Baking & Snack - June 2024 - 98

featured technical expert Q&A
Jonathan Khouzam
Fruit d'Or
Jonathan Khouzam's love of food and his desire to learn the science
behind it inspired him to join the industry.
" I worked in a restaurant kitchen when I was in school and
wanted to learn the science behind the art, " he explained. " This
led me to study food science to enter the industry in an R&D role. "
Khouzam graduated from McGill University in Montréal with
a bachelor's degree in food science. He began his career at Weston
Foods (now Wonderbrands), serving in R&D roles for the company's
packaged bread and rolls division.
" I led product launches, reformulations, line commissioning
projects and network optimization work, " he said. " I was also the
production manager for our high-speed bakery in Longueuil,
Québec. "
Khouzam recently joined Fruit d'Or as a senior R&D specialist
for product applications. He said much of his new role involves
finding ways to create value using food byproducts.
" There's been a shift in the industry to view byproducts not as
waste but as premium ingredients, " he explained. " It's a privilege
to be able to collaborate with
businesses big and small across
different categories of the food
industry to develop creative solutions
to their technical challenges
while reducing food waste. "
Khouzam observed that the last few
years have raised awareness about how dependent
the industry is on its supply chains and how designing sustainability
into products gives food manufacturers a competitive
advantage.
" Building this resilience into our products will be a huge challenge,
particularly against the backdrop of climate change, but
I am energized by the degree of collaboration that we're seeing
across the industry, " he said.
Here, Khouzam shares the benefits of real fruit inclusions and
how manufacturers can use them to boost the quality of their
baked goods.
Why do bakers look to use real fruit inclusions?
Quite simply because consumers demand real fruit. While there
is still confusion among consumers around " clean label " or " ultra-processed "
foods, simple and authentic ingredients using real
fruits allow bakers to make credible claims that resonate with a
broad base of health-conscious consumers seeking natural ingredients.
This unlocks a much larger market than alternative inclusions
and positions products as premium. Additionally, real fruit has the
sensory cues that consumers expect from fruit.
What are some potential challenges?
The utilization of fruit inclusions can present several challenges
for bakers. Many inclusions contain processing aids that can impact
dough rheology and mix times. Additionally, it's important
to manage interactions between the fruit inclusion and dough to
prevent bleeding, which can adversely affect the appearance and
texture of the dough and final product. If this is not done correctly,
bakers will observe premature mold or staling which cannot be effectively
mitigated by enzymatic or emulsifier-based crumb softeners.
Using a fruit with the correct moisture level presents a rootcause
solution to these hurdles.
When fruits bleed into bakery applications, what are
some of the impacts beyond visual appeal?
Bleeding can take on a few different forms depending on the product
and process. Under harsh processing conditions or in high98
Baking & Snack June 2024 / www.bakingbusiness.com
moisture formulations, the dough or batter can take on the color of
the fruit. Often, this can impact dough machinability, stain equipment
and drive waste. The visual contrast between the inclusion
and crumb will be minimized, making for a less impactful visual.
Bleeding may also manifest itself as a welt around the inclusion
which forms during the bake. In many bakery products - particularly
products which employ chemical leavening - the fruit's juice
may discolor the crumb and appear to the consumer as mold. All
these factors can diminish a consumer's overall sensory experience
and reduce purchase intent.
How do Fruit d'Or blueberries overcome these
common challenges?
The No-Bleed, Extra Juicy Wild Blueberries are dried to a higher
moisture level than conventionally dried wild blueberries using a
gentler process. Under these conditions, the fruit maintains a superior
shape and bolder flavor. In fried applications, the moisture
content is optimized to prevent both burning and bursting. Some
baked applications benefit from superior softness over shelf life.
This provides bakers with a revolutionary solution to enhance the
quality and attractiveness of their products.
How was the flavor and juiciness of these blueberries
enhanced?
The process starts with exceptional fruit. Fruit d'Or uses only wild
blueberries, which are smaller than the more common highbush
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