Novozymes Creates Enzyme for Chinese Steamed Bread Market

One kilogram of enzymes reduces CO2 emissions by more than 100 kilograms in the industrialized production of steamed bread for supermarkets.

7 Jun 2010 --- Novozymes’ enzymatic solutions help companies to make more from less by saving energy and raw materials and reducing waste. Novozymes Novamyl Steam is a new blend of enzymes that gives steamed bread increased and prolonged softness and freshness. One kilogram of enzymes reduces CO2 emissions by more than 100 kilograms in the industrialized production of steamed bread for supermarkets.

Novamyl Steam is a new blend of enzymes that gives steamed bread increased and prolonged softness and freshness. Extended freshness means fewer deliveries, less packaging, and less waste through stale returns. Using Novamyl also results in less switching between products on the production line and longer production runs, leading to considerable reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The life cycle assesment (LCA) for Novamyl for baked bread shows that for every kilogram of Novamyl shipped, there is a net downstream reduction of over 100 kilograms of CO2 emissions.

“Novamyl Steam is custom-designed for China’s baking industry, and it’s a unique way not only to reduce steamed bread manufacturers’ production costs and to increase their profit, but also to improve sustainability,” says Anders Glasdam Axelsen, Regional Marketing Manager for Cereal Food, Novozymes China.

In a challenging business environment where fluctuating raw material prices are squeezing bakers against consumer demands for quality, enzymes are increasingly seen as a natural and innovative solution for today’s baking businesses. Since 1990, when the baking industry was revolutionized by Novamyl, Novozymes has been committed to developing new solutions for changing business needs.

“By using enzymes to innovate our bread so that it can stay fresh for longer, we can reduce waste all along the supply chain and further reduce energy consumption,” says Anders Glasdam Axelsen. “Novamyl Steam extends the shelf life of steamed bread by preventing starch from recrystallizing. This maintains the softness and elasticity of the buns, meaning that steamed bread retains that fresh feel from day one up to day three or even longer!”