Reduction of sugars and fats by creation of adhesive structures at lower sucrose concentrations

Consumers increasingly demand convenient food that can be eaten on the go. It is now recognised that

snacking can be an important part of diet – but the trick is to eat the right snacks. There is much evidence that

whole grains (especially whole grain oats) are an important part of a healthy diet. Cereal bars therefore are

potentially a good option for people wanting healthier snacking options. Cereal bars need to be stable and

easy to eat and yet it is not easy to bind cereals together to form bars (using recognisable ingredients that

consumers demand) without high levels of added sugar. In this project a group of companies, led by The

Jordans and Ryvita Company, using the scientific understanding of adhesion developed at the University of

Nottingham, will look at English oats and how they can be processed allowing optimum binding properties

using less sugar. Currently there is little knowledge about oats and their treatment so that they can have good

adhesion properties. In this project, different novel precision ways of applying sugar as “glue” will be

investigated, so that just the right amount can be used to agglomerate and keep cereals together.