Creating High Protein, Low Net-carb Bakery Products

The high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet trend shows no sign of slowing as consumers continue to look for ways to support their weight loss by consuming lower “net carb” foods.

- Ody Maningat

The KETO diet trend is a good example. Yet just 2 percent of bakery products carried high or added protein claims in the five years ending in August 2019, according to Mintel. This may be because food developers working with high-protein formulations often encounter functional challenges.

Over the years, the baking industry has attempted to develop low- or reduced-carb breads, for example, by incorporating a protein source and/or a dietary fiber source (resistant starch) to partially replace flour in the formulation. The result was breads with challenging handling characteristics and differences in dough rheology, loaf volume, crumb grain, texture or flavor when compared with traditional bakery products.

But research shows that the right combination of wheat protein isolate and resistant wheat starch can help to overcome these issues, while also resulting in lower net carbohydrates.

A way to bake high protein and low carb

A research project at the American Institute of Baking International evaluated high-protein, high fiber (low carbohydrate) bread formulas for white and wheat breads and compared them with standardized control breads.