When Handling Atypical Dough, Enzymes Come to Rescue
Baking plant-based products presents unique challenges, as alternative ingredients—such as nut flours, vegetable oils, and plant-based substitutes for eggs, butter, and milk—significantly alter the structure and behaviour of dough. Enzymes help mitigate these variations, make the baker’s life easier and keep customers happy.
Commercial enzymes have revolutionised how bakers tackle plant‑based and gluten‑free doughs, offering functional solutions for volume, texture, elasticity, shelf‑life extension, and clean‑label positioning.
The global baking enzymes market was valued at USD 1.82 bn in 2024 and is forecast to reach USD 2.98 bn by 2032 (CAGR 6.3 %) . Europe leads with 38.6 % of the market, followed by North America (~30 %) and fast-growing Asia‑Pacific . Alpha‑amylases form 41.5 % of enzyme usage, followed by proteases, lipases, xylanases . Growth is driven by demand for plant‑based, gluten‑free, clean‑label and sustainable baking solutions .
Enzyme solutions offer several key benefits for bakeries, particularly when working with plant-based and gluten-free formulations. They enhance dough strength and machinability, making it easier to process challenging recipes without compromising structure or consistency. These enzymes also help extend freshness and delay staling, which is essential for reducing waste, especially in sweet and plant-based baked goods. Additionally, many enzyme systems support clean-label positioning by replacing chemical oxidisers and emulsifiers with non-GMO alternatives. Process-specific formulations can also lead to significant energy and ingredient cost savings by enabling efficient production at lower baking temperatures.
Here’s a deep dive into leading enzyme solutions on the market in Europe and the US.
dsm-firmenich’s BakeZyme
DSM’s BakeZyme range offers single-activity enzymes—such as proteases, amylases, and hemicellulases—that improve dough strength, elasticity, and shelf life while eliminating the need for chemical oxidisers. BakeZyme Go Pure enhances dough dryness and reinforces the gluten matrix, supporting structure in both conventional and gluten-free applications. BakeZyme Fresh XL helps maintain softness and resilience in grab-and-go bakery products, while BakeZyme Master, a maltogenic amylase, effectively delays staling in breads and tortillas, preserving a soft texture for up to a week. Available across Europe and the US, these enzyme solutions enable bakers to improve the quality and consistency of gluten-free and plant-based baked goods.
IFF’s ENOVERA & POWERBAKE Series
IFF’s ENOVERA line uses phospholipase to strengthen dough — even high‑ fiber plant‑based and reduced‑gluten formulations — offering improved shock resistance, volume and processing stability, all label‑friendly and free from E‑numbers.
Their POWERBAKE and POWERFRESH systems combine xylanases, lipases, oxido‑reducing enzymes, and starch‑acting amylases to enhance water absorption, dough conditioning, flavor, and shelf-life.
These enzyme mixes are used by industrial bakers throughout Europe and North America, especially in whole‑grain and gluten‑reduced operations.