Caravan develops base for quick, economical bran muffins
The CI Bran Muffin was originally developed for a specific Caravan Ingredients customer, but the company said it could have wider appeal for manufacturers looking for a standard base product to which they can make their own additions, such as fruits, nuts, raisins or chocolate.
Jeff Cope, who worked on the research and development of the product at Caravan Ingredients, told BakeryandSnacks.com that using a standardized base could lead to cost savings as it eliminates the risk of scaling errors and reduces downtime.
“It’s speedy, efficient, and you get consistent high quality,” he said. “…It’s formed with leavening that gives it a good volume kick right out of the oven.”
The muffin base is provided to manufacturers in a free-flowing powder form.
“It’s very nutritional for you. You just add water and oil to the base and then add your condiments, like blueberries or raisins,” Cope said.
He added that the mix of leavening agents gives the base superior strength, meaning that it is suitable for use in automated operations with less downtime.
The standard bran muffin base that the company is offering in the United States contains a mix of two leavening agents – sodium bicarbonate and sodium aluminum phosphate. However, Cope added that Caravan is also offering an all-natural version without sodium aluminum phosphate, primarily for the overseas market, as some countries do not allow its use in foods.
Digestive health, including the role of high-fiber foods, has been a leading driver for new product development over the past several years, according to market research organization Mintel. High fiber claims are popular with consumers, and are in line with recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which cite fiber as a nutrient to encourage.
