Pastry gets a vegan makeover

A significant trend in this area is the development of vegan food. These diets have become mainstream and a ‘greener’ alternative to conventional food. As a movement, it pushes global awareness of environmentally friendly production and consumption. For formulators of food products, this is an area that is continuously growing and well worth keeping an eye on.

NO EGGS, PLEASE

Pastry manufacturer JP’s Pastry is following this movement and decided to reformulate its gluten-free pastry recipe to respond to consumer demand. Located in the US, the company is an online provider, specialising in baking gluten-free, artisanal cupcakes and pastries. They asked Brenntag to find a plant-based alternative to eggs, which could perform a similar role - without affecting taste or texture.

‘Our Food & Nutrition (F&N) team at Brenntag North America assisted JP’s Pastry in mastering this challenge by applying our passion for great food, the experience of our partners and our credentials to meet its needs,’ notes Graham Hines of Brenntag. ‘Leveraging the expertise of our application specialists, we used alpha-cyclodextrin. This is an effective emulsifier and foaming agent that can mask unpleasant flavours and aromas. It can even reduce cholesterol.’

A KEY TO SUCCESSFUL INNOVATION IN VEGAN FOOD

Brenntag’s solution to use alpha-cyclodextrin as an alternative to eggs proved to be the right fit for the pastry processor. ‘With close and trusting cooperation with our partners and a wide range of specialist teams, we can elevate the vegan movement to a higher level at a lower price,’ Hines concludes.

Vegan style pastry that ticks all the boxes