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SPECIALTY CARBOHYDRATES: Improving Biscuit Nutrition
By Anne-Karine Dedman, Danisco Sweeteners
Consumers are demanding low-fat, calorie-reduced and sugar-free products. Learn how to tackle the latest nutritional and technical challenges.
1 October 2006
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Worldwide, we have seen a trend towards indulgent biscuits. As these premium products become increasingly popular as ‘adult treats’, the question is how can manufacturers make them more healthy? The answer comes in the form of specialty carbohydrates which are promoting gut health and the reduced-glycemic responses that consumers are looking for.Digestive health
The reality is that physiological responses to food are far more complex than was previously appreciated. We know that certain gut dwelling bacteria are pathogenic, but also that a number of resident bacteria found in the human colon may be of benefit to host health. This recognition has led to dietary approaches that increase the numbers and activity of these ‘friendly’ bacteria.
Probiotics and prebiotics are both ways of improving host health through selection of selected bacteria in the gut. In contrast to probiotics, which are live microbial additions, a prebiotic is a non-viable component of the diet that reaches the colon in an intact form. It is selectively fermented by the colon bacteria. Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies has reportedly suggested that saccharides such as lactitol and non-digestible polysaccharides such as Litesse (polydextrose) can be used as prebiotics.In physiological terms, Litesse has a reported negligible effect on blood-sugar levels and is metabolized independently of insulin—contributing only one quarter the calories of sugar. Physiological benefits include slow and sustained fermentation in the lower gastrointestinal tract, production of short-chain fatty acids, fecal bulking, reduced transit time and a low-glycemic index. In most countries in Asia, as well as in some countries in Europe and the US, Litesse has been recognized as a source of dietary fiber. It can be used in a range of products including confectionery, baked goods, beverages and frozen desserts.
Reducing glycemic load
All of Danisco Sweeteners’ products have been tested for their glycemic effect and have been shown to be non-glycemic (lactitol, xylitol and Litesse) or have a low-glycemic load (fructose). Thus, by replacing sucrose or glucose with alternative sweeteners and bulking agents, it is possible to reduce the overall glycemic response of finished bakery products.
Litesse is a speciality carbohydrate that is not sweet and provides only 1 kilocalorie/gram. It can be used in many reduced-fat bakery products as a bulking agent, and to control final sweetness levels. In some applications, it has a similar functionality to fat, but without the calories.
For example, by adding up to eight percent of Litesse in short doughs, it has reportedly been shown that 50 percent reduced-fat claims can be achieved without sacrificing the taste or texture of the product.
Nutritional improvement of Shrewsbury-style biscuit using Litesse
Lactitol, a reduced-calorie sweetener (2.4 kilocalories/gram), is metabolized independently of insulin. It is 0.4 times as sweet as sugar and can be used in a variety of sweetening applications. In many bakery products, lactitol can simply be used to substitute for sugar—weight-for-weight—with intense sweeteners, if required.
No-added-sugar vanilla biscuit cream using Lactitol
Sugar-free shortcake biscuit using Litesse and Lactitol
Products which incorporate lactitol, generally have similar eating characteristics to traditional sucrose-sweetened products, although sweetness may need to be adjusted using intense sweetener combinations. Where a less-sweet version of a product is required, lactitol is a good choice. Because of its lack of hygroscopicity, lactitol is ideal for use in crisp baked products such as biscuits, providing the benefit of a longer crisp shelf-life. In cakes, crystalline lactitol formulates and processes in reportedly the same way as sucrose. Due to similar viscosity at low-to-moderate concentrations, similar batters can be developed, producing cakes with good textural and visual qualities, as well as added nutritional claims.
Xylitol, a reduced-calorie sweetener (2.4 kilocalories/gram), is also metabolized independently of insulin. The consumer desire for sugar-free confections which offer the sweetness, texture and mouthfeel of their sugar-sweetened counterparts—without the risk of tooth decay or raised blood-glucose levels–has led to the development of xylitol confectionery. Xylitol has a distinct cooling effect and a high sweetness level that allows for the creation of good tasting sugar-free confections. Moreover, xylitol provides unique dental benefits. It can be used alone or in combination with other non-cariogenic sweeteners to sweeten confections such as fondants, biscuit creams, chewing gum, compressed mints, chewy candies, hard candies, and many other confectionery forms.
Traditionally, xylitol has been used in sugar-free dental products, and due to its unique functionalities, it has now expanded into new areas such as baked goods. Tests have reportedly shown that xylitol can also act as an effective humectant. By binding moisture within the product, xylitol can improve both texture and shelf-life.
Fructose is the sweetest natural sugar and is found in fruits, vegetables and honey. It is 1.4-1.8 times as sweet as sucrose. Used a wide variety of product applications for its sweetening power and flavor-enhancing properties, fructose delays the drying-out process in baked goods. Due to its humectant properties, fructose delays the drying out of baked goods, thus helping to keep these products moist. Moreover, fructose is reportedly more effective than sucrose as a humectant while being similar to glucose. This property, coupled with its low-water activity, contributes to an extended shelf-life of the final end product. Fructose is also metabolized independently of insulin, making it a useful ingredient in the development of low-glycemic foods suitable for diabetic foods.
Conclusion
Speciality carbohydrates are valuable alternatives to sugar and fats in 'better-for-you' products. They can be used in a variety of applications as functional ingredients in their own right, or as a means of improving carbohydrate and nutritional profiles. This could include fat or sugar reduction, sugar-free, calorie-controlled or reduced glycemic-response products.
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