34 Days Fresh: Decoupling Softness from Sugar and Fat.

Industrial bakeries face a critical trade-off between clean labels and extended shelf life. IFF’s new enzymatic solution resolves this by maintaining crumb resilience for over a month without relying on traditional plasticizers like sugar or fat.

IFF has launched POWERFRESH® ACE 2000, a next-generation enzyme specifically engineered to address staling in long-distribution bakery chains.
This solution targets the “clean label” sector, where chemical preservatives are restricted but consumer expectations for softness remain absolute.

  • Targeted Modification:
    • The enzyme functions as a maltogenic amylase alternative.
    • It selectively modifies the branching points of amylopectin within the flour starch.
  • Structural Integrity:
    • Unlike standard amylases that can liquefy the dough if overdosed, ACE 2000 avoids excessive degradation of the starch backbone.
    • This preserves the crumb structure during the critical cooling and storage phases.
  • Dosage Efficiency:
    • Lab trials indicate the enzyme achieves these results at lower dosage levels compared to previous market alternatives, maintaining efficacy across both white and whole wheat formulations.

The primary value of this technology lies in supply chain elasticity.

Furthermore, the enzyme acts as a structural functionalizer.

Since it maintains crumb softness mechanically, formulators can reduce reliance on high-cost ingredients like sugars and fats, which traditionally serve as dough plasticizers.

This allows for significant cost reduction and improved nutritional profiles without sacrificing the tactile “freshness” consumers demand at the shelf.

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