Prebiotic Bread Progress

Prebiotic bread with digestive health benefits is being developed by Belgian-based companies Puratos and Fugeia.

While not a new concept, the companies say their technology presents an advantage as the prebiotic substances are activated during the baking process with no need for additional fibres, offering cost and health benefits.
Fugeia co-founder Jan Delcour reckons products could be on shop shelves within18 months with ‘regular bread products’ and pastries being possible options.
In a recent statement, managing director Willem Broekaert said the Puratos team had been instrumental in guiding their product development efforts while Puratos Research and development director Filip Arnaut said the technology had ‘excellent potential’ for artisan and industrial bakers as well as patissiers and the project ‘fits in well with our efforts to develop innovative products with a health bonus’.
At the time Tate & Lyle Ventures – T&L’s independent investment company – bought into Fugeia in May last year, managing partner, Simon Barnes said Fugeia’s patented technologies and applications presented ‘genuine differentiation’ in the prebiotics sector with their natural wheat bran fibre having a different functionality to the inulin-based ingredients.