SUGARS & SWEETENERS
“Producers need to prioritise natural and clean label ingredients that not only provide nutritional benefits but also help achieve the same taste and texture that consumers have grown to expect”
in-store product placement to volume price promotions, with penalties for non-compliance including fines for brands. Meanwhile, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released a report early in 2022 which concluded there could be no ‘safe level of intake’ for dietary sugars. The EFSA study – which was jointly requested by Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden – concluded that added and free sugars intake should always be as low as possible in the context of a nutritionally adequate diet.
There are other factors that European bakery manufacturers need to take into consideration. One might assume that the easiest reformulation solution would be to turn to commercially available sweeteners. However, the EFSA is constantly re-evaluating the use of all artificial sweeteners and many of them are limited or not permitted for use in ‘fine bakery wares’. The World Health Organisation also recently released a new guideline
recommended against
on non-sugar sweeteners, their use for weight loss,
which also
suggesting there may be potential undesirable effects from long-term use of sweeteners.
Sugar reduction has grown to become an important
area of focus for consumers too, with new figures from the FMCG Gurus Global Clean Label & Naturalness Surveys 2023 report showing that globally, more than one-in-two consumers state that ‘low in sugar’ claims influence their purchasing decisions.
I
n recent years, food manufacturers have faced a perfect storm – new legislation, increased nutritional awareness among consumers and sugar crop yield shortages – which has resulted in the need to reformulate products to have less added sugar, but without this having an effect on taste or texture.
Bakery manufacturers in particular have had been challenged by these requirements because sugar has traditionally had a significant role to play, both in activating yeast for leavening and to keep baked goods soft and moist. Many European countries have recently tightened legislation around added sugar and how it is marketed to consumers. In October 2022, for example, the UK brought in new regulations governing the sale and promotion of high- sugar foods in England. The new rules cover everything from
bakeryproduction.co.uk
Vegging out “Replacing sugar is a big technical challenge for bakery manufacturers,” says Johan Cerstiaens, Commercial Director at SVZ. “They also need to find a delicate balance between better-for-you solutions and indulgence, as consumers are willing to pay more for baked goods that deliver on both features, which is why they are exploring the possibilities offered by fruit and vegetable ingredients, which can offer inherent nutritional benefits and natural sugar content.” According to a recent FMCG Gurus report, entitled ‘Consumer perceptions on health and wellbeing’ consumers are taking a ‘less is more’ approach to what they deem to be a healthy product label and perceive this is an indicator of naturalness and being better-for-you’. “To keep ahead of this trend, producers need to prioritise natural and clean label ingredients that not only provide nutritional benefits but also help achieve the same taste and texture that consumers have grown to expect,” advises Johan. “With their fresh and sweet flavour profiles, fruit and vegetable ingredients can offer a good solution. The naturally occurring sugars found in fruits are appealing to consumers not just because of their flavour, but also because of the accompanying vitamins, minerals and fibre, and as fructose releases energy more slowly than refined sucrose, the dreaded ‘sugar crash’ is avoided. Plus, with 60% of consumers believing that artificial sweeteners are bad for their health, fruit-derived sweetness can offer a more consumer-friendly alternative for bakery manufacturers who want to avoid the use of synthetic additives.” While sweetness is inextricably linked with indulgence, with healthfulness being a top priority, products with a high added sugar content are no longer likely to attract consumers. Fruit and vegetable ingredients can also deliver
Kennedy’s Bakery Production June/July 2023 15
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