IRELAND- Kerry, an Irish taste and nutrition company, has introduced a groundbreaking enzyme solution called “Biobake Fresh Rich,” designed to enhance the shelf life of sweet baked goods.
This innovative development promises to deliver longer-lasting softness, freshness, and moistness perception while also playing a crucial role in reducing food waste.
Biobake Fresh Rich is a clean label enzyme that primarily acts on starch, allowing sweet baked goods with more than 20% sugar content to maintain their freshness for an extended period.
The enzyme is specifically formulated to create a softer, more consistent, and flexible crumb structure in baked products.
Baked goods significantly contribute to food waste worldwide, making extending their shelf life an essential component of waste reduction efforts.
According to data from Wageningen University & Research, bread and pastries constitute the largest share (35%) of total food waste in Dutch supermarkets.
By preserving the quality of baked goods for a more extended period, Biobake Fresh Rich has the potential to contribute to a more environmentally sustainable future by reducing the likelihood of bakery products being discarded.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization has estimated that food loss and waste account for 8–10% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“Our recent research conducted with 5,154 consumers in 10 countries found 98% of consumers are actively trying to reduce food waste, over 72% believe improving shelf life would help reduce waste, and one-third would be willing to switch brand loyalties for a longer shelf life,” Deborah Waters, Product Director for Enzymes at Kerry, stated.
According to the company, Biobake Fresh Rich has demonstrated its effectiveness in maintaining the freshness, softness, and moistness of high-sugar-content products such as muffins, pancakes, and pound cakes over an extended shelf life.
It not only reduces food waste but also makes the supply chain more robust, contributing to the sustainability profiles of bakeries.
The enzyme solution comes in a highly dispersible dry format with a neutral taste. It is suitable for kosher, halal, vegetarian, and vegan product manufacturing, making it a versatile and inclusive option for the baking industry.
In sensory trials conducted over a 12-week shelf life period, Biobake Fresh Rich significantly outperformed a benchmark fresh-keeping enzyme regarding softness and moistness perception.
A path to a more sustainable future
Deborah Waters emphasizes Kerry’s commitment to providing innovative enzyme technologies that help industrial bakeries improve their efficiency and sustainability profiles.
Extending the shelf life of products is a strategic approach many bakeries use to enhance product appeal, increase profits, and reduce food waste.
“Biobake Fresh Rich is a versatile, clean-label solution that maintains freshness in sweet bakery applications over a longer shelf life, helping build brand loyalty,” Waters commented.
Kerry’s dedication to combating food waste is further exemplified by the recent opening of an innovation hub for food protection and preservation in the “Food Valley” of Wageningen University in the Netherlands. This hub focuses on pioneering new food waste reduction and clean-label ingredient solutions.
Kerry’s Biobake Fresh Rich offers a promising solution to the global challenge of food waste while providing consumers with longer-lasting, high-quality, sweet baked goods. With increasing support for reducing food waste and improving shelf life, this enzyme solution is a significant step towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future.
