FDBusiness.com

A leading European natural starch specialist, KRÖNER-STÄRKE has developed an exciting range of new clean label, native, pre-gelatinised, starches and flours to boost the health credentials of many food products. All products also offer a cost-effective solution for the food industry at a time when many raw materials have increased in price, and profit margins are being squeezed.

KRÖNER-STÄRKE starches and flours are consistently produced without the use of chemicals in tightly-controlled and transparent processes as well as many being available in organic form too. The versatile functionality of the firm’s high quality raw materials can often lead to more cost-effective production runs in bakery or ready meals by replacing other more expensive and less naturally produced ingredients.

Since recent extreme weather conditions have badly affected potato crops, food manufacturers looking to improve profit margins, but not relinquish functionality, can substitute potato flakes with a flaky wheat starch such as POMGEL. It comes with excellent dispersion properties to achieve lump-free mixing and a high water-binding capacity to keep breads and bakery products fresher for longer. It contains no additives (unlike many potato flakes) and is a totally clean-label product, declared simply as ‘wheat starch’ on labelling.

Other ingredients which are proving expensive at the moment, such as organic corn starch, can also be replaced by organic wheat starch. A gluten-free version – SANOSTAR – a wheat starch suitable for coeliacs, is also available. It has excellent baking properties producing arguably a better taste when compared to organic corn starch, is price competitive and has excellent availability resulting in a robust and reliable supply chain for food producers. The organic wheat starches are completely free of GMO.

In the bakery sector, KRÖNER-STÄRKE’s pregelatinised wheat flour is ideal for supporting new product development in fine bakery wares, fine yeast-raised doughs, choux paste, bread and small baked goods. Just declared as “wheat flour”, it functions to increase water absorption and improve dough hydration while also providing good viscosity and texture control. The finished products will also benefit from extended shelf life. Current discussions regarding the labelling of enzymes has resulted in pregelatinised flours becoming more and more popular.

In line with consumer trends, bakery producers seeking an alternative to wheat flour will be able to incorporate the firm’s pregelatinised rice flour R90 into recipes instead. It offers a perfect replacement solution for emulsifiers that are used for fresh-keeping and performs brilliantly in dry baked goods such as flan cases, pound cakes and sponge cakes. The broad functionality of the rice flour includes dough and emulsion stabilisation, fine crumb structure and texture control. Combine this with its ability to keep goods fresher for longer and you have a very hard-working ingredient giving good returns on investment.

Bakery specialists have been hit hard by the sharp rise in egg prices in Europe and with this in mind, KRÖNER-STÄRKE has produced a multi-purpose egg replacer – REGG-EX – which is 100% clean label and based on specially selected quality flours and untreated spring water. It allows bakery specialists to avoid the full impact of the rise in egg prices by retaining the binding and relaxing functionality of eggs with up to a 100% replacement in actual egg content. It is particularly successful in pound cakes, muffins and milk rolls.

As the ready-meal sector is also trying to make products healthier whilst keeping control of costs, the company has perfected both pregelatinised and hot swelling starches with wide ranging functionality that can be used to replace modified starches in applications such as mayonnaises, sauces, fillings, dairy products, soups and batters.

KRÖNER-STÄRKE’s extensive starch range includes TOOGEL – a cold water swelling starch able to bind large amounts of liquid to act as a thickening agent and stabiliser of batters, doughs and emulsions as well as a clean-label-stabiliser in cream and bakery fillings.  And STIKKER – a native, hot swelling starch that has been specifically created as an ingredient for clean label batters or for coating meat, fish and vegetable products.

According to product development manager Maren Wiese: “All our ingredients come with full clean label credentials and we can offer the food industry healthy, cost-effective functional alternatives to enzymes, emulsifiers, modified starches and stabilisers. At a time when many companies need to combine innovation with cost savings, we believe using specialist starches and flours offers a fantastic alternative. If we don’t have the exact product yet in our range we will also work closely with our client to deliver a bespoke solution for them.”

Innovative thinking and adaptability is going to be key for all food sectors facing raw material price fluctuations. Being able to substitute certain functional ingredients for versatile and possibly cheaper versions while providing clean label declarations and high levels of transparency might just be the deciding factor in grabbing an extra share of the food market.

For further information on KRÖNER-STÄRKE’s product range contact: Henrik de Vries +49 (0) 54 51 94 47 0 or visit www.kroener-staerke.de.