With functionality advantages such as having a clean, neutral taste and water-binding properties that add to texture and help slow the rate at which a product becomes stale--as well as their protein and other nutritional contributions--whey proteins stand out as a great way to help bakery manufacturers meet the considerable challenges of working with whole grains.
The interest in these products is clear. The new federal dietary guidelines, issued in spring 2005, call for consumption of more whole-grain products at the rate of 3oz per day in place of refined grains. Both manufacturers and consumers already were heading in that direction, driven by interest in better health. According to a survey conducted by Prepared Foods magazine (“Retro Reductions,” February 2005), whole grains and dietary fiber ranked high on the list of select ingredients for functional foods, with food manufacturer ratings of 66.4% and 76.8%, respectively; consumer ratings ranked 67.8% and 76.4%, respectively.