National Starch Food Innovation is rolling out a new concept to reduce the cost of indulgent baked goods, such as dessert mixes, cakes, pastries and cookies, by reducing the fat content by as much as 60%.

Based on National Starch’s unique specialty flour, HOMECRAFT Create 765, this solution allows for the formulation of reduced-fat products with texture and sensory properties that closely match a full-fat standard.

In addition, the solution can bring processing benefits by reducing the fat fraction in the raw materials to improve transport and mixing. HOMECRAFT Create 765 carries a wheat flour label declaration so producers do not have to change their ingredients list.

“The cost savings for producers can be significant,” says Robert Allin, marketing director, North America. “A manufacturer producing dry mixes - cakes, cookies, brownies - a HOMECRAFT Create 765 solution could save $.08 on every unit. If a company produces 1 million units, the savings could add up to $80,000, depending on their ingredient costs. We think producers will be astonished by how much additional profit they can bring to their bottom line.”

The company also has data on fat and cost reduction for ready-to-eat products, and has done extensive research on different fat ingredients and the implication on cost reduction.

In addition to costs savings, a HOMECRAFT Create 765 solution can help manufacturers improve the nutritional profile of their products by reducing total calories, calories from fat and grams of fat per serving. In a sample brownie formulation, a 25% reduction in fat led to a decrease in total calories and calories from fat by 20 or 8 to 6g. on a 28 g. serving. The company’s bakery applications group can assist formulators in calculating the calorie and fat reductions to help them determine if their products qualify for a reduced calorie or reduced fat claim.

With this new approach, National Starch maintains that the fat reductions do not negatively impact texture.

“Since texture is a critical component in the success of an indulgent baked good, our team has addressed concerns about the affects of fat reduction on taste and texture,” Allin says. “We’ve done extensive sensory evaluation of the many properties that go into good eating qualities of indulgent baked goods, like brownies.

“We’ve plotted all these characteristics and compared a traditional full fat dry mix brownie with our 25% and 60% fat reduction samples, matching properties such as fatty/greasy mouthcoat, chewiness and hardness - first bite, plus the other seven properties that define desirable texture in baked goods. The bottom line [is that] dry mix manufacturers can reduce fat by 25% or 60% and still deliver to their customers the indulgence, chewiness and satisfaction they expect when they bite into an indulgent baked good.”

Go to www.foodinnovation.com for more information.