Puratos rolls out fat-cutting, long-life fillings globally

28-Oct-2013 - Last updated on 29-Oct-2013 at 14:55 GMT

The fillings line has been tested and introduced in a few global markets already but is now available globally, says Puratos

Related tags Shelf life Baking Saturated fat Puratos

Puratos Group has developed a line of multifunctional baked good fillings that can slash fat and improve shelf life while tapping into indulgence, its product manager says.

The Cremfil Ultim fillings line was initially launched for testing in the UK market back in 2009 and then in Spain, Argentina, Brazil, Greece, Turkey and Egypt in 2010. Following testing, the supplier has now launched the line globally in three flavors - chocolate, hazelnut and white chocolate. The fillings can be used in muffins, buns and cookies.

Cutting fat

According to Puratos, the fat content of the chocolate and nut fillings is slashed by two-thirds to less than 10%, compared to 30% in a traditional fat-based filling, by emulsifying the ingredients at the water phase.

Its hazelnut variety contains 70% less fat, 24% less sugar and 49% fewer calories than a regular hazelnut fat-based ingredient, it said, resulting in an overall 37% fat reduction. This, it added, allows a ‘reduced in fat’ claim in Europe and the US.

For a muffin, Puratos said it is possible for a manufacturer to reduce fat levels by 11%, saturated fat by 15%, sugar by 5% and calories 6%.

Increasing shelf life

The fillings also work to improve the shelf life of baked goods, Puratos said, by controlling the water activity in the product.

The ingredient ensures no water migration between the filling and the crumb, resulting in longer freshness.

Puratos claimed the shelf life can be quadrupled, with buns displaying the same level of freshness one month after manufacturing compared to one week with a traditional fat-based filling.

A multi-functional ingredient to plug government and industry calls

Health, convenience and indulgence are driving growth in snacking and there is pressure to fulfil these demands, said Jo Libens, product manager for Puratos Group.

“Both industry and governments push us to develop all in one solutions to answer several demands,” he told BakeryandSnacks.com.

“Governments are trying to encourage industry to improve the nutritional quality of products, especially those sold to children,” he said.

There are guidelines being put in place by local governments on products aimed at school children across various global markets, he said, including the US, Mexico, France, Spain and Australia.

But manufacturers are also driving development of such ingredients, Libens said.

Industry wants to cater to consumer demands for indulgence, convenience and health in snacking and also differentiate, he said.

“Cost and efficiency are also demands of industry and Cremfil Ultim can answer to this demand by improving freshness over shelf life which can reduce logistic costs and waste,” he added.