Ingredients manufacturer Ulrick & Short has released Synergie Legato, a new ingredient for gluten-free bakery products.

Synergie Legato is based on tapioca and has been formulated to have the simple one-word declaration – ‘starch’, said Ulrick & Short.

Described as a clean-label product, the ingredient promises to improve the textural properties of gluten-free cakes, breads and other baked goods.

Ulrick & Short said it was “a versatile product, suitable for a range of bakery applications, mainly sponges, cakes and biscuits, enhancing moisture retention, volume, texture and softness”. It is also non-GM, vegan and allergen-free.

The company added that Synergie Legato has been designed for easy application in factory processes and can be mixed with other dry ingredients. It is to be used in a similar way to bakery improvers and can be dosed at a low percentage of the flour weight, directly into the recipe, or pre-blended.

Ulrick & Short’s research and development technologist, Emma Walker said: “Allergen claims are here to stay and as the trend has grown and the number of people following a free-from lifestyle has increased, the consumer is demanding that the gluten-free alternative is as good as the original.

Manufacturers constantly struggle with reformulating, with their products not delivering the right texture, volume or bite. By all these indices, Synergie Legato has been demonstrated to make quantitative, substantial improvements.”