The introduction of sugar substitutes into the baking field adds a lot of flavor

According to iiMedia Research, in 2021, the size of China's baked goods market will reach 260.

In fact, sucrose plays many important roles in baking

Which sugar substitutes have entered the game

For the bakery industry, sugar substitute products are not new

Xylitol is one of the earliest sugar substitute raw materials in the baking industry.

As early as 10 years ago, the xylitol tiger skin rolls and xylitol pretzels at the counter in Daoxiang Village, Beijing, which were made with xylitol instead of sucrose, became the gospel of many diabetic patients

Xylitol is a well-recognized healthy sugar substitute that is used very frequently in the baking industry

However, compared with sucrose, xylitol does not produce Maillard reaction with protein substances, so there is a certain gap in product coloring, and xylitol products are difficult to ferment

Erythritol is a sugar substitute that has little effect on blood sugar fluctuations, so it can also be used in baking

Compared with the first two sugar substitute raw materials, maltitol entered the baking market earlier, and maltitol is used in many breads and pastries, including liquid maltitol in fillings

Maltitol can be widely used in baking, first of all because its sweetness is about 90% of that of sucrose, and its sweetness characteristics are close to that of sucrose; at the same time, maltitol has better water retention, and its use in cakes can significantly reduce egg liquid.

On the whole, maltitol has great application potential in the bakery market.

According to Innova Market Insights data research, from 2014 to 2018, the average annual growth rate of new products containing stevia in the baking market was 13%, and the average annual growth rate of new products containing Luo Han Guo was 21%

what problems to solve

There is no doubt that low sugar and no sugar are the main trends in the development of the baking market at present

Throughout the baking industry, the raw material side involves a variety of ingredients, in addition to sugar, there are flour, fillings, eggs, oils, etc.

The first is the compounding of raw materials of the product

Then there is the issue of cost

In addition, the safety issues of sugar substitute products, such as oligosaccharides and diarrhea caused by the use of some sugar alcohol raw materials alone, should also be considered
.

In terms of technology, the key to reducing sugar in baked products is not only raw materials, but also requirements for processes and equipment
.
For example, some sugar substitutes can undergo Maillard reaction with protein, and the degree of reaction is more severe than that of sucrose, so in terms of production process, it is necessary to consider reducing the amount of addition, lowering the temperature or reducing the baking time
.

Sucrose, as the main energy source for yeast fermentation, helps in the reproduction or fermentation of yeast
.
If sugar substitute raw materials are used, it will inevitably affect the fermentation time
.
For production enterprises, it means that the production cycle becomes longer and the cost increases
.
Therefore, it is necessary to make certain improvements to the equipment while ensuring the appropriate fermentation temperature and time
.

The particle size of different sugar substitute raw materials is also different, and it is necessary to adjust the appropriate particle size for use in different products
.

　　Under the trend of sugar reduction, "reduce sugar, reduce sugar" has become a new label in the baking market
.
However, no single-ingredient sugar substitute can completely replace sucrose, and the compounded product will allow consumers to have a better product experience
.

　　Since the addition of sugar substitute raw materials not only replaces sucrose, but also increases the health attributes of the product.
Therefore, although the share of sugar substitute raw materials in the baking market is still relatively small from the current point of view, the overall market is very large and has great big room for development
.

　　Looking at the characteristics of the baking industry, the complexity and intensification of products and technologies have become insurmountable obstacles to the popularity of the zero-sugar beverage market
.
For sugar substitute raw material manufacturers, as the upstream of the baking industry chain, it is necessary not only to provide the production of sugar substitutes, but also to pay attention to the end consumer groups, and work with brands to develop more healthy and delicious products for different groups of people and different scenarios.
scheme
.

(Comprehensive arrangement by Yang Xiaojing)

　　"China Food News" (July 18, 2022 Edition 06)

　　(Editor-in-charge: Yang Xiaojing)