FDF Launches a Sugar Reducing Guidline for Bakery Products

The recommendation that bakers received from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) in the UK helps in understanding the function of sugar in bakery products before reducing or replacing the ingredient.

The FDF has recently launched a document named Reformulation Guide Spotlight on Sugars, which also contains a chapter on bakery products.

The new guidance sets out the regulatory framework covering the reduction of sugars, key considerations when reducing sugars or using sugar replacers, and factors affecting the consumer acceptability of sugar replacers. The guide covers the different challenges and opportunities in reducing sugars in the soft drinks, dairy and baked goods categories, as well as discusses ingredient and labelling considerations.

“When reducing the sugars in bakery products, it is important not only to address the reduction in sweetness, but importantly how to replace the bulk properties, as the main functions of sugars in baked goods are to provide bulk, volume, structure and tenderness”, according to the document, which was developed on behalf of the FDF by Leatherhead Food Research.

The guide, addressed to small- and medium-sized companies, also contains a description of sugar replacer usage in bakery items.