Novozymes develops alternative to chemical baking additives
baking enzyme' that can replace chemical emulsifiers and reduce
costs.
The firm, which announced the launch of Lipopan Xtra last Friday, said that the product represents a major innovation in bread making.
It claims that it offers savings for bread improver manufacturers in straight dough, and Chorleywood baking processes, by replacing more costly chemical emulsifiers.
"Novozymes is focused on supporting bread improver manufacturers by creating innovative, cost-effective enzymes to increase the quality and optimise the cost of baked goods," said Andrew Fordyce, Novozymes cereal food marketing director.
"We are delighted to launch Lipopan Xtra as the latest result of Novozymes efforts for the baking industry."
Lipopan is a natural lipase enzyme that works on and strengthens the natural lipids found in flour, and increases the stability of the dough. But the company said that a far smaller quantity of Lipopan is needed to achieve the same effect as chemical emulsifiers.
This latest product launch comes on the back of some impressive financial results. Operating profit and sales grew by 11 per cent and eight per cent respectively for the first nine months of 2006, in line with the Danish firm's expectations.
"We are very pleased with the results," said Steen Riisgaard, president and CEO of Novozymes.
"We have had a really good third quarter with underlying growth in sales of 11 per cent, and are standing by our outlook for sales for the year within the range originally indicated to the market. At the same time we have seen pleasing productivity improvements, enabling us to adjust the outlook for earnings upwards."
Sales of food enzymes rose by 8 per cent in DKK in the first nine months of the year compared with 2005, including a positive exchange rate effect of 1 percentage point. The company hopes therefore that its latest food enzyme ingredient will help continue this trend.
Novozymes said that Lipopan Xtra also offers other benefits for bread improver manufacturers due its high tolerance towards variations in flour quality and stability in aqueous liquid improvers.
Lipopan Xtra is a new member of Novozymes' Lipopan product range. In 2001 Novozymes launched Lipopan F, which the company claims offers savings on emulsifiers in longer-fermentation baking procedures.
"Together, these two enzymes represent the most cost-effective dough-strengthening solution for a broad range of baked products," said Novozymes launch manager Anett Lund-Nielsen Colstrup.
Novozymes is the world's largest supplier of enzymes to the baking industry. Research into new enzymes is conducted in Denmark, and the development of new enzymes for the baking industry takes place in Denmark and Switzerland.
