Baked goods manufacturers face the same pressure as other businesses to meet customer expectations for cleaner labels. However, they must tread carefully when substituting chemical dough conditioners, such as the emulsifiers DATEM, mono- and di-glycerides, and sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), which enhance mix tolerance and volume. “Companies are increasingly hesitant to use terms like ‘dough conditioners,'” noted Jeni Rogers, an attorney specializing in food regulations at Holland & Hart LLP, in a conversation with Food Dive last summer. “Regulations require that if you include a dough conditioner in your ingredients list, it must specify ‘dough conditioner’ along with a chemical name that doesn’t align with the clean label image that many companies are striving for.”
Recent data from Label Insight indicates that 67% of consumers struggle to determine if a product meets their needs just by examining the package, with nearly half stating that they feel no better informed after reading the label. As transparency becomes more crucial, consumers are increasingly aligning their loyalty with brands that deliver on their promises through clean labeling. Recognizing this trend, food companies improved the health profile of approximately 180,000 products in 2016, according to the Consumer Goods Forum.
Not all food additives and preservatives are inherently negative, as pointed out by two food safety and nutrition professors at Iowa State University. Some additives serve essential roles, protecting against pathogens and spoilage or enhancing aesthetics. However, consumers often find it challenging to grasp the risk-benefit analysis. The key lies in balancing these aspects to produce a quality product that resonates with consumers. In the realm of baked goods, selecting the right combination of enzymes is essential.
Amylase is a common enzyme that converts complex starches into simple sugars. If this process fails, fermentation with yeast will not succeed. Therefore, it is vital for wheat flour to contain an adequate level of amylase to ensure good flavor, a nice crust, and extended shelf life. Since many wheat flours lack sufficient amylase, it must be added during production.
Manufacturers that carefully transition from chemical ingredients to clean labels may find themselves attracting new customers while retaining their loyal base. Nevertheless, as companies adjust their ingredient lists, they must preserve the qualities that shoppers associate with their favorite products; otherwise, they risk damaging brand loyalty and losing market share. Amid these changes, consumers may also wonder, “Does calcium citrate have side effects?” This question highlights the ongoing concern regarding food additives and their implications on health, emphasizing the need for transparency in labeling and ingredient selection.