The effect of lecithin in reduced fat cookies

Lecithin in the cookie industry

Reducing fat and sugar content are some of the current trends of the food industry to combat obesity and make its products more attractive to health-conscious consumers.

One of the products that meets the demands of this type of consumer and their needs are reduced fat cookies.

It is widely known that fat is one of the main ingredients of cookies, along with sugar and flour. This determines its qualities in terms of hardness or softness, texture, flavor, shape, appearance, etc.

In cookie dough, emulsifiers are used with the aim of achieving a homogeneous mixture of the water-soluble and fat-soluble ingredients of the recipe, improving their dispersion and, as a result, improving the viscosity of the dough. As such, the choice of emulsifier is essential to obtain the intended product. Depending on the recipe and the proposed properties of the dough, it can act as an aerating agent that traps air or forms complexes with other dough components such as starch or protein. Emulsifiers can also modify the crystallization of fats or improve the flow properties of the dough.

Throughout the cookie production process, lecithin has been widely used as a natural emulsifier. Its use makes it easier to obtain a softer dough and reduces the fat content of the cookie without compromising the quality of the product.

Hydrolyzed lecithin powder

Lecithin, in its most common form, is a highly viscous liquid that must be added to the fat phase of the cookie, as it is not fully water-soluble and cannot be mixed with flour or sugar.

To improve handling and facilitate direct addition to the dough, Lasenor has developed the LECISOL range. It is a powdered product containing 50% hydrolyzed sunflower lecithin pulverized over wheat or rice flour and an anti-caking agent. Hydrolyzed lecithin is used because it has a higher polarity than standard lecithin, which allows a seamless integration of all the cookie ingredients.

Therefore, given the hydrolyzed nature of LECISOL and its powder form, it is designed to be suitable for cookie manufacturers due to the following properties:

Strong emulsifying power
Easy to dose with optimized mixing dispersion
GMO-free
Does not contain soy allergens

The effects of LECISOL on different types of cookies

The latest technical studies carried out by Lasenor’s R&D department show that LECISOL can also help producers to reduce the fat content of cookies without compromising the hardness of the product.

This is demonstrated by the technical tests carried out on Marie cookies and Shortbread (made with butter and with palm oil), based on different percentages of fat content reduction.

Marie biscuits

These are cookies with a relatively low sugar content (20% of flour weight) and fat content (16-20% of flour weight). Sodium metabisulfite and other salts can be used to prepare the dough for its production.

The reduction of fat increases the hardness of the cookies. However, as can be seen in the graph:

The addition of 1% LECISOL makes it possible to reduce the fat content by 20 to 30%, with no impact on hardness. Increasing the dosage to 2% LECISOL allows a fat reduction of up to 40%.
In terms of organoleptic properties, the sensory analysis concluded with a certainty of 95%, that a simple reduction of fat in the Marie biscuit can be perceived by the consumer. On the other hand, no organoleptic changes are perceived when LECISOL is added to reduced fat Marie biscuits.

Shortbread

Shortbread is a brittle cookies due to its high amount of fat, which contains a high level of saturated fatty acids (SFA). Their recipes can vary greatly depending on the fat content (ranging from 20 to 60% of the flour weight) and the sucrose percentage (ranging from 25 to 55% of the flour weight).

The main source of fat is usually butter, but to reduce costs, other oils can sometimes be used as well.

Since the dose of LECISOL can vary depending on the fat source used, two recipes were tested in the Lasenor trials: a first recipe with butter and a second with palm oil.

In both cases, a 10% and a 20% fat reduction were tested, because a higher fat
reduction (above 20%) was not taken into consideration due to the dough increasing in grittiness and losing plasticity.

The following graphs will be placed side by side with the explanations so that it is clear that one graph is with butter and the other with palm oil.

As shown in graph 2:

Adding 1% LECISOL to the recipe with 10% fat reduction, the hardness is reduced to almost the same level as the control.
Increasing the dosage to 2.5% LECISOL allows a fat reduction of up to 20%.

By adding 1% LECISOL, the hardness of the cookie with a fat reduction of 10% is at the same level as the control. A fat reduction up to 20% when increasing the LECISOL dosage up to 2%.

The sensory analysis concluded with 95% certainty that when LECISOL is added to the fat-reduced Shortbread, no organoleptic changes are perceived.

All the results obtained in these trials demonstrate that the use of LECISOL hydrolyzed lecithin powder allows for reduction in fat content without any modification of the process and at the same time allows for other ingredients to be added.

This is an important innovation for food industry manufacturers and customers who are aware of the need to consume more natural and healthier products.

Check out our lecithins emulsifiers for cookies.

in LASENOR NEWS Posted by Lasenor

We are actively present in the main areas for NON GMO lecithin

We will offer regular feedback on its development

Non GMO Soya – Identity Preserved

2021 in Brazil

Soybean Balance (Mn T) January / December

Soya bean Crop 2021 in Brazil shows very good figures, but only 47,24 MnT of the crop is expected to be processed in local crushing plants.

It is roughly estimated that 98% of the total soybean output is now genetically modified, thus our projected volume of 945 000 T of Non GMO soybeans to be crushed, which yield approximately 5.250 T of soyabean lecithin.

