Baked goods: Experts flag rise in consumer demand for organic fats and oils and natural ingredients

11 Oct 2023 --- Baked goods consumers seek indulgent products with a plant-based, clean label profile and a low-fat content that features organic fats and oils. According to Cargill and Fuji Oil Europe, sunflower coconut and shea oils are highly sought.

“Today’s consumers are taking a more holistic, proactive, and preventative approach to health. They are becoming increasingly mindful of their food and where the ingredients come from and seek innovative, sensory experiences. Clean label, plant-based, nutritional profile and sustainability continue to influence their purchasing decisions,” Camiel van Beek, category director, bakery at Cargill Europe, tells Food Ingredients First. 

 “As a result, consumers are increasingly conscious of the impact fats and oils have on their diets and overall health. Fats remain a top consumer concern, second only to sugar regarding sought-after information.” 

According to Cargill’s Ingredient Tracker 2022 survey, oils hold consumers’ attention and those perceived as natural and recognizable, such as organic sunflower and coconut oil, are perceived as ‘healthier’ options. On the other hand, ingredients like palm oil and chemical-sounding additives are viewed as less healthy. 

Key trendsOrganic fats and oils are at the top of consumer preferences in the bakery category.
“Prominent trends observed in the oils and fats space within bakery products are centered on sustainability and transparency, evolving health-conscious lifestyles, and the pursuit of happiness and indulgence,” says Karen Saey, development and intellectual property manager at Fuji Oil Europe. 

Food products are increasingly expected to be tailored to consumers’ unique way of life, whether vegan, plant-based, keto, “free-from” or another lifestyle choice.

“Our latest round of TrendTracker research, conducted in 2023, finds that there are four key trends that are shaping the demands not only in the bakery industry but in food and beverages as a whole – healthier options, sustainable sourcing, indulgence and simplification,” says Susen Gottwald, customer innovation manager, bakery at Cargill. 

Consumers view their purchases as a reflection of their values and make decisions that support the environment. They expect transparency from brands to help them achieve these goals. 

Fuji’s shea supply chain begins with collectors, primarily women, who benefit from organizing into cooperatives to sell larger quantities and gain better negotiation power. “Our commitment extends to local value creation through local processing of shea kernels and the fractionation of shea butter into shea stearin in our facilities in Ghana,” says Saey. 

“We prioritize the preservation of shea tree green areas and a commitment to zero deforestation. Recognizing that endemic poverty underlies many other issues, we are dedicated to empowering women’s cooperatives through a program that enables them to grow their capabilities to a point where they no longer require pre-financing.”

Fats that volumize and equalize
Cargill launched Cremoflex, a customizable range of premium filling fats to meet the different formulation needs for healthier, more sustainable baking fats and oils.  

“Our range of solutions enables our customers to tailor their product to consumer’s needs — ranging from ‘the volumizer’ to enable fluffier delicacies to ‘the equalizer’ to reach healthier filling options,” Van Beek notes. 

CremoFlex filling fats can be tailored to suit Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)-certified palm solutions and in applications like filled biscuits, sandwich cookies, wafers, and filled chocolate tablets and pralines. “There’s also ‘the intensifier’ for true indulgence and the ‘all-rounder’ for cost-effective and easy processing solutions.”Consumers are highly interested in the clean label credentials of baked goods.

“The challenge is similar when it comes to the role of fats in the plant-based meat alternatives space, as we aim to improve the nutritional profile of products through both enrichment with minerals, vitamins, fibers and proteins as well as reduction of disqualifying nutrients such as total fat (energy) and saturated fat.” 

The portfolio complies with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended best practice of a maximum of two grams of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (iTFA) per 100 grams of fats/oils by the end of 2023. 

“In response to the increasing need for lower saturated fat profiles, CremoFlex enables indulgent products with up to 25% reduction of saturated fatty acid (SAFA) compared to conventional solutions,” she says.   

Plant-based fats
Baking fats must improve flavor-release nutritional profiles, meet health-conscious consumers’ dietary needs, and deliver on taste and functionality. Clean ingredients and prioritizing transparency are essential to many consumers, while some prefer the botanical origin of an oil.

“Sustainability is at the forefront of baking fat innovations. Manufacturers are adopting sustainable sourcing practices, reducing carbon emissions, conserving water and promoting regenerative farming techniques,” says Saey.

The Redusat range of plant-based fats by Fuji Oil enables a substantial reduction of saturated fatty acids by up to 60% without compromising food products’ original texture and taste experience.

These fats crystallize very fast, resulting in a harder texture and better heat resistance than the traditional, higher saturated fats they replace. “Redusat fats can effortlessly be aerated into a stable structure, resulting in a biscuit cream with a delightful textural contrast to the biscuit,” says Saey.

Crucial components 
Fats and oils are crucial in determining the quality and shelf life of baked goods and impact aspects such as texture, volume, appearance, color, mouthfeel and sensory attributes.

“Highly refined vegetable oils and fats have a bland taste and allow the addition of different flavors into the baked product to achieve the desired outcome,” Van Beek notes. 

Unsaturated fats are more prone to oxidation and can become rancid faster. “Our state-of-the-art production facilities further contribute to shelf life by retaining the naturally occurring protective mechanisms found in oils and fats. From this foundation, we can add antioxidants to extend shelf life,” she says. 

“This is an area of active research for us as we work to develop next-generation antioxidants that push shelf life boundaries even further.”

The choice of fat and oils also impacts the product’s nutritional profile, with lower saturated SAFA options like sunflower and rapeseed oil being preferred – a key consideration for food manufacturers looking to tap into clean eating trends.In today’s market, baked goods must be indulgent and meet sustainability requirements.  

“Whether it’s the margarine fats enhancing the flakiness of puff pastry, the bake-stable fats essential for Viennoiserie fillings, or the biscuit dough fats that ensure precise spread control during baking while also delivering anti-bloom properties for the overlaying couverture during shelf life — the essential properties of bakery fats extend far beyond this mere glimpse,” Saey explains.

Decadent tastes
Indulgence is top of mind for consumers, but at the same time, they look for snacks that make them feel good about themselves. “Finding this balance in a delicious and health-conscious treat allows consumers to enjoy their favorite baked goods with greater peace of mind and gives them an energy boost during the busy day,” Saey says.

“The challenge is to combine excellent mouthfeel and taste with other features such as nutritional wishes and technical requirements regarding processing and quality.”

Baking fats need to have a certain consistency and stability at ambient temperature so that, for instance, in a creaming step, sugar and fat can be whipped into an excellent cream for further processing. 

“This element is crucial since incorporating air into the dough system will have further implications in other properties like spread, hardness, crumbliness and crispiness. Also, during storage upon consumption, the nature of the fat will have a major effect on taste but also the appearance of the product,” Saey concludes.

By Inga de Jong