These restrictions have now been given the boot, according to Novozymes.
Novamyl BestBite is the newest addition to its toolbox of freshness solutions, designed to help a baker produce a bread that sports all three essential characteristics in a perfectly balanced bite.
What’s more, by maintaining the product’s attractiveness to the consumer, a baker will be contributing towards the fight against food waste.
Increasing the shelf life of baked goods also means reducing the impact of all the processes involved in baking, from crop production and the processing of grains to baking, packaging and transportation.
“Ultimately, our goal is sustainability and making a positive impact on the climate by reducing food waste in baking,” said Adam BV Diggle, Business United director, Baking, Novozymes.
“Our Novamyl solutions have already proven themselves in this context.”
In fact, the Danish biotechnology specialist claims that since 1990, the use of Novamyl in baking has contributed to saving more than 80 billion loaves of bread from being thrown away.
“With Novamyl BestBite, we can lift the eating experience, while staying true to this mission,” added Diggle.
Fresher than fresh
According to the Copenhagen-based company, Novamyl BestBite enhances the characteristics of its predecessors, but with a much stronger focus on fresher than fresh bread with better texture, visible right after baking.
Bread remains soft, moist and resilient until the final day of its shelf life.
“Novamyl BestBite uses a game-changing biosolution that lifts the entire eating experience,” said Diggle.
“Consumers use all their five senses when choosing their foods, with the majority naming taste and texture as the most influential components.
“With Novamyl BestBite, we have prolonged the natural texture in baked goods, making products remain fresher for much longer. In fact, consumers liked bread that was 15 days old as much as day 1.”
He explained, “In terms of texture, this means a perfectly balanced bite that is soft yet resilient, which perfectly matches what consumers prefer. Until now, obtaining a superior softness and moistness without compromising on resilient bread crumb has been a challenge. But Novamyl BestBite allows you to achieve a great balance without compromises.
“We call it ‘a soft yet resilient bite’.”
Raise the better-for-you bar
Novamyl BestBite also enables bakers to pivot towards the better-for-you market trend by reducing the dependency on added sugars in their products. In fact, Novozymes claims bakers will cut added sugar content by 50% to 75% without changing the bread’s taste profile.
This not only answers the demand for healthier products, but also has the potential to save on sugar, emulsifier and yeast costs.
“Keeping baked products fresh and on the shelf is not enough,” said Diggle.
“By focusing on texture and maintaining a soft, fluffy and resilient eating experience throughout shelf life, we have been able to target a new area in the market.”
Novomyl BestBite was put to the test – a randomised, blinded consumer tasting study performed as the Danish Technological Institute's sensory laboratory. Results found:
Even trained consumer panels that tasted bread made with Novamyl BestBite couldn’t tell the difference between freshly baked bread and two-week-old bread.
It’s an all-round win for bakers: improving bread’s taste, texture and cost; delivering on consumer expectations; and contributing towards the fight against food waste.