It is also worth underlining that local crushers are reported to experience difficulties to maintain Hard IP certification system, leading to lower production volumes and discontinuation of IP certification projects.

Having a look at historical data for Brazilian crops we have the following scenario:

Source: CONAB, September 2020.

This graph clearly shows the decline of the Non GMO soybean crop in Brazil over the past 4 years. With regards to lecithin production the historical data is as follows:

Explanation for this trend:

In order to overcome the increasing risk of cross contamination, farmers and crushers have opted to concentrate in the value added Non GMO soy complex thus targeting exports to Europe with a view to capitalize on a premium price for Non GM Soy derivatives.

However, if there is no financial compensation/premium for Non GM material, same producers will shift its focus to GM soy products.

Unfortunately, the prices in Europe were not attractive enough to support Brazilian farmers efforts for certified Non GMO products. As a result, Non GMO soy cultivation has

Sunflower Lecithin

As anticipated in our Q1 2021 ́s issue, sunflower lecithin is facing an acute shortfall since end of March. There is virtually zero availability for spot business and contracts on Q3 2021 as a result of the high demand.

Price range at present has doubled compared to 6 months ago.

This situation will last at least until new sunflower crop becomes available in October, and market will need time to adjust to the existing supply shock.

plummeted to its lowest historical level and prevalence of GM soy varieties in Brazil is almost 100% this season.

Due to the tight supply, Indian Lecithin is in great demand even for South and Northern America users, that in the past imported significant amounts of Brazilian origin. Some important deals with multinational companies, have been recently closed for H2 2021 supply, which indicates a real shortage in Brazil.

On the back of the high demand prices are shooting up in India.

We do not expect better supply conditions before the end of 2021, and we believe that bullish uptrend in price will remain for the period.

In our views, substantial volumes of GMO Free Lecithin will be needed to compensate for the lack of Brazilian Non GMO product, therefore customers will be seeking for replacement with sunflower or Indian Soy.

Ukraine and Russia, the major sunflower producing countries have already started its sowing season.

The 2021 planting campaign started a few weeks later than usual due to cold weather and abundant rainfalls in the region. Ukrainian farmers have now almost completed 2021 spring grain campaign.

Ukrainian ministry reports farmers having sowed 6,4 Million hectares sunflower which represents 6% increase in the planting area.

This would lead to a expected record harvest of 16,4 Mt whereas 2020 ́s crop reached 14.3 Mn T.

In Russia and according to official 2021 estimates, the area for sunflower cultivation has decreased by 2.5% in comparison with last year.

Sunflower sowing area is estimated in the region of 8,9 Million hectares and 2021 ́s Russian crop is projected to reach 14.5- 15MnTv/s14MnTlastyear.

Sowing campaign being almost completed, we have now entered into a weather market. Climate conditions will play a major role next harvest.

We will release next Lecithin News issue by the end of September with the most recent insight of the situation and figures for sunflower crop and crush rates in 2021.

Monsoon in India will have started by then that will allow to get a more accurate outlook of the Non GMO lecithin market.

in LECITHIN NEWS Posted by Lasenor

Lasenor is actively present in NON GMO lecithin area

We will offer regular feedback on its development as a diagnosing tool

Non GMO Soya – Identity Preserved

Crop 2020 in India

Crops estimations – Lecithin production – Crude lecithin prices

Crop 2019 was hit by high percentage % of damaged seed due to weather adverse conditions, as a result the production of Lecithin dropped significantly.

The flow of seeds from the farmers to the crushers was steady between October and February 2019, therefore prices kept in a relative low range.

On the contrary, crop 2020 has had lower amount % of damaged seeds. Nevertheless the supply from farmers to crushers has been interrupted due to floods, leading to speculative movements and a price hike as a result.

Even more so, the edible oil complex in Chicago and Malaysia hit the highest levels in more than 5 years which prompted crushers to speculate with prices even more.

Due to this market situation, prices for Non GM IP Soya lecithin have gone up from 6% to 9% comparing 2020 versus 2021.

It is also worth to underline Ocratoxin (OTA) presence in foodstuffs originated in India:

Over the past 2-3 years we have been seeing its predominance rising in this country.

This may lead to a double market in a very near future:

High price for low OTA level lecithin suitable for sensitive applications such as Infant formulas, breakfast cereals, etc ….
Lower price for Lecithins with few restrictions for OTA.

Crop 2020 in Rusia

Russia has now become trusted option for non GMO IP Soya lecithin.

Local legislation forbids use of GM derived foodstuffs in Russia.

Crops estimations for the past 2 years are as follows:

Sunflower

Crop 2020 in Rusia

EU – Sunflower seeds production

EU – Sunflower oil production

The sunflower production at 8,86 Million Tons is significantly below both last year’s crop and 5 years avarage dua to reduced output in Romania and Bulgaria.

In our views the development of the market dynamics has given contradictory signs during September/December 2020:

Crushers in Russia/Ukraine were cautious about low availability, and price offered for crude Sunflower Lecithin has been marked up from the early season due to availability concerns.
Western European crushers were aware of the scarcity of raw material in Russia/Ukraine, but the pressure to gain market share and have payback on latest investments done over the past 5 years prompted them to follow the price downtrend.

