Food raw material for industrial use – Cakes

In the sample of 210 cakes analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• 3 products use wheat gluten.

WHAT IS and the REASONS to use GLUTEN:

It is a viscoelastic network constituted by glutenin and gliadin proteins, naturally present in wheat flour, responsible for retaining gases that make the dough to increase the volume. Its use can enhance flours with low content of gluten and increase the protein content.

Notes

High-quality flours usually do not require adding gluten in as an ingredient.

In the sample of 210 cakes analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• 93 products use maize starch; 40, modified maize starch; 26, maltodextrin; 2, modified manioc starch; 5, potato starch; 23, manioc starch; and 6, organic manioc starch.

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use MODIFIED STARCH, POTATO STARCH AND MALTODEXTRIN:

Starch is obtained from vegetable source (rice, corn, manioc, etc.). Starch from manioc and potato are called potato starch. Maltodextrin or soluble corn fibers are as oligosaccharides formed by D-glucose polymers, resulting from the maize starch or starch hydrolysis. And the modifies starch has some of its characteristics changed by enzymatic, physical, and chemical processes.

They are used to produce determined types of cake, giving them different characteristics, mainly texture appearance and stability.

Notes

Examples of processes used to change natural starch and potato starch: Oxidation; Acid hydrolysis; cross linking and Esterification.

In the sample of 210 cakes analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• 8 products use wheat fiber; 2, oat; 6, orange fiber; 5, dietary fiber; and 41, polydextrose.

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use FIBERS:

Plant-based wheat, oat, orange, polydextrose fiber and dietary fiber. Used to help with the texture and increase the fibers content.

Notes

Polydextrose is classified as a soluble fiber and also used as sweetener, being frequently used in manufacturing low calories beverages and food. It gives structure to the products.

In the sample of 210 cakes analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• 19 products use soybean proteins; and 1, WPC.

WHAT ARE and the REASONS to use PLANT-BASED AND ANIMAL ANIMAL ORIGIN PROTEINS:

Usually found in the isolated or concentrate forms, they are ingredients with high protein content, obtained from plant-based or animal sources. Here, soybeans protein and whey protein (WPC) sere used. Used to increase the protein content and to enable the emulsion formation.

Notes

In the last years, plant-based protein concentrates are being used as substitute of proteins or animal origin products.

In the sample of 210 cakes analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• 1 product use malt extract.

WHAT IS and the REASONS to use MALT EXTRACT:

Malt extract is a product obtained form the hydrolysis of starch present in barley malt. It is predominantly composed of fermentable sugar and can also contain dextrins and other fermentable substances. Used to give flavor and aroma to the products.

Notes

There are different presentations for malt extract, all of them much used in the food industry.

In the sample of 210 cookies analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• 1 product uses cereal alcohol.

WHAT IS and the REASONS to use CEREAL ALCOHOL:

Hydrated ethyl alcohol made with cereal, generally used as ingredient of a recipe. Usually used as a chemical preservative vehicle, such as sorbic acid.

Notes

In addition of serving as a vehicle for preservation, cereal alcohol is also used in the toppings preparation finishing, being ideal to dilute powders.

In the sample of 210 cakes analyzed in a study conducted by Ital:

• 41 products use polydextrose.

WHAT IS and the REASONS to use POLYDEXTROSE:

Polysaccharide synthesized from the glucose polymerization. It is classified as a soluble fiber and also used as sweetener, being frequently used in manufacturing low calories beverages and food, it give body to the products.

Notes

It is synthesized from dextrose, mote 10 per cent of sorbitol and one per cent of citric acid. Polydextrose was developed in the 80’s by the Japanese company Otsuka and marketed under the the name Fibermini.