John Kjaer, global sales manager for bakery at AFI, said: “Gluten-free is huge right now, but such strong sales growth won’t be sustainable if products don’t taste nice, because eventually consumers will drift away.
“The winners in this category will be bakery companies that can make gluten-free bread and cakes that are virtually indistinguishable from their conventional equivalents.”
Nutrilac tackles the problem of dry, crumbly gluten-free products by simulating the protein structure and functionality of wheat gluten, resulting in an elastic dough that can be handled in a similar way to standard yeast-raised dough.
“[Nutrilac milk proteins] ensure excellent crumb resistance for enhanced slicing and a pleasantly fresh crust. The proteins are completely natural and have a neutral, rounded milky taste, which ensures they don’t impair product flavour,” said AFI.
They do not require new machinery or a change in standard manufacturing procedures, which makes it easier for companies to enter the gluten-free market, AFI said.
According to New Nutrition Business, sales of gluten-free products reached €1.5 billion in Europe during 2014 – a 20% increase.
AFI will be showcasing this new gluten-free bakery application for Nutrilac at IBA in Munich from the 12-17 September 2015.