By Cindy Hazen, Contributing Editor
Baking science relies on a series of physical, chemical and biological reactions. With experience and minimal ingredient variation, these become somewhat predictable. Hitting the clean-label mark can be harder because there is little regulation or science that drives consumer or manufacturer expectations. But the market is seeing an increased demand for these so-called "clean labels," driving more research into alternate ingredient systems, particularly for functional ingredients required in baked products, such as leavening, emulsifiers, shortening, dough conditioners and colors.
Look at leavenings
Leavening, or rise, of baked goods occurs when carbon dioxide gas is released. In breads rolls, pastries and some crackers, this can be achieved with yeast. However, cookies, cakes, muffins and other baked products rely on the chemical reaction between an acid and a base, usually phosphate salts and baking soda. Unfortunately for the chemo-phobic consumer, these typically have "chemical-sounding" names.
What's more there is not an industry standard or regulatory reference for "natural' or "clean" chemical leavenings, so many manufacturers use the list of allowable synthetic ingredients from USDA's National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), Washington, DC, (ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm), according to Barbara Heidolph, principal, marketing technical service, ICL Performance Products LP, St. Louis. While organic and natural are two distinctly different concepts, section 205.605 of the NOSB list provides guidance for nonagricultural (nonorganic) substances allowed in or on processed products labeled as organic or made with organic ingredients or food groups.
“Leavening phosphates currently on the list are calcium phosphates (monobasic, dibasic, and tribasic)," Heidolph says. “No other disclaimers are noted, so these three ingredients can be used in any food application. This would allow monocalcium phosphate (MCP) monohydrate, anhydrous monocalcium phosphate (AMCP) and dicalcium phosphate dehydrate (DCPD) to be used as leavening agents."
Sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) is listed for use only as a leavening agent. “I think the majority of clean labels would include MCP, AMCP, DCPD and SAPP," Heidolph says.
Another source of guidance comes from Whole Foods Market, a purveyor of natural and organic products. They post on their website a list of ingredients they find unacceptable in food products. The other criterion that is often used is consumer familiarity with the product name. “Certainly, MCP falls into this category as it has been in baking powders, cookies and crackers since the mid-1800s," Heidolph adds. Or potassium hydrogen tartrate, an ingredient consumers know (and accept) as cream of tartar.
It also helps to look at the ingredient’s contribution to the nutritional panel. These phosphates bring some calcium fortification with them. Sodium can enter the formula by way of baking soda. “To replace baking soda with potassium bicarbonate leads to a label designation that is not as well known by consumers," Heidolph says. “However, it allows for sodium reduction, which helps the formulator achieve other potential key initiatives. So, the formulator and companies will need to balance the targets they want to achieve as they formulate new products for specific markets."
Reaction rates
The reason leavening selection is so important is the rate at which these ingredients react is critical to volume and texture of the finished product.
“In general, if a developer elects to only use MCP, AMCP or DCPD, they will find they have a limited range of reaction rate control," cautions Heidolph. Relatively speaking, MCP and AMCP are fast; DCPD has a late reaction in the oven.
“In order to make these systems work, the developer may need to modify the process to ensure short process times and minimize disruption of the dough or batter matrix so that they do not drive off the CO2 gas that has formed," Heidolph says. "Often, what is lacking is the time delay or early oven reaction that can be achieved with the SAPP and SALP (sodium aluminum phosphate). To that end, it is great if they follow the NOSB allowances and use the SAPP product line to deliver controlled release when it is needed."
Fiber is helpful
Savvy developers know that fiber can bring, not just nutritional, but functional and textural benefits to baked goods and may be able to replace less-label-friendly ingredients.
“Potato fiber can be used to replace shelf-life extenders and emulsifiers in many bakery formulations," says Ramakanth Jonnala, Ph.D., R&D project leader, grain science, International Fiber Corporation (IFC), North Tonawanda, NY. “In sandwich breads, as well as in yeast-raised doughnuts, 1% to 3% addition of potato fiber can extend shelf life."
Sugar beet and oat fibers can act as dough conditioners by helping to improve dough machinability and can also replace some of the functionalities of modified starches. “Addition of 2% to 3% sugar-beet fiber in white breads can also improve dough properties without much gluten network disruption," Jonnala says. "Using 2% to 3% oat fiber can reduce breakage and improve pliability in tortillas."
Sugar-beet fiber is widely used in gluten-free and sugar-free bakery products as a bulking and structural agent that contributes to improvement in crumb grain structure. “Sugar beet fiber is often added to sugar-free breads (4% to 5%), muffins (2% to 3%), doughnuts (1% to 2%) and cookies (1% to 2%)," Jonnala says.
In general, “fibers tend to absorb significant amounts of water in a formulation when compared to other ingredients," Jonnala says. “The amount of water in a target baked-product formulation should be adjusted depending on the type of fiber used. Typically, longer fibers absorb and retain more water than shorter ones. Other processing adjustments, such as mixing time and fermentation time, will also have to be adjusted accordingly. It is normal that when fibers are used both mixing and fermentation times would have to be increased."
IFC offers several fiber ingredients that are considered natural, including organic oat fiber and organic sugar-beet fiber in different fiber lengths and particle sizes.
