Ferm Food launches fermented gluten-free bread binder for industrial bakeries

DENMARK – Danish plant-ingredients manufacturer FERM FOOD ApS has officially launched an innovative, gluten-free fermented bread binder designed specifically for industrial-scale bakeries.

The new bio-solutions ingredient addresses some of the most persistent technical challenges in gluten-free baking, including fragile crumb structures, rapid staling, and excessive crumbling.

By mimicking the functional elasticity of traditional wheat gluten through a natural, clean-label fermentation process, the binder allows commercial manufacturers to simplify complex recipes and dramatically reduce their reliance on synthetic texturizers, gums, and chemical additives.

The specialized bread binder is produced using a proprietary solid-state fermentation process driven by natural lactic acid bacteria.

It is formulated from a blend of locally adapted crops, specifically European Union-sourced buckwheat and fava beans.

This raw material strategy not only ensures structural integrity in the dough but also strengthens regional supply chain resilience and security for manufacturers.

According to the company, utilizing this natural fermentation technique allows a single multi-functional component to replace several separate hydrocolloids and stabilizers simultaneously, allowing industrial bakers to standardize production lines and shrink their stock-keeping requirements.

Søren Lange, Head of Development at FERM FOOD ApS, highlighted that the ingredient was engineered to deliver both operational simplicity and enhanced sensory appeal.

Lange noted that because the binder provides excellent water retention and dough homogeneity, commercial loaves retain an elastic crumb structure and optimal sliceability.

“Our new gluten-free bread binder has been developed to make production simpler and more flavorful. When one binder can replace several functional components, it becomes easier for industrial bakers to standardize recipes, cut down on the number of ingredients, and add a deeper, slightly tangy, and more complex flavour, similar to what you know from sourdough bread,” says Søren Lange, Head of Development at FERM FOOD ApS.

Furthermore, the lactic acid fermentation imparts a subtle, tangy depth of flavor and complex aroma profiles analogous to traditional sourdough bread, while facilitating a desirable golden crust formation during the baking cycle.

The functional binder system has already undergone successful industrial validation trials with regional retail partners.

Vadehavsbageriet, a specialized Danish bakery producing gluten-free products for the mainstream retail market, reported that integrating the fermented binder yielded highly consistent baking results and uniform dough handling.

The launch represents a broader strategic rollout for FERM FOOD, whose expanding clean-label binder portfolio also features dedicated fermentation solutions optimized for plant-based meat alternatives, legumes, and minced poultry formulations.

Earlier this year, Ferm Food further scaled its production capacity by acquiring a former Orkla manufacturing facility in Skovlund, Denmark, with an output capacity of nearly 20,000 tonnes at full capacity.

FERM FOOD continues to focus its research and development on using biological processes to create economically viable, natural ingredients that support sustainability metrics across the entire agricultural value chain.

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