Individualised taste profiles and improved process stability can be achieved within three steps, the company claims.
Grüninger, a Swiss producer of industrial and commercial margarines, has developed a new technology to produce palm-free, vegan and vegetarian margarines in which any off-note flavours are “effectively” taste masked. At the heart of the process is a natural rosemary extract-derived antioxidant that extends the products’ shelf-life and increases heat stability during baking. Employed to overcome issues that arise when replacing solid palm fat with alternative oils, the neutralised fats are subsequently custom-flavoured to match specific applications. In addition to stabilising the flavour of margarines, as well as vegetable and animal oils and fats, a key advantage is an optimised mouthfeel.
The company’s new process is designed for bakery and confectionery manufacturers due to its advantages from factory to fork.
First, any oxidation-labile fatty acids are stabilised during refining and crystallisation with the help of a natural antioxidant. This both significantly extends the shelf-life of the end product and prevents the occurrence of heat-induced off-flavours that can arise during baking. By adding special masking flavours to the fat phase, any undesirable flavours are masked in a second step before the desired top note is integrated into the structure during the precisely controlled crystallisation stage.
In addition to natural butter and vanilla notes, possible flavours include creamy-milky, fresh-sour or neutral-slightly sweet, as well as lightly roasted, nutty notes. The flavour matrix of each margarine or shortening is customised for industrial customers and own brands, which Grüninger produces as well as private-label articles. It is also possible to modify the taste of soft margarines, sandwich spreads and a wide range of special fats for industrial or commercial bakers.
Michel Burla, managing director of Grüninger, said: “Fat is one of the most important flavour carriers, which has a decisive influence on the market success of the end product. In addition to flavouring, we rely on cooling drum technology to optimise the plasticity of the products, which is especially important when dispensing with structure-giving solid palm fat.”
