Improved shelf-life for donuts
Beneo, a manufacturer of functional ingredients, has conducted technical trials to improve the shelf-life and quality of glazed and iced donuts. The results show that with the partial replacement of sucrose with Beneo’s functional carbohydrate Palatinose in glazings or icings, shelf-life and overall product quality can be improved.
Palatinose has the ability to control water activity and moisture migration, and the glaze with Palatinose maintains transparency even through extended shelf-life. Thanks to the low hygroscopicity of Palatinose, the glaze does not become sticky, and the glazed, freshly packed donuts exhibit a more pleasant sweetness in comparison to using sucrose alone.
The trials also demonstrated that partial replacement of sucrose with Palatinose in frozen packed donuts ensures a maintained glaze transparency throughout the freezing process and after defrosting. It prevents the glaze from sticking to the foil during frosting and after defrosting.
Katja Reichenbach, Beneo product manager Palatinose comments: “Sugar-based donut glazings traditionally have a lower aw value (water activity) than the donut. This leads to increased water migration from the donut to its glaze, resulting in the donut drying out very quickly. However, Beneo trialled the partial replacement of sucrose with Palatinose in glazings and icings and the results showed that water activity was brought under control in the glaze, keeping the donuts moist for longer. As well as extending shelf life in freshly packed donuts, partial sucrose replacement by Palatinose has also been trialled in frozen packed donuts. The test results show that its use substantially improves the quality of the donut upon defrosting.”
