Cargill develops alternative for monoglycerides and DATEM in bread

Cargill Texturising Solutions has developed an alternative for monoglycerides and diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono and diglycerides (DATEM), which are sometimes produced from partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) and used in bakeries for dough strengthening, volume enhancement, and crumb softening.

The launch follows the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s ruling on PHO last year.

The company believes that the replacement would be embraced as consumer awareness about label-friendly ingredients is increasing.

Cargill claims to have developed the solution before FDA’s revocation of generally recognised as safe (GRAS) status for PHO in mid-2015, which also impacted monoglycerides and DATEM.

The company’s unmodified soy lecithin products are said to display these characteristics with low cost, enabling customers with a ready-to-go workaround.

Cargill master baker Bill Gilbert said: "For the last year we have done extensive testing with multiple solutions to offer a replacement for our customers. We’ve worked on processing, texture profile analysis, and moisture and had trained sensory panelists evaluate them for 21-day shelf life breads."

Cargill’s marketing manager Kathrine Lutz said: "The team tested multiple alternatives that could work functionally, but unmodified soy lecithin provided the best solution. In the end, we found it."

Gilbert added: "At a time when manufacturers are faced with rapidly changing market dynamics and lack of R&D resources, Cargill is here to help."

Last year, Cargill developed a new starch, which is claimed to reduce fat in yoghurt by 50%, while retaining taste and texture.

Called C CreamTex 06329, the new modified starch has been created using Cargill’s proprietary technology to bolster the texture and rheological feature of the final product.