Cassava flour, pea hull fiber and deactivated yeast are ingredients product developers may use to achieve a clean label while adding functionality to bakery products, according to the Clean Ingredients Panel at the International Baking Industry Exposition, held Sept..7-11 in Las Vegas.

Consumers seek packaged foods with simple and recognizable ingredients. Deactivated yeast may be used as an alternative reducing agent to L-cysteine, protease or bisulfite in industrial baking and is listed as “yeast” or “inactive yeast” on an ingredient statement, said Sherrill Cropper, Ph.D., new product development lab manager at Lesaffre Yeast Corp. and Red Star Yeast Co. The ingredient reduces mixing time and provides a more consistent end product, she said.

Pea hulls are 90% dietary fiber and naturally high in calcium and iron, said Margaret Hughes, vice-president of sales and marketing at Avena Foods Ltd., Regina, SK. The ingredient is dry-milled without the use of enzymes or buffers. Pea hull fiber provides structure without negatively impacting mouthfeel and may be used to replace gums and starches.

Cassava flour is gaining popularity in grain-free formulations, said Carter Foss, technical sales director at American Key Food Products, Closter, N.J. The ingredient prevents crumbling in cookies, retards staling and drying in bread and provides structure and lightness in cakes, he said.