New technical center and bakery lab

Lasenor recently opened a new technical center housing a fully equipped bakery lab. The center is dedicated to providing on-site guidance to industrial bakery manufacturers including cake mix producers in formulating plant-based bakery concepts that tick all the boxes in sensory appeal, and functionality.

“Our customers can test recipes, optimize processes, and validate product performance under real manufacturing conditions,” explains Chiara Marinanza, marketing director for Lasenor. “In addition, customers will benefit from Lasenor’s applications expertise, formulation know-how, and direct market access to the bakery industry. This service reinforces the company as an application-driven partner, not just an ingredient supplier.

Replace egg 50%-100% 

Lasenor VP-100 was designed explicitly for bakery use to enhance aeration, produce a softer crumb, and extend shelf life and freshness by slowing the staling process. The breakthrough texturizer can act as a single-ingredient functional solution within bakery applications and allows for egg reduction ranging from 50% to complete replacement, depending on the formulation. In kitchen lab tests, Lasenor VP-100 demonstrated its capabilities in producing muffins that impart volume, softness, moisture, and an excellent consumer experience comparable to full-egg recipes, it says. It has application not only in muffins but a broad range of baked delicacies such as sponge cakes, pound cakes, and brioches.

Key advantages of Lasenor VP-100, according to the company:

• Superior water retention: VP-100 helps bakery products stay soft and moist longer, contributing to extended freshness and improved shelf life.
• Egg reduction: It allows partial or total egg reduction while maintaining stable texture, volume, and crumb structure.
• Clean-label: VP-100 is 100% plant-based, allergen-free, and non-GMO, supporting current consumer demand for simple, transparent ingredient lists.
• Neutral flavor: The ingredient has no off flavors, making it suitable for all bakery applications without impacting organoleptic attributes. Comparable volume and dome formation.

“Lasenor VP-100 responds to consumer demands for plant-based alternatives and allergen free options,” exclaims Viktoriia Kubrakova, product manager of Lasenor VP-100 for Lasenor. “Food manufacturers are actively seeking solutions that allow partial or full egg reduction, especially in light of the volatile egg supplies and price fluctuations.”

Egg prices have increased 50–90% in the EU, and 65% in the U.S., creating pressure for more stable alternatives. Baked good categories that include muffins, sponge cakes, and sweet pastries that boast plant-based claims are seeing double-digit growth in product launches. The accelerating interest in plant-based baked goods is driven by demand for more sustainable, ethical, and better-for-you products.

“Lasenor VP-100 delivers strong functional performance in muffin formulations, helping manufacturers achieve the desired texture, moisture, and structure, even with reduced egg content,” adds Kubrakova. “Our trials demonstrate that VP-100 integrates smoothly into standard cake recipes without requiring changes to the processing methods.”

For optimal functional performance, Lasenor VP-100 undergoes a controlled hydration and activation phase. This reportedly allows it to develop its gelling, binding, and water-retention capacities critical for egg-reduced systems, prior to its integration with the rest of the ingredients.

All the ingredients are then whisked together for several minutes into an airy batter where the activated protein serves to enhance foam stability so that it maintains air retention during baking. The batter is finally deposited into 45g- cavity molds and baked for 20 minutes at 180°C/355°F.

“Trials with Lasenor VP-100 produced soft, voluminous muffins with a uniform fine crumb and a stable structure,” says Kubrakova. “The ingredient also fully aligns with market demands, supporting on-pack claims such as, ‘100% plant-based’, ‘egg-free’, and ‘clean label’.”

Related: Integrating protein in nutritional baked goods