Lantmännen Unibake improves the health profile of products bite by bite
Do consumers notice health-adjusted recipes for two products in Lantmännen Unibake’s portfolio? No, not really. A test shows that a consumer panel – with one exception – could not taste the difference between reference products and products with better nutritional values.
As we all know, perception can sometimes be reality. This old saying also holds true in the food sector. If we, as consumers, know that a product contains even the slightest amount of a particular ingredient, we can almost choose to like or dislike the product for that reason only. We can also convince ourselves that we are able to detect small changes in a recipe, like added fibre or slightly reduced salt content.
“On a general level, consumers like their bread and fast-food products just as they are,” says Marika Lyly, Nutrition & Research Manager at Lantmännen Unibake. She explains that the inherent resistance against change makes it challenging to pursue healthier food. Nevertheless, she and the rest of Lantmännen Unibake are on a mission to “bake for a better health,” meaning that Lantmännen Unibake is dedicated to reaching certain targets on their sustainability agenda. For example, they will significantly increase the content of wholegrains and fibre and reduce the amount of salt and calories in their products by 2030.
“When we adjust recipes for existing products, we are often met with skepticism. If we, for instance, change the salt level in a bread product just a little bit, just the thought of less salt makes consumers believe they can taste the difference. But they most often cannot,” Marika Lyly says.
Comparative test
When she sounds so sure, it is because she can refer to a 2023 study where Lantmännen Unibake conducted a comparative test with a standard fast-food product (a burger bun) and a standard bread product (a tin-baked white loaf) with slightly changed recipes. The goal of the test was to gain empirical evidence of our ability or inability to detect taste or texture differences from new, nutritionally improved recipes for the two products.
During the test, a consumer panel was asked to taste reference products against the test samples. The test samples had increased fibre levels through different types of flour for both products, added whole grain flour for the white loaf, decreased salt levels for both products, and reduced sugar for the burger bun. Except for the burger bun, where consumers reported that they could taste the 50% less sugar (10% sugar level vs. 5% sugar level) in the bun compared to existing recipes, no significant observable differences were detected.
“The test shows that we can bake burger buns and bread products with the taste consumers are used to, but with improved nutritional values. In this test, it is also important to point out that consumers tested pure products. When you, for instance, serve a burger, it comes with many toppings and other ingredients that add to the full experience of eating a juicy, tasty burger. It would be very difficult for most people to notice a 5% or even 10% sugar reduction when you take a bite of a finished burger with all other components. The same goes for minor salt and fat reductions and small amounts of added fibre and wholegrain in other bread products. The tasting experience is complex and consists of different factors, which opens possibilities to tweak recipes for the better.”
Blurred lines
As Marika Lyly stresses, the sample test is just a sample. Lantmännen Unibake is aware not to read too much into one study. Changing a recipe is a unique process for each product, as it can affect both the taste, appearance and mouthfeel. But Lantmännen Unibake will continue to explore healthier alternatives to existing products and innovate baking techniques to live up to its responsibility as the second largest bakery group in Europe.
“However, no matter what we do, and how we do it, we never compromise on taste. Whenever we come up with a new recipe or change an existing product, we do many tests to ensure that the product lives up to our criteria,” Marika Lyly says and concludes.
“Earlier, there was a line of separation between baking products the real way and baking products in a healthier way. Often, you could taste it if a bread product was very rich in fibre or baked with a lot of wholegrains. Some consumers are actively seeking these truly healthy alternatives and preferring them. But the line is fading because so much is happening within health and nutrition. You can easily find bread products with good nutritional values that taste fantastic and are just as moist and delicious as regular bread products. We need these options for healthier choices as consumers’ preferences vary between individuals and between different contexts of consumption moments. It is great to work with such a versatile category!”
Health authorities in the UK and Norway have launched salt reduction programs to improve public health. Read how Lantmännen Unibake UK and Norway use the narrative on reduced salt intake to reach ambitious targets.