Danisco Eases Trans Fat Concerns

A direct response to the trans fatty acid debate, DIMODAN NH Distilled Monoglyceride enables bakers to smooth over consumer concerns about hydrogenated fats at no expense to the quality of their bread products.

19/03/07 Leading ingredient supplier Danisco has launched a new emulsifier to ease the move towards hydrogenation-free baking. A direct response to the trans fatty acid debate, DIMODAN NH Distilled Monoglyceride enables bakers to smooth over consumer concerns about hydrogenated fats at no expense to the quality of their bread products.

Trans fats may develop when fats are subject to partial hydrogenation. Although trans fatty acids are never present in fully hydrogenated fats, widespread coverage of the potential health implications has led some markets to equate any degree of hydrogenation with the trans fat risk.

“It is no longer enough to claim the elimination of trans fats,” says Dorte Petersen, regional emulsifier director at Danisco. “We see an increasing market demand for emulsifiers where hydrogenation has not been used at all.

“We have had a trans-free softener in our range for years. Now we have taken it one step further and developed a hydrogenation-free monoglyceride with a low iodine value and the equivalent functionality of a hydrogenated monoglyceride.”

Targeted at bakery applications such as toast and brioche toast, DIMODAN® NH 100 secures perfect crumb softness right through shelf life – keenly demonstrating Danisco’s extensive knowledge of fats, emulsifiers and their functionality in bread.

Monoglycerides based on hydrogenated fat have until now been widely recognised as the most efficient means of delaying starch retrogradation in bread and, in that way, improving shelf life. Danisco’s innovative alternative based on a special non-hydrogenated fat has been proven just as efficient.

DIMODAN NH 100 is just the latest product development from Danisco in response to trans concerns. Last year saw the arrival of GRINDSTED CRYSTALLIZER Emulsifier Blends, a range designed to improve capacity by optimising the crystallisation speed of trans-free fats.

The patent-pending technology behind DIMODAN NH 100 is currently being fine-tuned for other applications and will be ready for market launch shortly.