Avebe launches fat-replacing potato starch for cakes

Etenia Legato, the starch aimed at cake manufacturers, has been developed by Avebe as part of its collaboration with DSM Food Specialties’ ‘Let’s Cake Together’ project.

Avebe’s food marketing manager Christer Andersson told BakeryandSnacks.com: “It has been developed in cake mixes, where manufacturers can reduce fat content by 30 per cent. In cakes, there are other conditions which are necessary like batter viscosity. We worked together with DSM and they have the products in their tool kit to achieve these conditions.”​

Depending on the individual recipe, this could involve combining the starch with other ingredients, such as enzymes.

Avebe has also launched Etenia 568, a gelatine-replacing starch designed for use in jelly-type confectionery.

The new applications build on the existing Etenia range, which was initially launched in dairy products at the Food Ingredients Europe trade show in London last year. It is also used as a fat replacer in dairy, as it is said to give a better mouth feel and creamier texture than other fat replacers.

Scientific backing​

Researchers at NIZO food research have published a study into the effectiveness of Etenia potato starches as a fat replacer in the latest edition of the Food Hydrocolloids​ journal. They investigated the perception of creaminess in yoghurts compared with fat content. The researchers found that with the potato starch, consumers had the same creaminess perception of yoghurt containing 1.5 per cent fat, as with a full-fat version, with fat content at five per cent.

Meeting consumer demand​

DSM’s ‘Let’s Cake Together’ concept is based on combining clean label ingredients, such as enzymes and starches, which it says responds to consumer demand for reduced fat and lower costs. Andersson added that one of the other principal advantages of Etenia starches is that they can be listed as ‘starch’ rather than ‘modified starch’ on ingredient labels, therefore meeting consumers’ and manufacturers’ clean label requirements.

Avebe is a specialist starch company with operations in 20 countries and employing around 2000 people. Its potato starches, which are used in food as well as in the paper, textile, adhesive and building industries, are sourced in the Netherlands and Germany.