Organic Lecithin

Here we would like to recap our Lecithin News issue of Q1 2020 that expressed our concern about the reliability of product available in the marketplace:

1/ Crop productivity: 2 Metric Tonnes of seeds per Hectare. *Average yield for conventional sunflower; likely to be smaller for organic crops

Oil Extraction Yield considering only mechanical pressing is allowed: 32% in weight from seed.
Lecithin content: 7 Kg per Metric Ton of Crude Sunflower Oil* (*Internal Lasenor data).

As a consequence, prices were at their lowest at the end of last year. But, later on, when time has come to deliver to the customers, sellers were experiencing strong difficulties to find the raw material required to fulfil with their agreements.

Logically, prices went up and are still increasing significantly as a result of this lower availability.

We believe this trend will continue until the new harvest arrives in Europe.

According to our research the Potential World Production of Organic Sunflower Lecithin raises to approx. 800 Tons per annum worldwide.

2/ Data gathered from Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India and Chinese Agricultural University of Beijing shows that prevalence of Organic crops are non existing in India nor China.

Nevertheless, Chinese and Indian suppliers are offering unlimited (non limited) volumes of Organic Sunflower Lecithin, which is quite remarkable taking into consideration that no organic crops are planted in neither these two of these countries. More surprising is for India taking into account that it is monthly importing 1.000 Tons of conventional Sunflower Lecithin.

Trends

Non GMO products in the US market

In November 2017 & May 2018 editions we were stating

“The debate for the GM food present in the US shelves is ongoing on media and American public opinion. The vast proliferation of Supermarket chains focused on natural and organic products has increased demand of Non GMO and Allergen Free Lecithin to be used by food manufacturers. Initially, only premium brands required such Lecithin and other natural ingredients as well, but in recent years it has grown to a general domain. More strict controls are in place to guarantee absence of GM ingredients in foodstuffs.”

“Deadline of July’18 for the USDA to pronounce on a federal position in the United States regarding labeling of GMO, as well with the fact that public awareness in the matter is a hot topic, it has triggered demand in the largest market in the world. Large supermarket chains are already showing NON-GMO product lines, and in some cases with NON-GMO global policies.

Also, the uptrend for the cleaner label is boosting the substitution of synthetic emulsifiers for natural (with more natural emulsification) solutions such as functional specialty Lecithin, that can potentially replace synthetic emulsifiers in some bakery & confectionary applications.

Food producers are seeking alternatives to synthetic emulsifiers, and enzymatically modified Lecithin can, in some applications, play the same role with more label-friendly.”

This is now a reality: US companies have settled strong “well-being projects”, Non-GMO being a major challenge for the coming years

More and more companies are getting concerned by environmental matters, looking for close supply. This topic now forms part the key factors of the purchase decision for many of them.

Lasenor started many years ago with saving measures to reduce our energy consumption, but it has not been until 2018thatwehaveaclearmonitoringofourCO2 footprint for Scope.

Our main actions are concentrated in:

– Energy efficiency in our production.

– Take advantage of the high solar radiation that we have in our part of the World.

Lasenor main consumption is by far in Olesa de Montserrat, but the monitoring program and consequent planning will also be ready for all our 5 subsidiaries by end 2020.

Lasenor is making an ambitious internationalization expansion in order to be able to offer equivalent products in the different main economic regions in the World. This project allows us to be very close to the raw material sourcing and to our customers plants.

in LECITHIN NEWS Posted by Lasenor

VEROL ML-90, the power of monolaurin in the food industry

Lasenor is launching a new product to the market: VEROL ML-90. It is a distilled monoglyceride made from lauric acid known as monolaurin (M).

Its use in the food industry began in the 1960s as a nutritional supplement. Nowadays, monolaurin stands out for its use as an antibacterial, antiviral and antimicrobial against yeasts, fungi and protozoa found in food for human consumption. These contaminants can lead to deterioration and reduction of the shelf life of food or food poisoning. In addition, its use also extends to animal feed, mainly for swine, where lauric acid is used as an alternative to antibiotics to prevent infections caused by gram-negative pathogens.

Its bacteriostatic action acts on the cytoplasmic membrane of microorganisms, breaking down their structure and altering their functioning, creating a new inhibitory system for food pathogens.

Monolaurin can be produced from hydrogenated coconut fat or alternatively from fractionated lauric acid. In the first case, it acquires a slightly yellow color and a very unpleasant odor. However, when produced from lauric acid, the end product is white with a neutral odor.

Applications

VEROL ML-90 can be used in powder premixes that are added together with other functional ingredients to processed meat, fish and dairy products.

The main advantages of using monolaurin are as follows:

Inhibits or eliminates the growth of microorganisms (bacteriostatic / bactericidal).
Extends the shelf life of the final product (processed meat or fish).
It is simply labeled as E-471 (avoiding mentioning the word preservative which can have negative connotations).

Due to its antimicrobial properties, VEROL ML-90 is able to prolong the shelf life of food products. It does so by controlling the growth of microorganisms responsible for spoilage and therefore maintains the organoleptic properties of the food.

