Clean label ingredient brand Ulrick + Short has announced the expansion of its portfolio with the launch of avanté 25, a new sugar reduction solution designed specifically for sweet bakery applications.
avanté 25 is partly based on a soluble maize fibre, enabling manufacturers to reduce sugar whilst simultaneously increasing fibre content, without compromising texture, structure or processing performance.
The company describes the ingredient as a specialist blend of soluble maize fibre, wheat starch and wheat protein, designed to replicate the multiple functional roles sugar plays in bakery systems.
Beyond sweetness, sugar contributes to moisture retention, foam stabilisation and plasticising effects — all critical to volume, crumb structure and eating quality.
The solution replicates these properties, maintaining height, peak structure and a consistent, homogeneous crumb in applications such as muffins, brownies and madeleines.
Trials in muffin formulations demonstrate aeration, crumb structure and colour comparable to those of full-sugar controls, enabling seamless integration into existing recipes.
The company says that the solution was developed in response to rising regulatory pressures and increasing consumer demand for healthier bakery options.
The launch also comes at a time when nutrient assessment frameworks, such as the UK Nutrient Profiling Model, are placing greater emphasis on free sugars. Additionally, front-of-pack labelling schemes such as Nutri-Score continue to influence reformulation strategies across Europe.
Consumer expectations are also shifting, with 46% actively looking to reduce their sugar intake in baked goods and 43% finding high-fibre claims appealing in products such as muffins.
Health benefits beyond sugar reduction
Unlike many sugar replacers, avanté 25 delivers benefits that extend beyond purely reducing sugar levels.
Being partially composed of soluble fibre, the solution helps reduce the blood glycaemic response compared to sugar and starch-based sugar replacers. Soluble fibre also supports digestive health through the production of short-chain fatty acids in the gut.
Nutritionally, manufacturers can achieve up to 30% sugar reduction whilst adding up to 4 g of fibre per 100 g, enabling both reduced-sugar and fibre claims.
By increasing fibre content and reducing free sugars simultaneously, the ingredient supports improved nutritional profiles and helps manufacturers navigate evolving regulatory frameworks without sacrificing product quality.
Abi Sharp, Ulrick + Short's R&D Technologist and Registered Nutritionist, said: "Fibres are becoming a well-earned hot topic in the industry at the moment."
Fibre is incredibly important to us nutritionally, not just for intestinal performance, but for gut health and heightened hormone secretion too, so being able to decrease sugar and increase fibre with just one ingredient is incredibly useful.
Ulrick + Short says it also works closely with bakery manufacturers to develop scalable reformulation strategies that protect product quality whilst improving nutritional performance.
The company also showcased the ingredient in its Break Down the Bake technical masterclass, where product developers can see first-hand how sugar functionality can be replaced without compromising product quality.