For enhanced visual appeal, Litesse® undergoes Maillard browning when baking and Litesse® Ultra™ is available when browning is not desired. In sweet bakery products, Litesse® is often used in combination with other sweeteners, such as Lactitol, which provides a sugar-like sweetness profile and no aftertaste.
Litesse® functions as a humectant, minimizing undesirable changes in moisture gain or loss over prolonged periods. This provides tenderness and helps maintain the shelf life of baked goods. Litesse® can also serve as an effective moisture barrier in composite bakery products. Composite baked goods are comprised of a pastry base or crust with a high-moisture filling. Litesse® can delay the moisture migration of the filling to the pastry.
Conversely, Litesse® can also serve as a crisping agent. The moisture content of a product will affect its textural qualities and glass transition temperature. Litesse® has a high glass transition temperature and in low moisture applications such as biscuits, pastry and pizza bases, Litesse® may be present as a stable glass, thus producing a crisp texture.
Litesse® has a high chemical affinity for water, allowing for its use as a humectant or as a texture modifier.
Litesse® offers multiple benefits for use in baked goods:
- Prebiotic and high in fibre to improve digestive health
- 1 kcal/gram for the formulation of reduced calorie cakes, fillings and coatings
- Low glycaemic response of 4-7, replaces and reduces sugars, and is suitable for diabetics
- Non-sweet flavour adds little sweetness of its own, but can be used to balance sweetness, and is compatible with sugar and high potency sweeteners
- Clean flavour and neutral taste compared to many fibre ingredients
- Well-tolerated up to a mean dose of 90 grams/day with no adverse gastrointestinal effects
- Satiating effect. Clinical studies have shown that consumption can substantially reduce subsequent caloric intake
With its multiple nutritional benefits and functional properties, Litesse® has all that is required to develop great tasting baked goods.