Lasenor’s new product is aimed at manufacturers of premixes, spices and stabilizers for the meat industry. By using monolaurin, they can benefit from the following competitive advantages:

A product free of caking. Due to its nature, this product tends to solidify and in some cases to form compact blocks. These caking problems cause poor handling and delays during the mixing process. A product in loose powder form, which does not require handling prior to use such as VEROL ML-90, makes the mixing preparation process easier.
The monolaurin produced by Lasenor has a white color and a neutral odor profile. These characteristics are indicative of the purity of the product. Monolaurins with a yellowish color and an unpleasant odor derive mainly from the hydrogenated coconut which gives this typical odor to the powder.
A product distilled to at least 90% as an alternative to non-pure monolaurin varieties (from hydrogenated and non-distilled coconut) backed by Lasenor’s extensive knowledge and experience in molecular distillation.

in LASENOR NEWS Posted by Lasenor

Organic lecithins for a healthier diet

Organic agriculture is the leading alternative to more conventional agriculture, which has caused soil and water pollution for decades and, in some cases, has also had an impact on human health.

The market and demand for organic food is growing steadily around the world, with consumers demanding more sustainable and healthier products than ever before. As a result, organic products are becoming increasingly popular and can now be found, not only in specialty stores, but also in almost all supermarkets.

Although the production and sale of organic food is most popular in more developed countries, less developed countries have become important producers and exporters of organic products. Research shows that organic products generate economic growth and reduce poverty levels, as well as being seen as a key tool for stimulating rural economic development.

To support this growing demand for organic products, the industry is coming together to build a secure supply chain, assisting in the development of programs to help farmers make the transition to organic.

A common legislative framework

To ensure that “organic” means the same thing in all countries, a growing number of governments began supporting organic agriculture beyond regulation, increasing the number of government policies and programs in favor of developing organic agriculture. National standards for organic products were desired by both producers and consumers to clear up confusion in the marketplace and protect against mislabeling or fraud. In this regard, the European Union and the United States are the two leading examples worldwide.

European Union
The current European requirements for organic production are established by Regulation (EC) No 834/2007, which defines the objectives and principles of organic agriculture and production, as well as by two implementing regulations (EC), 889/2008 and 1235/2008, detailing organic production, labeling, control rules and import. All products labeled organic and sold in the EU must be produced in accordance with these regulations. Although this was not initially the case as a result of their limited availability, from January 1^st 2019, lecithin used in organic food products must be sourced from organic farming.

United States
In this country, certified organic foods are produced in accordance with federal standards established by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Organic Program (NOP). Thanks to a series of implemented equivalency agreements, organic products certified by the USDA or European Union (EU) can be sold, labeled and represented as organic in their respective territories, accompanied by an organic import certificate from their authorized regulatory bodies.

Organic lecithin production

The market segment for organic products is growing rapidly and, as a result, the demand for organic lecithin is also increasing.

Whereas in traditional production, lecithin is extracted from soybean, sunflower or rapeseed oil using hexane, in organic lecithin production, no solvent is permitted when extracting the oil from the original seeds.

This condition means that conventional crushing methods using hexane as solvent have to be replaced by fully mechanical processes, the most typical of which are temperature-controlled expellers.

Currently, organic lecithin production faces two main problems:

Organic mills are usually much smaller in size than solvent extraction machinery, and therefore the lecithin potential is quite small, which discourages CAPEX for gum production and drying.
In addition, purely mechanical processes reduce the lecithin yield (compared to conventional lecithin) making lecithin production even more difficult.

Lasenor’s organic lecithins

Our company specializes in the development of lecithin tailored to the needs of its customers, offering them different botanical origins as organic food manufacturers.

Lasenor’s solutions meet all the standards of the applicable regulations and allow customers present in the organic market to use high quality lecithins in the production of their products, according to the following characteristics:

Produced with raw materials from the EU and USA, and endorsed with the double organic certification from both territories.
Obtained by mechanical press and controlled refining temperature (without solvents).
Top quality lecithins compared to other organic lecithins on the market, thanks to SRN technology, which provides a reduced level of impurities and reduction of unwanted flavors.
Organic lecithins produced by the fluidized method, particularly suitable for instant powders such as dairy products, cocoa powder and baby formulas. In instant products, a low viscosity lecithin is needed to give a more homogeneous coating and a better distribution of the product, allowing water to soak into and disintegrate agglomerates. For this need, Lasenor provides the INS range.
Lecithins for baby food are in line with the microbiological characteristics and contaminant requirements demanded by the strict criteria of infant food regulations.

Finally, some of the competitive advantages that Lasenor’s organic lecithins offer to its customers are the following:

Know-how: not all companies involved in lecithin extraction have the necessary technology to obtain raw organic lecithin suitable for specialists in the food market. Lasenor provides its know-how to complete this process with all the required guarantees.
Pesticide control programs: to guarantee the integrity and quality of organic lecithins and their certifications, Lasenor has developed a residue analysis program that confirms reliability and compliance with organic standards.
Special quality and stability: all parameters (physico-chemical, organoleptic, microbiological, contaminants…) are controlled and guaranteed.
Innovation: continuous development of specialties that meet the needs and demands of its customers.
Availability: finished organic lecithin is available all year round and although the activity of the machinery is subject to seasonality, there is an extraction period of about 200 days per year

in LASENOR NEWS Posted by Lasenor

Lasenor incorporates solar energy in its production

Lasenor’s commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability takes another step forward with the implementation of solar energy at its plant in Olesa de Montserrat.

