Ingredients specialist Ulrick & Short has launched two starches that it claims increase shelf-life and enhance the height and softness of the loaf with no detriment to taste or texture.

The British-owned company said that a 2% inclusion of its wheat-based Synergie Melody and Synergie Superdust starches within a standard white loaf will provide up to a day’s additional shelf-life with additional springiness maintained to at least the best before date.

Even when emulsifiers are reduced, the inclusion was still fully effective, it said, thus allowing bread manufacturers to improve their product and clean up their labelling as the two new starches are wheat-based.

This development will be of interest not only to the leading commercial manufacturers, but also in-house supermarket bakeries and artisan bakers for whom an additional day’s shelf-life could bring a significant return on investment, the company said.

Niamh Davern, development technologist at Ulrick & Short, explained: “This is a fresh development which has been undergoing trials for some time with a well-known bakery customer, and we’re completely confident in our claims of increased shelf-life and volume, plus enhanced softness and springy texture – but with absolutely no adverse effects.”