The Dutch-based family owned company – which operates in 27 countries – is currently talking to “multiple manufacturers” about the new muffin.
Zeelandia told BakeryAndSnacks that rather than simply replace fat with sugar – a process used for some products – it set out to create a muffin that is better for consumers from “all possible angles” while maintaining moistness and taste profile.
A traditional muffin recipe calls for roughly equal parts of table sugar, oil, egg and flour, said the supplier.
Major focus on fat reduction
“We set out to reduce sugar content, fat and saturated fat content as well as the calorie count,” added Zeelandia corporate R&D director Michiel Bruschke. “We were looking to achieve a very substantial reduction in calories and therefore placed a major focus on fat reduction.”
Zeelandia said it has cut the oil content in the muffin to 6% by using ingredients including special fibers, which it claimed had reduced the fat in the nutritional profile by 60% compared with a standard muffin. It added that whole blueberries contributed to the fiber content while adding to the taste.
The muffin has 32% less calories, 37% less saturated fat, and 30% less sugar than a regular blueberry muffin.
Impact on batter
“We conquered a number of challenges when developing this product,” said Bruschke. “Reducing sugar and fat levels in muffins in substantial amounts has a considerable impact on properties of the batter and of the baked muffin.
“We were able to create a muffin mix that maintains a good batter consistency, with the finished product having a good volume as well as moistness and an attractive color.”
The muffin was unveiled at the Dutch Presidency Conference on Food Product Improvement in Amsterdam last month.
Zeelandia said it expected a number of the manufacturers it was talking to would develop their own marketing concept for the muffin, “to maximize its selling potential in various markets and segments.”