Work has already begun on the installation of a solar farm that will generate a total of 13-15% of the electricity consumed at the plant and is scheduled to come into operation at the end of this year.

Specifically, a total of 608 photovoltaic panels are being installed on the roofs of the new warehouse, the parking lot and the facade of the solids tower.

Each of these 608 panels can generate a maximum power of 303.94 kWp and the total energy that the whole installation will produce in a year is 417,618 kWh.

All of this solar energy will be used for the plant’s energy needs and there are no plans at this time to export energy to the electricity grid in the event of any surplus.

The investment budget for the installation of this solar farm is around €200,000 and the return on investment is about 7 years with an economic saving of €500,000 to €800,000 in 25 years is predicted.

In addition to these panels, photovoltaic inverters will be installed to allow the energy produced by the solar panels to be adapted to the consumption of the Lasenor plant.

A monitoring system will also be installed to supervise, analyze and regulate the power of this new solar installation.

Carbon footprint reduction via clean energy

Energy consumption has always been a priority area of action for Lasenor, which has sought maximum efficiency, both in terms of kilowatts spent per kilogram produced, as well as in terms of clean generation of these kilowatts.

This commitment to energy efficiency will now take a very important qualitative leap forward with the new solar farm that is being built at our plant in Olesa de Montserrat.

With the setup of the new solar farm, Lasenor will significantly reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the impact of its carbon footprint, another of its short-term priority objectives.

in SUSTAINABILITY Posted by Lasenor

Quality and food safety: one of Lasenor's main goals

Instilling a culture of quality and food safety is one of the most important challenges that Lasenor has always kept in mind in its business management.

This commitment is demonstrated by the 11 certificates currently held by the company, which guarantee compliance in its full product range according to standards of quality, safety, sustainability, organic production, traceability of non-genetically modified organisms, etc.

Each one of these certificates is evidence of Lasenor’s commitment to the regulatory requirements demanded by the food sector and its clients.

A question of culture

“Getting everyone who works at Lasenor to be able to combine their job activities with the shared tasks of ensuring the quality and safety of food is the big challenge we are currently facing,” says Meritxell Arenas, Lasenor’s Quality Director.

The development and implementation of a culture of quality and food safety is a comprehensive task, involving all departments and employees of a company, as well as its own suppliers and customers. Its objective is to achieve the greatest efficiency and flexibility in all the company’s procedures, in order to obtain the highest quality of its products and services. This allows the most demanding needs of its customers to be satisfied.

As one of the company’s main values, a culture of quality and food safety enables companies to develop an internal process of continuous improvement. In addition, to improve their competitiveness externally and be a distinguishing aspect in national and international markets.

Quality assurance

At Lasenor, the the Quality Assurance Department is responsible for managing and supervising quality and food safety systems and other implemented standards.

This department works on tasks such as the approval of suppliers, customer service, answering product and company questionnaires, as well as cleaning management, food defense, food fraud, audits, preventive maintenance, worker training in hygiene and best practices, along with a long list of additional activities (such as continuous improvement projects) that are carried out in coordination and collaboration with other departments.

Another activity carried out by the Quality Assurance Department is the follow-up and analysis of incidents, whether they are related to products, raw materials, processes or services. This process makes it possible to analyze the cause, as well as establish corrective actions to prevent these incidents from recurring and to achieve greater efficiency in all processes and departments.

In order to evaluate compliance with national and international quality standards, the implemented standards are audited by a team of internal multidisciplinary auditors. They identify any non-compliance and, together with the different managers of each department, establish corrective actions to solve them. Likewise, audits are also carried out by external accredited bodies which issue a certificate as a guarantee that Lasenor complies with all the specific requirements of each required standard.

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Sustainability & Certifications

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Our certifications

Currently, Lasenor has certifications that accredit its quality assurance system and organic production, in addition to the certifications related to compliance with dietary regulations and religious consumption practices.

Lasenor has the following certifications for its quality assurance system;

FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification), food safety management certification.
ISO 22000, food safety management system.
GMP+ (Good Manufacturing Practice System), quality assurance in the manufacture of animal feed products.
Identity Preserved Non-GMO Soy, certification that guarantees lecithin made from non-GMO soybeans.
RSPO, certification that guarantees the use of sustainably grown palm oil.
ProTerra, a standard of social responsibility and environmental sustainability that guarantees the use of sustainably sourced soybeans.

In terms of organic certifications, Lasenor has the following:

CCPAE (Consell Català de Producció Agrícola) which is the European public control authority accredited for the certification of organic production. This certification guarantees that the products have been manufactured following the rules of organic agriculture and that they have been checked throughout the process of production, processing, packaging and marketing.
ECOCERT, from the National Organic Program (NOP), an accreditation that allows the marketing of organic products in the United States.

Moreover, in the environmental field, Lasenor works with Ecovadis and Sedex platforms for external verification of our commitments to labor rights, health and safety, environmental and business ethics activities.

