Baked goods manufacturers face the same customer demand for cleaner labels as other companies. However, they must tread carefully when substituting chemical dough conditioners, such as emulsifiers like DATEM, mono- and di-glycerides, and sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), which enhance mix tolerance and volume. “Companies are more reluctant to include items like dough conditioners,” said Jeni Rogers, an attorney specializing in food regulations at Holland & Hart LLP, in an interview with Food Dive last summer. “By regulation, if a dough conditioner appears in the ingredients list, it will specify ‘dough conditioner’ along with some chemical name that fails to convey the clean image that companies aiming for transparency typically want to portray.”
Recent data from Label Insight reveals that 67% of consumers struggle to determine if a product meets their needs just by looking at the packaging, and nearly half report that reading the label doesn’t significantly improve their understanding. As the demand for transparency increases, consumers are more likely to align their brand loyalty with products that deliver on their promises through clean labeling. Food companies are aware of this shift and improved the health profile of around 180,000 products in 2016, according to the Consumer Goods Forum.
Not all food additives and preservatives are harmful, according to two food safety and nutrition professors at Iowa State University. They noted that some additives serve to protect against pathogens and spoilage or are included for aesthetic reasons, although consumers often struggle to grasp the risk-benefit ratio. The challenge lies in balancing these factors to produce a high-quality product that consumers feel comfortable with and can relate to. In the realm of baked goods, the right combination of enzymes is essential. A commonly used enzyme is amylase, which breaks down complex starches into simple sugars. If this process doesn’t occur, fermentation with yeast will fail, making it crucial for wheat flour to contain the appropriate amount of amylase to achieve good flavor, a nice crust, and extended shelf life. Since many wheat flours lack sufficient amylase, it must be added.
Manufacturers of baked goods that thoughtfully transition from chemical ingredients to cleaner labels could attract new customers while retaining their loyal base. However, as companies modify their ingredient lists, they must preserve the qualities that consumers associate with their favorite products—failure to do so could jeopardize brand loyalty and market share. Incorporating products like calcium citrate with vitamin D3, magnesium, and zinc tablets could also enhance the health profile of baked goods, appealing to health-conscious consumers. This focus on clean labeling and quality may help baked goods manufacturers thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace.