Marcel Sturkenboom, Global Application Director LBS, reveals how bakeries can stay ahead of consumer trends, environmental imperatives, and production hurdles
In a baking industry shaped by clean-label demands, efficiency pressures, and ever-evolving consumer tastes, ingredient innovation must go beyond the lab — it must prove itself in the oven. At Lallemand, this philosophy is captured in their guiding principle: Innovation by Application. Rather than relying solely on theory, the company grounds its research in real-world baking environments, using application trials to understand how ingredients interact with the complex matrices of modern dough systems. This approach drives practical, scalable solutions that meet both performance and label transparency expectations.
With decades of expertise in fermentation, Lallemand is uniquely positioned to deliver clean-label innovations that enhance flavour, texture, shelf life, and nutrition. From natural sourdough cultures to enzyme systems and fermented wheat technologies, their ingredient toolbox addresses today’s challenges — whether it’s removing synthetic additives, reducing water and energy use, or co-developing tailored solutions with industrial bakers.
In this interview, Marcel Sturkenboom, Global Application Director LBS, explores how their application-first mindset, clean-label commitment, and deep microbiological knowledge are helping bakeries stay ahead of consumer trends, environmental imperatives, and production hurdles. The result? Ingredient innovation that’s not only scientifically robust, but also ready for the realities of the production line.
Marcel, what does ‘Innovation by Application’ mean at Lallemand, and how does it differentiate you from others in the industry?
At Lallemand, Innovation by Application is more than a slogan — it’s a guiding principle. It means that our innovation process is deeply rooted in real-world baking applications and customer needs. Rather than developing ingredients in isolation, we focus on how they perform in actual baking environments. This involves extensive application trials to explore the complex interactions between enzymes, functional ingredients, and the diverse substrates found in flour and dough, such as starches, fibers, lipids, and proteins.
These substrates vary significantly in composition and structure, making dough systems inherently complex. Through hands-on experimentation, we often uncover unexpected synergies that challenge existing scientific assumptions. These insights allow us to refine our understanding and develop novel, high-performance solutions that are both practical and scientifically sound. This application-driven approach sets us apart by ensuring that our innovations are not only technically advanced but also directly relevant to our customers’ processes.
How does Lallemand balance clean-label demands with performance in taste, texture, and shelf life?
Clean-label formulation is at the core of Lallemand’s mission. Our expertise in natural fermentation — yeast, bacteria, and fungi — enables us to develop advanced clean-label technologies that enhance product quality without synthetic additives.
For example, we produce maltogenic amylases using our proprietary baker’s yeast strains. When combined with fermented wheat, these enzymes significantly extend the shelf life of bread while maintaining a soft, resilient crumb. To enhance flavor naturally, we offer a diverse portfolio of starter cultures that can be used in sourdough fermentation with various flours, including wheat, rye, and germ. These cultures allow bakers to tailor flavor profiles while maintaining clean-label integrity.
Additionally, we offer inactivated sourdough powders for straight dough applications, as well as a range of inactivated yeasts and yeast extracts that enhance flavor and support salt reduction, all without compromising on taste or texture.
Sustainability is a core differentiator for Lallemand. How is it integrated into your innovation and product development?
Sustainability is embedded in every stage of our innovation process. When developing new solutions, we prioritise methods to help industrial bakers enhance efficiency while minimising environmental impact. One example is our BTR solution, a water management and dough development system, which enables doughs to be formulated with less water while maintaining optimal rheological properties. This reduction in water content enables shorter baking times or lower baking temperatures, resulting in a significant decrease in energy consumption —a major contributor to CO₂ emissions in bakeries.
Beyond product development, we implement sustainable practices in our daily operations. Our Innovation Center is powered in part by solar panels, and we repurpose bread from test trials into animal feed. These initiatives, along with others detailed in our Sustainability Journey Report, reflect our commitment to responsible innovation.
Can you share examples of co-developing customised baking solutions with customers?
Collaboration is central to our approach. Our team of application managers works closely with customers’ R&D and production teams to co-develop solutions tailored to their specific processes and product goals.
For instance, we partnered with a customer to replace emulsifiers and full-fat soy flour in whole wheat bread using our clean-label solutions. The result was improved shape, texture, and eating quality, all while maintaining label simplicity. In another case, we helped a customer reduce water content in 50% whole wheat rusks, enabling shorter baking and drying times while achieving the desired moisture level in the final product. We also supported a customer producing partially baked crispy rolls. By modifying the crust characteristics to be thinner and leatherier, we addressed issues related to ambient storage and second-bake performance in automated baking stations.
These examples highlight our ability to deliver practical, customised solutions that align with both technical and commercial objectives.
How do your solutions address industrial challenges like mold inhibition, reduced production time, or artificial ingredient removal?
Many of the challenges faced by industrial bakeries. such as mold inhibition, production efficiency, and clean-label reformulation, are addressed through the same innovations discussed earlier. Our enzyme systems, fermentation-based ingredients, and natural antimicrobials are designed to replace synthetic additives while maintaining or enhancing product performance.
For example, our maltogenic amylases and fermented wheat systems not only extend shelf life but also contribute to mold inhibition by reducing water activity and improving crumb resilience. Our water-reduction technologies help shorten baking times, and our clean-label emulsifier replacements support the removal of artificial ingredients without compromising dough handling or final product quality.
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Media contact
Joseph Clarke
Editor, International Bakery
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920
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