Fazer Mills launches “first convenient” enzyme solution for low-FODMAP baking

06 Sep 2018 --- Finnish miller and oat producer Fazer Mills has developed an enzyme-based solution that the company says provides a low-FODMAP feature for wheat and rye baking. The company touts the patented LOFO enzyme, incorporated into Fazer LOFO improver, as the world’s first convenient low-FODMAP baking solution. 

FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols) are short-chain carbohydrates found in many fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy foods and sweeteners. In some cases, these are poorly absorbed, attracting excess water and fermentable bacteria that cause the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), such as gas and abdominal bloating. One way to manage IBS symptoms could be to follow a low-FODMAP diet. 

According to the company, 20 percent of consumers shun bread to avoid digestive discomfort. Scientific research increasingly reports that the main FODMAP in bread, fructan, rather than gluten, is the compound of wheat that triggers unexplained digestive discomfort that people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity might experience. 

Compared to gluten-free bread, Fazer says that the low-FODMAP bread offers a superior and natural bread taste, texture and aroma.

Fazer’s latest launch gives FODMAP-sensitive people access to bakery products with less fructan in their diet. Fazer research discovered fructanase, an enzyme with unique features, and developed it into Fazer LOFO improver. This innovation breaks down the fructan into more easily digestible units during the baking process. These smaller units are often gentler to the stomach.

“We are extremely happy that our long-term R&D work gets commercialized. This is the point where a patented invention becomes a meaningful innovation. I think Fazer LOFO solution can address the needs of many consumers and help them enjoy tasty and healthy bread again,” says Fazer Head of Research Jussi Loponen.

The origin of this enzyme is the sourdough of Fazer’s first low-FODMAP rye bread and its specific lactobacilli. Fazer LOFO has proven to decrease the fructan content of bread by more than 50 percent compared to reference products in straight-dough baking processes. 

Fazer LOFO improver is suitable for different types of bread and does not change the taste or other critical properties of the final product. It is as easy to use as any bread improver, according to the company. This innovation enables Fazer and its customers to develop new products for the increasing demand in both B2C and B2B markets.

Last month, Australian flour miller Manildra Group launched a low FODMAP flour range, touted as being “the world’s first.” Tested by government-registered Australian certifier FODMAP Friendly with DTS laboratories, Lo-Fo Pantry Plain Flour has been approved for millions of Australians who suffer IBS-like abdominal symptoms but get no relief from a gluten-free diet.

For the new flour product, Manildra extracts FODMAPs from the grain of 100 percent Australian, GMO-free wheat as part of an all-natural, chemical-free wet milling process pioneered at Australia’s biggest flour mill, the regional NSW flagship of Manildra’s family-owned international agribusiness.

“We feel this brand can play a significant role in the wellbeing and health space,” says Manildra Group Director Caroline Honan of the baking breakthrough. “People following Low-FODMAP diets can simply substitute Lo-Fo Pantry’s flour into any recipe to put a smorgasbord of healthy and delicious foods back on the menu – from pizza and pasta to banana bread, hot cross buns, cookies, cakes, scones, slices, muffins, lamingtons and more.”
 
With consumers seeking diets that work for them and digestive health becoming an increasingly important health area, growing interest in the low FODMAP diet is perhaps unsurprising. However, the diet has been criticized as being difficult for consumers to follow, often requiring expert advice and support. New launches such as Fazer’s LOFO enzyme and Manildra's Lo-Fo Pantry Plain Flour may have the potential to help more consumers follow this diet.