Finally, with regard to religious diversity in the food sector, Lasenor holds Kosher and Halal certificates. The former is audited annually by a Rabbi to ensure compliance with Jewish dietary standards. The latter is also audited by the Islamic Board annually to attest compliance with the regulations for the use of the Halal Guarantee Mark.

Likewise, as Lasenor works with allergenic products such as gluten, soy and allergens, as well as animal derivatives such as milk, the company has implemented various measures to avoid cross-contamination with products that do not contain these allergens or animal derivatives. These measures enable the company to guarantee that its products are suitable for coeliacs, vegetarians, vegans and people who are lactose intolerant.

Customer satisfaction

Customers continue to place their trust in Lasenor for safe and quality products. This can be seen from the positive results obtained from the indicators implemented by the Quality Assurance Department during the last year, such as customer complaints, returns, along with the reports and audits carried out by the customers themselves at our facilities.

In addition to managing these type of incidents, the quality and food safety system implemented by Lasenor also allows us to detect other weaknesses and turn them into opportunities for continuous improvement.

in QUALITY Posted by Lasenor

LECITHIN: THE MOST NATURAL INGREDIENT FOR A HEALTHY DIET

Innovation has always been a key feature of the food industry. Indeed, the food sector is particularly known for its ability to develop new products that are able to meet the latest habits of the consumer and trends of the market.

The new demands for food ingredients are directed towards the development and implementation of healthier and more sustainable solutions. International markets are clearly geared towards clean and natural ingredients, having generalized their transversal use given their many applications and uses.

Their success is indissociable from the health and sustainability duo. indeed, for instance, one of fields where the industry is focusing a lot of its efforts, is that of the nutritional profile of the aliments, and the diminution of their salt and sugar contents, and their substitution with flavor enhancers.

Another example is the development if solutions for vegetarian and vegan alternatives, with ingredients that, beyond having the proper taste and texture, make up for their potential deficiencies with high levels of mineral proteins and other active ingredients.

Lecithin is a healthy alternative

Lecithin is a complex mix of natural phospholipids. It is found in all natural oils, but soy, sunflower and rape seed oil have the highest contents. It can also be found, though in much lesser quantities, in egg yolk.

As a natural emulsifier, lecithin boasts many different industrial and chemical uses in a wide range of businesses: human and animal foods, pharmacy, dietetics, etc.

And if there is one company that has made the processing of raw lecithin for the food industry its specialty, it’s Lasenor. Our company offers a wide range of specialized uses for lecithin which enable us to provide solutions for the latest demands of the market as well as the needs of our national and international clients.

Lasenor has standardized this natural emulsifier in order to ensure that all its parameters (physicochemical, organoleptic, microbiological, sanitary…) are under control during the production phases and guaranteed for its use and consumption.

A natural substitute

In such a demanding sector as the food industry, lecithin can be found in a wide array of products.

One of its most famous uses is in sugar cookies. Indeed, lecithin is widely used in the production in order to obtain a soft dough and to limit the fat contents of the cookies without sacrificing quality. It is a natural substitute to DATEM, also known as mono- and diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E472e). This synthetic emulsifier is used to compensate for the hardness due to the lack of fats during the production phase of the cookie.

For this particular case, Lasenor has a wide range of solutions of hydrolyzed soy (VEROLEC HE-60) and sunflower (GIRALEC HE-60) lecithins which offer the same porousness, hardness, and friability as DATEM, but in a much healthier and more natural form.

One of the other uses for hydrolyzed lecithin is the production of extruded cereals. Lasenor provides to the manufacturers of your typical breakfast cereal the same range of hydrolyzed lecithins as the one used for cookies (VEROLEC HE-60 and GIRALEC HE-60), which have significant advantages: they increase the plasticity of the dough during the extrusion process, they are easily diluted in water and are soy allergen free when you opt for the sunflower lecithin. Moreover, as a natural emulsifier, Lasenor’s lecithins are SOLVENT FREE, meaning that absolutely no solvent whatsoever (including hexane) is involved in their fabrication process. This type of lecithins are sold under the name GIRALEC SF (for sunflower) and VEROLEC SF (for soy).

Organic products and lecithins

Consumer demand for healthier products is causing a general increase in organic production all over the world.

These are products that are exponentially popular and that can now be found not only in specialized stores, but in almost every medium-size to large supermarket.

The latest investigations show that organic products generate economic growth, reduce poverty levels, and are seen as a key factor in rural economic development.

The industry is coming together and collaborating in order to build a supply chain that is safe and able to support demand. The law is also changing – new standards are implemented in order to protect both producers and consumers.

In the case of lecithin used in organic food products, the EU determined in 2019 that it must come from organic agriculture.

In order to confirm their origins, the organic lecithins produced at Lasenor bear a double organic certification: European and American, given they come entirely from Europe and the United States in the case of sunflower and soy lecithins, respectively. Furthermore, the entire production and manipulation process of these lecithins is carried out in Europe, and specifically at Lasenor’s plant in Barcelona.

The European organic certification was granted by the “Consell Català de la Producció Agrària Ecològica (CCPAE)” (Catalan Council on Organic Agricultural Production), an institution included in the list of public authorities and oversight bodies of the European Union.

