Trials suggest way to improve shelf life in glazing, icing

June 27, 2014, Germany – The results of industry
technical trials suggest a way to improve shelf life and overall quality in
glazings or icings on bakery products.

June 27, 2014, Germany – The results of industry
technical trials suggest a way to improve shelf life and overall quality in
glazings or icings on bakery products.
Technical experts at functional food manufacturer Beneo have
conducted technical trials to improve the shelf life and quality of glazed and
iced, freshly and frozen packed doughnuts.

The results suggest that with the partial replacement of
sucrose with the company’s functional carbohydrate Palatinose in glazings or
icings, shelf life and overall product quality can be significantly improved.

Findings indicated a partial replacement of sucrose with
Palatinose in freshly packed doughnuts leads to an extended shelf-life
stability through the unique carbohydrate’s ability to control water activity
and moisture migration, said a news release from Beneo. 

In addition, the glaze containing Palatinose maintains
transparency throughout the extended shelf life. Due to the low hygroscopicity
of Palatinose, the glaze does not become sticky. In addition, the Palatinose
glazed, freshly packed doughnuts exhibit a more pleasant sweetness in
comparison to using sucrose alone.

The trials also demonstrated that partial replacement of
sucrose with Palatinose in frozen packed doughnuts ensures a maintained glaze
transparency throughout the freezing process and after defrosting, said the
release. It prevents the glaze from sticking to the foil during frosting and, more
importantly, after defrosting. Palatinose also provides a slightly reduced and
more pleasant sweetness in frozen packed doughnuts, as with the case with pure
sucrose glazing.

“Sugar-based donut glazings traditionally have a lower aw
value (water activity) than the donut. This leads to increased water migration
from the donut to its glaze, resulting in the donut drying out very quickly,”
Katja Reichenbach, Beneo’s product manager of Palatinose, commented in the
release. However, Beneo trialled the partial replacement of sucrose with Palatinose
in glazings and icings and the results showed that water activity was brought
under control in the glaze, keeping the donuts moist for longer. As well as
extending shelf life in freshly packed donuts, partial sucrose replacement by
Palatinose has also been trialled in frozen packed donuts. The test results
show that its use substantially improves the quality of the donut upon
defrosting.”

The webinar on these trials may be viewed until November 2014.