A major trend in the industry will be increased satiety, making the consumer feel full for longer. By increasing the amount of soluble and insoluble fibres in bakery goods - with such products having a low glycaemic index - energy is released slowly and steadily, helping to control appetite as well as cholesterol levels.
There are almost 24 million overweight adults in the UK, so this trend is of increasing importance.
As salt is one of the consumer’s biggest concerns, including its association to cardiovascular disease, there has been a definite demand for salt reduction in products. This can often be difficult to achieve without compromising on taste. Yet Low Sodium Mineral Sea Salt can help combat this problem, as it contains 60% less sodium than ordinary salt. Much of this sodium is replaced by potassium, magnesium and other minerals found in sea water.
Another trend is using safe levels of selenium in baked goods. With a selenium intake deficit in the population, and recent associations with prostate cancer, we are looking into safe levels of selenium in wheat, based on the Food Standards Agency’s expert panel on safe upper levels, as both too little and excessive amounts ingested can result in illness.
There can be something beneficial in everything we eat. Not everyone wants to take vitamin tablets and bakers can add ingredients such as calcium to products, which can benefit consumers’ health.
Markus Smet, head of marketing and strategy,
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