Lasenor is further certified by the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP), a certification body accredited by the USDA (ECOCERT).

As a specialist in the development of tailor-made lecithins according to the needs of consumers, Lasenor offers different botanic origins to the manufacturers of organic food: VEROLEC ORGANIC SRN (soy-based) and GIRALEC ORGANIC SRN (sunflower-based)

Allergen-free products

One of the most popular foods in the history of our diet is milk. But in recent years, its consumption is generating controversy among consumers as they look for healthier and more sustainable options, which has increased demand for non-dairy milks. In the American market for instance, almond milk now represents 5% of the dairy market, and is a clear favorite among non-dairy milks. This type of products is also manufactured and sold in other countries like Italy, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and Spain.

But given that non-dairy milks are linked to a healthy lifestyle, synthetic emulsifiers are not thought of as a good option, and neither is soy lecithin, given its allergens.

This is why the majority of alternative milks, almond in particular, use sunflower lecithin, and more specifically, due to its high water content, hydrolyzed sunflower lecithin.

This range of hydrolyzed lecithins made by Lasenor facilitates the emulsion and ensures its stability in almond milk in particular and non-dairy milks in general that contain fats.

The recommended products for use in this area are GIRALEC HE-60 SRN and GIRALEC H-US SRN (specifically for the American market).

Fats and sugars reduction

The reduction of fats and sugar content control are one of the main trends in the food industry to fight obesity and make products more attractive to consumers, who care about their health and well-being.

Cookies with a lower fat content are one example of this new demand of the market. Emulsifiers are used in cookie doughs in order to obtain a homogeneous mix of the polar and non-polar ingredients of the recipe, improving the repartition of all the ingredients and thus, improving the rheology of the dough.

The emulsifier is key in obtaining the desired product. Depending on the recipe and the desired properties of the dough, it can act as an airing agent which traps air or forms a complex with other components of the dough such as starch or proteins.

Lecithin, as an emulsifier, has been broadly used in the production of cookies in order to obtain a softer dough and to reduce the fat content in cookies without affecting the quality of the product.

In its most common shape, lecithin is a highly viscous liquid which must be added to the fat part of the cookie given it is immiscible in water and cannot be mixed with flour or sugar. In order to improve its manipulation and facilitate its direct integration into the dough, Lasenor has developed the LECISOL range. It is a powdered product containing 50% of hydrolyzed sunflower lecithin pulverized onto wheat or rice flour and an anti-caking agent. Hydrolyzed lecithin is used due to its higher polarity than standard lecithin, allowing for a perfect integration of all the ingredients of the cookies.

Therefore, given the hydrolyzed nature of LECISOL and its powder form, they are designed to adapt to the various necessities of cookie manufacturers. They are also adapted to gluten-free cookies, given that in the case of the pulverization onto rice flour, our company offers the LECISOL RF GLUTEN FREE option.

The latest technical studies carried out by our I&D department show that LECISOL can also help producers to reduce the fat content in cookies without sacrificing the softness of the product

Sustainability

Inextricably linked to the healthy food markets is the concept of sustainability as a reflection of the new lifestyle that is gaining ground in our society.

The fight against climate change and the preservation of the environment are strategical priorities for Lasenor. The commitment of our company to sustainability is a bet on sustainable development, social progress, environmental balance and economic growth. This commitment can be seen through different actions that aim to reduce the impact of the resources necessary to develop and elaborate its products.

This is why Lasenor has created a logo on the carbon footprint, which is a reflection of our public commitment to handle in a more sustainable manner the greenhouse gas emissions linked to our industrial activity.¡

Conclusion

Food consumption habits are changing all over the world. There is an increasing number of consumers that wish to eat healthier and more sustainable products, in line with a new lifestyle.

An alimentation that combines health and sustainability, and alimentation made of natural, organic and allergen-free ingredients, as well as with lower fat and sugar contents.

In this context, the companies of the food ingredients sector are innovating and developing new products that aim to satisfy consumer demands for more organic products.

One of the food ingredients that offers the best response to the need for both health and sustainability is lecithin, a natural emulsifier that can be used in a wide array of situations in the industry.

Lasenor’s knowledge and experience with this raw material enables us to offer a wide range of solutions that respond to the new necessities of the market as well as the particular needs of its national and international clients, along with all the guarantees offered by a human team specialized in the processing of raw lecithin for use in the food industry.

in LASENOR NEWS Posted by Lasenor

Lasenor integrates spray drying technology in the manufacturing process of its emulsifiers

Lasenor has always placed emphasis on innovation in the fabrication processes of its products. One example of this commitment to innovation is the latest integration of spray drying technology at its Olesa de Montserrat plant.

Using a system based on spray dying enables for the improvement of the physiochemical properties of emulsifiers. Thanks to an ultra-fast process, products are vaporized at the highest quality while preserving their core characteristics.

This drying process also offers the possibility of obtaining a final product in powder form, which is much easier to manipulate and transport and impacts the final cost of the product.

Given the possibilities offered by spray drying technology, Lasenor has qualitatively expanded its service catalog, which now offers new solutions adapted to any needs its clients may have with regards to the elaboration of their products.

