Is Your Bread Falling Flat In Today’s Clean Label Market?
Deliver exceptional quality without synthetic emulsifiers
Times are changing and great taste alone no longer wins over today’s baked goods consumers. Shoppers are scrutinizing labels more than ever. They want simple, recognizable ingredients.
For bakery owners, this shift presents a complex challenge. Can you deliver the same exceptional quality without relying on synthetic additives?
In this article, we explore the challenges of baking without synthetic emulsifiers. These additives have long been the backbone of modern bread production, but as consumer preferences evolve, bakeries now must adapt to stay competitive.
Read on as we introduce some science-backed alternatives and offer actionable tips to get you started (all while preserving the quality your customers trust and love).
Why Synthetic Emulsifiers Are on Their Way Out
Synthetic emulsifiers like DATEM and SSL are commonplace in modern breadmaking. They help make dough easier to handle, extend the shelf life of bread, and reduce production costs. It’s not hard to understand why they’re indispensable for bakeries worldwide.
However, what was once a ground-breaking innovation is now under increasing scrutiny. Consumers are reading ingredient lists with a more critical eye than ever before.
A Lessafre survey found more than 50% of bread buyers prefer familiar, natural-sounding ingredients. And according to the IFIC, health benefits are a key reason behind this shift. Many people are looking to avoid the harmful effects of chemical-sounding ingredients.
This trend is part of the broader “clean label movement,” which calls for greater transparency around food ingredients. It’s safe to say, it’s not going anywhere. Consumers are unlikely to want less transparency about their food in the future.
Synthetic emulsifiers have fallen out of favor in today’s market.
For bakery owners, this shift presents both challenge and opportunity.
Simply removing synthetic emulsifiers without a reliable alternative can jeopardize product quality, texture, and shelf life.
Yet, embracing clean labels can position your business as forward-thinking and customer-focused. It puts you in front of health-conscious shoppers who will pay a premium for products they trust.
The Challenges of Reformulating Bread Recipes
Removing synthetic emulsifiers from a winning bread recipe feels daunting. They’re the glue that holds everything together. Take them away without careful consideration, and the whole product risks crumbling. The foundation of your bread begins to weaken. You’re left with dough that’s harder to handle and loaves that fall flat.
Breadmaking in a world without synthetic emulsifiers could easily look like this:
- Tougher Texture and Reduced Dough Stability. Emulsifiers reduce surface tension between water and fat in dough. This is key to creating the fine crumb structure and soft, airy texture consumers love. Additionally, they stabilize air bubbles, helping the loaf rise during baking. Removing emulsifiers leads to tougher textures, uneven crumb structure, and collapsed loaves.
- Poor Dough Workability. Emulsifiers make dough easier to handle, less sticky, and more durable during processing. This is required in automated production environments, where dough endures rigorous mixing. Dough without emulsifiers becomes sticky, fragile, and harder to manage. Production is slower and waste is increased due to mishandled dough. These issues translate into reduced efficiency and higher production costs.
- Shortened Shelf Life. Synthetic emulsifiers prolong bread’s shelf life by slowing the staling process. When they bind with starch molecules, moisture loss is slowed down and the bread’s softness and freshness is maintained for longer. Without emulsifiers, bread stales quickly. Food waste increases, and a shorter shelf life requires tighter inventory management and financial losses from unsold products.
Eliminating emulsifiers isn’t a viable option for the commercial bakery sector. Instead, they must be replaced with effective natural alternatives.
Science-Backed Alternatives to Synthetic Emulsifiers
As bakery owners move away from synthetic emulsifiers, nature offers some helpful alternatives. These solutions can help bakeries maintain product quality while appealing to health-conscious consumers.
Natural Lecithins
Lecithins are one of the only natural emulsifiers available to bakers. They come from soy, sunflower, or rapeseed. Glycerophospholipids and galactolipids within Lecithins help them perform similarly to synthetic emulsifiers, such as DATEM and SSL.
Two types of lecithins are available: crude (liquid) and de-oiled (powder). Crude lecithin contains non-polar molecules and triglycerides, while de-oiled lecithin contains only polar molecules. Although de-oiled lecithin is more expensive, less is needed, so the cost often balances out.
A 2004 study found lecithin to be a promising alternative to synthetic emulsifiers. It didn’t strengthen dough as much as DATEM or SSL, but:
- It produced a similar loaf volume with 2 to 2.5 hours of proofing
- Created a softer crumb compared to the control.
- Had an anti-staling effect after 2 hours of proofing, and this was even more pronounced when lecithin was enriched with lysophospholipids.
Lecithins are an ideal choice for meeting clean-label demands, however, some lecithins may not be suitable for allergen-free product lines.
Top Tips: Use sunflower lecithin as a versatile option for clean-label, allergen-free formulations. Start with small batch trials to optimize its dosage.
