Enzyme formulation can double shelf-life in cakes and muffins – DSM

07-Dec-2011 - Last updated on 07-Dec-2011 at 10:37 GMT

Speciality ingredients firm DSM has launched two enzyme texturisers that it has said can double-shelf life in cakes and muffins.

Its two new enzymes, CakeZyme Majestic and CakeZyme Sublime, were launched at Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) in Paris earlier this month.

The additions build upon DSM’s original cake enzyme, CakeZyme Smart, which was launched in 2007.

Lipase and amylase technology

The company said it was the first to use a combination of lipase and amylase technology to enhance shelf-life in cakes.

Rossana Rodriguez, global marketing manager for baking enzymes at DSM told BakeryAndSnacks.com: “CakeZyme Majestic uses a combination of lipase and amylase technology to produce cakes that maintain oven-fresh qualities over an extended shelf-life, while CakeZyme Sublime is a specialty lipase that releases emulsifiers from fats and lipids in cake recipes.”

The enzymes have applications in sponge cakes, pound cakes, muffins and high ratio cakes. The company said the enzymes would work best in muffins and denser cakes.

“CakeZyme Majestic and CakeZyme Sublime improve crumb softness during ambient storage. Their specific enzymatic action enables manufacturers to double cakes’ shelf life while maintaining premium quality,”said DSM in a release.

The company said it had conducted tests that found cakes formulated with CakeZyme showed similar crumb quality to freshly baked cakes.

“This extended softness helps manufacturers simplify warehousing and logistics, while also reducing waste,” it said.

Costs and processing

Asked how cost compared to other market offerings, Rodriguez said: “The cost in use of these enzymes is comparable, and in some cases even more competitive, than other solutions used to achieve similar results (such as emulsifiers, which are widely used across the market)”

She said that manufacturers would not need to modify their processes to use the enzymes and additional ingredients were not necessarily needed to support the enzymes.

“However, in some circumstances bakers can optimize their products and achieve even better results by using these enzymes with other emulsifiers,” she added.

Under current legislation in Europe and the US, enzymes used to formulate cakes do not need to labelled. Manufacturers are not required to declare them in their final products.

DSM’s new cake enzymes are currently available Europe, the US and South America and roll-out in Asia is expected for March 2012.