Ulrick + Short launched avanté™ 25, a new sugar reduction solution designed specifically for sweet bakery applications. It is a blend of soluble maize fiber, wheat starch and wheat protein, designed to replicate the multiple functional roles sugar plays in bakery systems. The avanté™ 25 enables sugar reduction while also simultaneously increasing fiber content, and maintaining the product’s texture, structure and processing performance.

Beyond sweetness, sugar contributes to moisture retention, foam stabilization and plasticizing effects – all critical to volume, crumb structure and eating quality. The solution replicates these properties, maintaining height, peaking and a consistent, homogeneous crumb structure in applications such as muffins, brownies and madeleines. Trials in muffin formulations demonstrate comparable aeration, crumb structure and colour to full-sugar controls, enabling seamless integration into existing recipes.

“The launch comes at a time when nutrient assessment frameworks, such as the UK Nutrient Profiling Model, are placing greater emphasis on free sugars, and front-of-pack schemes such as Nutri-Score continue to influence reformulation strategies across Europe. At the same time, consumer expectations are shifting, with 46% actively looking to reduce their sugar intake in baked goods¹ and 43% find high-fiber claims appealing in products such as muffins²,” its developer notes.

Functional benefits

Unlike other sugar replacers, avanté™ 25 delivers benefits that extend beyond purely reducing sugar levels. Being partially composed of soluble fiber, the solution contributes to reducing blood glycaemic response compared to sugar and starch-based sugar replacers. Soluble fiber also supports digestive health through the production of short-chain fatty acids in the gut, Ulrick + Short highlights.

Nutritionally, manufacturers can achieve up to 30% sugar reduction by adding up to 4g of fiber per 100g, enabling both reduced sugar and fibre claims to be made.

Abi Sharp – Ulrick + Short’s R&D Technologist and Registered Nutritionist said, “Fibers are becoming a well-earned hot topic in the industry at the moment. Fiber is incredibly important to us nutritionally, not just for intestinal performance, but for gut health and heightened hormone secretion too, so being able to decrease sugar and increase fiber with just one ingredient is incredibly useful.”