Enzymes
Enzymes like amylases and xylanases are becoming popular natural alternatives to synthetic emulsifiers. While not emulsifiers themselves, they break down large molecules in the dough, and it’s the resulting smaller molecules that do the emulsification work.
Powdered enzymes are easy to mix with flour, which saves time during processing. They also come in small amounts, which helps offset their higher cost.
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In a 2012 study, 0.75% DATEM produced the best bread volume, but 30 ppm of lipase gave similar results. Interestingly, 10 ppm of lipase outperformed both 0.25% and 0.5% DATEM. This suggests that lipase can be effective even at lower concentrations.
Enzymes can complement other natural emulsifiers, such as lecithin. When partially broken down by lipase, lecithin becomes a more effective emulsifier.
While enzymes are effective, they do have their limitations.
Their activity varies based on flour type and baking conditions so consistency can be difficult to achieve. Overdosing can also lead to dough stiffness and reduced loaf volume. Calibration and testing are crucial to avoid these issues and ensure optimal performance.
Top Tip: Collaborate with suppliers to choose the right enzyme blends for your bread recipes.
Hydrocolloids
Hydrocolloids are derived from plants, seaweed, microbes, and gums produced by plants. Their wide range of structures and properties can cause challenges in baking.
However, one exception is hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC). This is produced by modifying cellulose polymer chains and its consistent structure makes it a reliable choice for breadmaking.
HPMC works well as an emulsifier in bread dough. When heated, it changes from a solution to a gel, allowing it to form stable networks. Increased liquid viscosity slows down the movement of moisture to the surface of the loaf. Moisture and volume loss are reduced during baking and freshness is retained for longer.
It’s important to bear in mind that overusing hydrocolloids can make bread gummy and less appealing. Also, some hydrocolloids with unfamiliar names might also be seen as undesirable by consumers.
However, their growing inclusion in clean-label products presents an opportunity to shift perceptions. Bakeries can play a role in helping to educate customers on the natural origins and benefits of hydrocolloids.
Top Tip: Combine hydrocolloids with natural lecithins for synergistic effects on texture and moisture retention.
Practical Tips for a Smooth Transition
Making the shift to clean-label baking can feel overwhelming. So, here are four practical strategies that you, as bakery owners, can use to make the transition easier.
1. Test Small
Experiment with small batches so you can assess the impact without disrupting your entire production line. Use test runs to gather feedback from staff and, where possible, your customers.
Consider offering a trial of your reformulated bread as a limited-time special. Customer feedback will help you refine the recipe before full-scale implementation.
2. Collaborate with Ingredient Suppliers
Suppliers can play a key role in the reformulation process. Their expertise in clean-label baking enables them to recommend ingredients tailored to your specific needs. Some suppliers even offer on-site training or lab testing.
Ask for samples or support when testing alternatives like enzymes, lecithins, or hydrocolloids. The right supplier relationship can save you valuable time and resources.
3. Leverage Technology
Modern technology makes switching to natural ingredients easier. Use dough conditioners, advanced mixers, and humidity-controlled proofers to your advantage.
New technology might seem like a big investment upfront, it can pay off in the long-run by improving consistency and reducing waste.
4. Educate Your Customers
Promote your clean-label bread through packaging, in-store displays, or social media. Share the story of your reformulation journey. Emphasize your commitment to natural ingredients and health-conscious choices.
You could create blog posts or videos explaining why you removed synthetic emulsifiers from your product. This helps position your brand as a leader in the market and builds trust with consumers.
Join the Clean-Label Bread Revolution
Forward-thinking bakeries are already shaping the future of the clean-label bread market. You can gain inspiration and insights from these brands.
Here are three clean-label bakeries leading the way:
- Panera Bread: This industry leader is well known for its transparency. Their “No-No List” outlines over 80 artificial ingredients they’ve removed from their products. It’s a simple yet powerful way to reassure customers about what isn’t in their bread.
- Dave’s Killer Bread has a strong reputation for its focus on clean-label ingredients. Their commitment to avoiding artificial additives makes them a favorite among health-conscious consumers.
- Franz Bakery has made significant strides in offering clean-label gluten-free products. They focus on using simple, easy-to-recognize ingredients.
Focus on clear communication and clean ingredients. Emphasize innovation. By doing so, you too can meet changing consumer expectations and stand out in this rapidly growing market.
Conclusion
As demand for clean-label products rises, bakeries have an opportunity to lead the way. Embracing innovation can help them stay ahead.
We’re not denying that switching from synthetic emulsifiers can be challenging. But it will be key to meeting evolving consumer expectations and ensuring long-term success.
Start small. Test science-backed alternatives, work with suppliers, and use technology to ensure quality. Don’t forget to share your progress to build customer loyalty.
These steps can help move you toward a future of natural, high-quality breadmaking.
