Introducing Bake-Stable Flavours and Colours for the APAC Market
Bakery manufacturers in Asia are looking into more flavours and colours to add excitement to their products. Many see baked goods as a novel treat to escape from their hectic lifestyles or a chance to create share-worthy moments. Having a product with a bright appearance and well-performing flavour can be the difference that keeps them coming back for more:
56% of Chinese buyers are interested in visually-appealing packaged pastries on social media
Mintel, 2022
Cakes with seasonal flavours increased to 28% of all launches in Australia, signaling a demand for variety.
Mintel, 2022
However, a common challenge faced when adding flavours and colours is its performance once subjected to high baking temperatures.
Whether it is cakes, pastries, breads, or biscuits putting to such high temperature can be a gamble on the first try.
TOO HOT TO HANDLE?
In high baking temperatures, certain volatiles and aromatics tend to evaporate and retaining flavour profile and intensity become an issue.
Similarly, colours may look vibrant and bright fresh out of the oven, but may fade over time under harsher conditions.
Ensuring that baked products were able to remain on the shelves for a longer period of time without losing its colour or flavour can bring in cost savings with supply chain slack, while boosting product quality.
This is especially important for foods in Asia that tend to have taste and visual nuances connecting one to their childhood – kulfi is a traditional spiced Indian sweet, coconut is a staple ingredient for Thailand, and ube’s bright purple hues make it a popular flavour for its native country Philippines.
That’s why our experts in Sensient have done the difficult work of curating an extensive list of colours and flavours that perform well in baked goods.
OUR FLAVOUR SOLUTION: INTRODUCING SENSIBAKE
SensiBake features Sensient’s range of bake-stable flavors that have undergone internal studies and extensive testing to ensure its efficacy in baked goods. Ranging from basic to novel flavors, these formulations were created with a variety of bakery applications in mind.
- Retention of flavour intensity and strong profiles even after baking
- Technical support in ingredient selection and recipe development
- Quicker turnaround time in product development cycle
- Versatility in multiple bakery applications
- Ongoing evaluations of a diverse range of flavours
OUR COLOUR SOLUTION: SENSIENT’S NATURAL COLOURS
61% of APAC consumers state that it is important for colours in their food and beverage products to be natural.
Apart from novelty and excitement, consumers are also looking closely at labels when buying their food. Having natural ingredients can create a health halo that gives confidence to your product and brand.
Though natural comes with its own challenges, this is where recipe development and technical expertise play a huge role. With the right balance of recipe and product quality parameters, natural colours can perform just as well as or even better than synthetic ones.
From reds and oranges to blues and purples, you name it, we have it. Natural solutions that are heat-stable have been tried and tested by the experts in our labs.
Read more about our rainbow palette of options for sweet baked goods here.
Product examples from our ‘Taste of Asia’ collection by Sensient’s Global Innovation Centre:
Red Bean and Cheese Pancake
(Beta Carotene, Beet Red)
Northeast Asian countries like China and Japan enjoy red bean in all forms of dessert. The pancake has been traditionally made and sold at roadside stores for generations.
Calamansi Butter Cream Pie
(Carthamus and Spirulina)
Calamansi is commonly found in Southeast Asian cuisine, adding citrus fragrance and refreshing qualities to both sweet and savoury dishes.
Blueberry with Manuka Honey Bundt
(Spirulina Extract, Beet Red)
Oceania is known to be the production house of Manuka Honey, famed for its medicinal benefits and distinct floral sweetness.
Formulating just got easier with our new range of bake-stable products.
Sensient has the local presence in Asia Pacific to provide technical and recipe support that can bring your product and its supply chain to the next level.
Our technical experts are also happy to assist you with any roadblocks you encounter along the way. Want to learn more? Request a sample and get in touch with our sales team!
