Ingredients supplier National Starch Food Innovation has launched a new speciality starch for the reduced-fat cake market. This can be used by bakery manufacturers to create cakes using up to 75% less margarine, butter or shortening.

It has been designed to meet the challenges bakers face in producing products with reduced-fat content, while retaining the same taste and quality.

The starch-based solution also allows a 30% reduction in calories in high-ratio cakes. Other bakery products such as muffins, cookies, cake fillings and buttercream can also benefit from using up to 30% less fat.

"Consumers are often disappointed by the inferior taste and texture of reduced-fat cakes, which affect their best-laid healthy eating plans," commented Alison Knight, European technical development manager, bakery, National Starch Food Innovation. "By reducing the use of butter by up to 75%, bakery manufacturers can achieve a more significant fat reduction than has previously been possible."

[http://www.foodinnovation.com]