grove, Ill.

Wholesome Indulgence Bakery Bars, introduced by Downers Grove, Ill.-based Sara Lee, allow in-store bakeries nationwide to leverage the growing healthful breakfast and snack segments. Each 2.5-oz. serving provides 3 g dietary fiber, 7 g protein, 300 calories or less, 7 g fat or less, 0 g trans fat and is a good source of calcium. Flavors include cranberry almond, maple apple pecan and mocha latte.

“We added functional ingredients to meet increasing consumer demand for healthier breakfast and snack options,” says Catherine Porter, marketing manager, Sara Lee In-Store Bakery. Formulating the bakery bars with a high amount of protein, lower fat, high fiber and a good source of calcium presented challenges for the bakery's product development team. The selection of high quality ingredients in combination with extensive testing resulted in an optimized solution that helped overcome those difficulties, Porter notes.

Though the products have just launched, Sara Lee expects a strong positive response. “Taste is king with consumers. We are past the days of sacrificing taste for function and bakery products still need to taste indulgent. Finding the right formulas to meet both needs is the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity,” Porter says.

Consumers are responding to health and wellness products, such as those made with functional ingredients, as they become increasingly aware of the relationship between diet and health. As such, Baking Management salutes those bakeries that responded to consumer demand for healthier options.