LCI launch new ingredient to increase dough hydration

Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients (LCI) have announced a new ingredient which increases dough hydration for bakers.

“Increased dough hydration is a major benefit for bakers,” says Anne Lionnet, marketing manager for bakery at LCI.

“Hydra 0.2% is our new product that brings a unique combination of functional ingredients, giving an economical solution with a dosage of 0.2% and is used in addition to your standard dough conditioner. It is an invisible, clean label solution with a ‘wheat flour’ label.”

There are main two reasons to hydrate the dough more, she explains. First, there is a cost reduction in the units sold. This is gained through a direct cost saving on the bowl recipe, an increase in the number of products by bowl, a decrease in the lack of water during the baking time – giving a possible reduction in the division weight, and an improvement in the link of water modification to cooking scale. Second, and importantly, there is improved product quality.

Therefore, this is an important economic and quality issue. But there is a real difficulty for operators to wanting increase hydration online – there is a risk of stickiness in the dough and also of stopping the production line.

LCI’s HYDRA 0.2% is a cost saving and functional solution that resolves these difficulties affirms Ms Lionnet : “It allows a gain of 4% hydration from a clean label ingredient and invisible solution that brings a gain on cost recipe, an improvement in industrial cost as well as margin improvement and increased competitiveness – plus an improvement in product quality.

“A penny difference in a unit of product can make all the difference.”