But as always when introducing new processes in a company, integrating this technology has been a challenge for the Lasenor teams. First, such a technologically complex and imposing equipment as this one had to be tuned. Second, very complex products had to be developed from the products that the company already synthesized, as well as new synthetic derivatives, similar to the previous ones, which had to be modified in order to achieve the necessary features.

Technical characteristics and features

In this new installation, the product is introduced in a water base. In order to fully hydrate it, an emulsion is created with emulsifiers, bases, and other ingredients like stabilizers, which are injected at high pressure into the spraying chamber, meaning there is a counterflow of air at high temperatures. This way, the water evaporates and remains an integrated emulsifier onto a base, already activated and prepared to be appropriately rehydrated. Once powdered, the product is then automatically bagged.

One of the main advantages that these emulsifiers have with regards to similar products used for the same purposes but hydrated at 50 or 60%, is how easy they are to handle, their cost effectiveness and the cost reduction for their transfer.

Lasenor integrates spray drying technology

Lasenor has always placed emphasis on innovation in the fabrication processes of its products.

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Type of products

The products that Lasenor elaborates with the spray-dryer are mostly used in the pastry industry, and in particular for products that are to be used in the production of cakes, muffins, sheets, pies, marble cakes and much more.

The dry-spraying technology is also used for products used in production processes such as creams, whipped vegetal creams, pie fillings, pie decorations, airy or whipped desserts, (semi-frozen or frozen), milk or plant-based milk beverages, smoothies, fermented products such as yogurt/cottage cheese, etc.

Moreover, they can be found as part of powdered products, mixed with other ingredients such as stabilizers, gums, proteins, serums, alginates, etc. for a wide range of domains in the food industry.

in LASENOR NEWS Posted by Lasenor

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Sustainability must be the soul of Lasenor

Lasenor decided a while ago already to take a qualitative jump in the environmental policy of its Olesa de Montserrat plant. We were acutely aware of the need to limit the environmental impact of our industrial activity, working in a respectful manner, and limiting pollution, aiming to protect our environment and providing added value to society.

In order to strengthen this commitment, Lasenor also decided to align this environmental policy with the principles, values, and strategic orientations of the company, giving it the same relevance as other key business factors used in its management.

Lasenor’s commitment to environmental sustainability is a bet on sustainable development, social progress, environmental balance and economic growth. This commitment is in line with the new business model being favored in the Western world, where companies’ relations to the environment has become an added value.

That is because the fight against climate change and for the preservation of nature has become a strategical priority for many companies, including Lasenor: “living and working with people in the same place and in particular sharing the same environment, that is what sustainability means, and given the moment we are all going through, it must be the soul of Lasenor” a spokesperson for the company tells us.

What are Lasenor’s goals in order to strengthen its environmental policy? First of all, the improvement of its energy efficiency, generating renewable energies, valuation of waste, technological innovation, in order to lower our environmental impact, greenhouse gas emissions and compensate our carbon footprint.

Reducing resources

In order to achieve the goals we set, one of the first lines of action of Lasenor has been the reduction in the impact of the recources necessary to the development of its activities, starting with water consumption, which has been subject for a few years already to important supply reductions. Thanks to the measures implemented since then, water consumption has already been reduced by 50 percent.

Another area of progress for Lasenor has been the separation and valuation of waste, but the company wishes to go further:

Giving a second life to the byproducts generated in the various chemical processes, very useful for industrial productions in other sectors:

– Lecithins, fats and solids, destined to the elaboration of animal feeds.

-Fats and solids, destined to the fabrication of industrial soaps.

-Acetic acid, used in the manufacturing of biogases.

-Oils, glycerin and ditris, used as raw materials in various production processes.

Recycling has also been used in the case of waste generated in our industrial activity:

– Muds from the treatment plant and non-valuable surplus production, used in the manufacturing of biogases.

– Filtering soils, destined to the elaboration of animal feeds.

– Solid waste, compost for agricultural uses.

Reduction, reuse, and recycling (3R) of regular waste (up to 90%).
New industrial uses for various materials like packaging, cardboard, plastics and pallets.

A third scope of action has been energy consumption, where we have acted on two fronts. Firstly, on efficiency, that is, the kilowatts used for each kilo produced, a metric that has also been greatly reduced.

The other energy front refers to the generation of these kilowatts in a clean manner, an area in which another jump in quality will be made with the start of operations, at the end of this year, of the solar plant that will be built on the rooftop of the new warehouse. The solar panels that will be installed will cover about 15% of the total energy wasted at Lasenor.

In order to complement the solar energy produced, we will continue to procure electrical energy from carriers that have high energy ratings, even though such an investment will be more costly.

Beyond all these measures, Lasenor is studying other options for renewable and clean energies from its industrial activity that have a positive CO2 balance and enable for greater energetical independence.

Reducing the carbon footprint

This environmental indicator, which gathers data on the impact of greenhouse gas emissions, both direct and indirect, has already been monitored by Lasenor internally for about two years.

The next step taken by the company is leading to the institutionalization of these controls, thanks to various external mechanisms, so that they can be validated by the Administration in order to determine what is our carbon footprint and which greenhouse gases are being emitted. The end goal, in implementing these public metrics, is to reduce emissions.

in SUSTAINABILITY Posted by Lasenor

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