“Consumers are starting to follow the principles of low-glycaemic index (GI) eating, cutting high-GI food intake in favour of low-GI foods that raise blood glucose more slowly to maintain constant energy levels,” says BakeMark UK’s (Wirral, Merseyside) trade marketing manager David Astles. “The message that carbohydrates are good for you is finally hitting home.”

In response, BakeMark UK is putting its bread mixes to the test. Independent trials conducted at Oxford Brookes University in December 2005 on its Arkady Combicorn multigrain bread base mix returned a low-GI rating of 49.

BakeMark UK’s head of bakery supplies Derek Kemp says: “Bakers looking for innovative ways to create new and healthy products should not be afraid to experiment by using products in new ways.

“For example, our Holstein mix, a combination of eight different seeds and grains, is traditionally used as a topping. But customers have found that it also lends a good flavour, rich seeded texture and healthy high-fibre proposition to bread when added to the dough.”