Cognis Develops New Enzyme for Better Shelf Life

Nutraceutical giant Cognis says it has developed a new bakery enzyme preparation to meet customer demand in both developed and developing markets for products with an increased shelf life.

Nutrilife AS M is a bakery enzyme preparation that the firm claims “significantly slows down staling and improves the elasticity of the crumb” when added to products such as sandwich bread, buns and Italian sweet bread loaf panettone, although it is aimed at producers of all yeast-raised baked products.

The optimised maltogenic amylase is tailored so that its anti-staling effect makes longer supply chains easier for customers to manage, where it can be added to existing formulations in dosages of 3-10g per 100kg of flour, with precise levels dependent on the shelf life desired.

Andreas Funke, global product line food ingredients, said demand for such a solution was strong in both developed and developing markets alike, although it will not be available in the US: “It gives bread a lasting crumb structure, without losing softness,” he said.

Holger Riemensperger, director global product line food ingredients added that taste and freshness would always be the most important criteria for end consumers buying bakery and bread products, “as a good mouth feel is central to the pleasure of eating them”.