Fruit fillings: naturalness, from field to fork

Not only did the Taste Tomorrow survey reveal a preference for fruit on the part of the consumer and the customers; a demand for ‘cleaner label’ products was also clearly expressed: products without artificial preservatives, colorings and flavorings. This is a clear, retail-driven trend in the industry and process innovation is crucial if you want to do this well. Based on these insights, we recently launched a new fruit fillings range free from artificial and genetically modified ingredients, and made with more fruit to authentically preserve the identity, integrity and flavor of the fruit. Discover more about Topfil Origins.

Puratos offers two fruit fillings: Topfil and Vivafil. Topfil contains up to 60% fruit, in larger pieces. This is primarily intended for pies and pastries where the fruit is on top, like on cheesecakes or Danish pastries. Vivafil, on the other hand, is the best alternative when a higher level of baking stability is required: as a fruit filling for croissants, for example. "Our fruit fillings are unique because we put naturalness first throughout the entire process." It is a long journey before an apple is ready to be processed as a fruit filling in a pastry. From tree to bakery, or in other words: from field to fork. This process and Puratos’ focus on naturalness starts with the selection of the fruit. Our newest Topfil Origins product range, guarantees an origins story and natural authentic taste. Whether it’s Washington apples, Michigan cherries or Wild blueberries from Maine, each ingredient is carefully selected to guarantee the highest quality and best taste.

Puratos consciously opts for local production, near local customers and consumers. "We operate more sustainably on account of the short distances between sourcing, production and the customer. Thanks to regional sourcing and processing you can also adapt the flavor profile to the demands of local consumers. Additionally, we also take into account local specialities which we can roll out worldwide thanks to our glocal presence. 

Two transformations are needed to turn apples into a filling.

Transformation 1: The fruit is processed into another raw material directly after harvesting.

Transformation 2: Adding ingredients and pasteurization. The raw material is now a ready-to-use fruit filling for bakery and patisserie applications.

Libens: "Our genuine added value can be discerned in the second transformation. We adapt our fruit fillings to our customers’ demands, depending on the desired end product. If the fruit filling is intended for a Danish pastry or croissant, you will need a high baking stability. However, if it is used in a cake, the ingredients must contribute to the product’s shelf life. The texture of the filling can also be adapted to the customer’s wishes: coarser pieces of fruit for a natural fruit filling, or completely smooth if the customer wishes to inject the filling."

The production method used by Puratos for its fillings is unique. "Contrary to the production method used for traditional jams, in which a great deal of sugar is added and the fruit is simmered for a long time to thoroughly pasteurize it and to prevent post-contamination, the production method we use for our fruit fillings is aimed at heating it, allowing it to cool and package it as quickly as possible. We mix everything as gently as possible to retain the natural texture of the fruit. We aim to guarantee that the filling remains as natural as possible in everything we do."