Baking & Snack - November 2022 - 80

featured technical expert Q&A
Jeff Hodges
ADM
With nearly two decades of industry experience, Jeff Hodges is an
expert in all things formulating for baking and snack products.
He said this passion for baking began at a young age.
" I was captivated by how a simple combination of ingredients
could create something delicious, " he said. " This curiosity of
how ingredients interact followed me from childhood through
college. "
At the University of Kansas, Mr. Hodges dove into the world of
mechanical engineering but kept his baking skills sharp, experimenting
with different ingredients and intriguing formats.
" Imagine my delight after graduation when I was offered a position
that allowed me to combine my education and love of baking
and innovation, " he said.
Mr. Hodges graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering
and took a position at Cereal Ingredients Inc., where
he held a variety of roles including product development engiHow
has the better-for-you movement spurred the use of
alternative/low-calorie sweeteners in baked goods?
Consumers are increasingly scrutinizing product labels, as they
take a more proactive approach to supporting their overall wellbeing.
To do this, many consumers look to reduce calories and
limit added or total sugars. Our research shows that sugar reduction
becomes 62% more important for consumers purchasing lowcalorie
foods and beverages. However, consumers will not sacrifice
an enjoyable sensory experience, with 82% rating both taste and
sugar reduction as important in their purchasing decisions. Since
baked goods often derive much of their total calorie count from
added sugars, any reduction of sugar in a formulation has the potential
to constitute a significant reduction in calories in finished
baked goods. Bakers can address these growing consumer demands
for fewer calories and reduced sugar content by using alternative
sweeteners that contain low or no calories.
What are common alternative sweeteners for baked
goods? What applications are they best suited for?
Stevia is one of the most common and popular alternative sweeteners
most often used for baked goods. Our SweetRight Edge stevia
has no calories and a glycemic index of zero, and it's exceptional
for reduced-sugar and low-calorie baked goods.
With structural similarity to fructose, allulose is also a fantastic
option for bakery items. Plus, our SweetRight allulose tastes
and functions like traditional sugar, maintaining the taste profile
and mouthfeel consumers love in their baked goods, cereals,
confectionery and snacks. Allulose occurs naturally in wheat and
dried fruits, contains no sugar alcohols and isn't listed on prod80
Baking & Snack November 2022 / www.bakingbusiness.com
neer, senior technologist and
program administrator. He then
worked at Bimbo QSR as senior
new product specialist.
In August 2020, Mr. Hodges
joined ADM as the manager of the
bakery, snacks and confections applications
group in Decatur, Ill. Every day is different
in his role at ADM, Mr. Hodges said, bringing new challenges
to solve for a variety of baking applications.
" I enjoy being pushed daily to find new solutions, and I'm
grateful to work alongside the incredibly talented and skilled
scientists at ADM, " he said. " It's exciting to see how new ingredients
can be used in different ways to overcome formulation
hurdles while also growing our technical expertise across an everexpanding
range of baked and even some non-baked applications. "
uct nutrition labels as an added sugar - making it appealing to
conscientious consumers closely reviewing ingredient lists and
nutrition facts.
Moreover, SweetRight Reduced Sugar Glucose Syrup (RSGS) is
an excellent alternative, allowing for more formulation flexibility in
applications like protein bars and snacks. When used in reducedsugar
formulations, RSGS can replace corn syrup without sacrificing
functionality, as it provides binding and viscosity comparable
to this traditional sweetener.
When considering alternative solutions, are there other
complementary ingredients that can be leveraged?
When leveraging alternative sweeteners in baked good formulations,
it's also important to consider the broader consumer appeal
and demands. Lowering sugar and calories is top-of-mind
for many consumers, and often goes hand-in-hand when they're
seeking out functional ingredients to incorporate into their diet. In
fact, sugar reduction becomes 56% more important for shoppers
searching for functional foods and beverages.
ADM/Matsutani LLC's innovative soluble dietary fiber solution
Fibersol meets consumers' desire for added fiber in functional
applications, while also acting as a complementary ingredient to
reduce sugar without affecting aroma, flavor or texture. Fibersol
builds back integrity through structural and binding qualities
that can be lost when sugar is reduced or removed completely.
Additionally, product developers can use Fibersol in place of sugar,
syrups and honey. Fibersol is a good addition to reduced-sugar
cakes, crackers, breads, pastries, frostings and coatings, maintaining
a desirable texture in each application.
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Baking & Snack - November 2022

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