Course:FNH200/Assignments/2023/Oreo GlutenFreeOreo

Oreos are a popular brand of sandwich cookies consisting of two chocolate wafers with a sweet cream filling in between. They were first introduced by the National Biscuit Company (now Nabisco) in 1912, and have since become a staple in households worldwide, known for their distinctive taste and versatility in various recipes. In response to the growing demand for gluten-free options, Nabisco launched gluten-free Oreos in 2021. These cookies are made with gluten-free ingredients while maintaining the classic Oreo flavour and texture, allowing those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease to enjoy this beloved treat.

The Oreo logo

Standard variety Oreo cookies

Gluten Free Oreo nutrition label

Ingredients for regular Oreo's

Ingredient lists

Oreo (Regular):

• Unbleached enriched flour
• Wheat flour
• Niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), folic acid
• Sugar
• Palm oil
• Soybean and/or Canola oil
• Cacao (processed w/ alkali)
• HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup)
• Leavening (baking soda and/or calcium phosphate)
• Salt
• Soy lecithin
• Chocolate
• Artificial flavour

Oreo (Gluten Free):

• Sugar
• Palm Oil
• White Rice flour
• Tapioca starch
• Canola oil
• Whole oat flour
• Cornstarch
• Coca (processed with alkali)
• Invert sugar
• Soy lecithin
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Xanthan gum
• Chocolate
• Artificial flavour

Fat substitutes: Palm oil, canola oil

Sugar substitutes: n/a

Additives: Tapioca Starch¹, Cornstarch, Xanthan Gum¹, Cocoa (processed with alkali), Soy Lecithin, Baking Soda, Artificial Flavour

• Palm Oil and Canola Oil: Helps make the cookie's texture smooth and creamy. It provides stability to the filling, ensuring it remains solid at room temperature.

• Tapioca Starch¹ and Cornstarch: Used to provide structure and improve the texture of the gluten-free cookie. They help to mimic the elasticity and chewiness usually provided by gluten in wheat flour.
• Xanthan Gum¹: Acts as a stabilizer and thickener, as it helps to bind the ingredients together and gives the cookie a chewy texture.
• Cocoa: Provides the rich chocolate flavour and dark colour of the cookie. Since it is processed with alkali, this treatment neutralizes the cocoa’s acidity which makes the taste of the cocoa milder and smoother to the consumer.
• Soy Lecithin: Acts as an emulsifier which will help to blend the fats and the other ingredients. Furthermore, this will help ensure a consistent texture and prevent the fats from separating, which further helps the overall smoothness of the inner white filling.
• Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, as it helps make the cookies puff up slightly. It reacts with acidic components in the dough to produce carbon dioxide gas, which creates tiny bubbles, giving the cookie a light and crispy texture.

¹ Exclusive to gluten-free Oreos

Similarities and Differences:

Regular Oreos and gluten-free Oreos have several key differences in their ingredients. Regular Oreos use unbleached enriched flour made from wheat, which includes vitamins and minerals such as niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and folic acid. In contrast, gluten-free Oreos use a blend of white rice flour, whole oat flour, and tapioca starch to avoid gluten.

Both versions contain sugar, but regular Oreos also include high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), whereas gluten-free Oreos use invert sugar. The oils in both types include palm oil and canola oil; however, regular Oreos may also use soybean oil.

Cacao processed with alkali is present in both versions, contributing to the chocolate flavour. For leavening, regular Oreos use baking soda and/or calcium phosphate, while gluten-free Oreos use only baking soda. Salt and soy lecithin are common ingredients in both types of Oreos.

Cornstarch is an ingredient in gluten-free Oreos, but not in regular Oreos. Similarly, xanthan gum is used in gluten-free Oreos to help mimic the texture that gluten provides, which is not necessary for regular Oreos. The flour in regular Oreos is enriched with additional vitamins and minerals, a feature absent in the gluten-free version. Finally, whole oat flour is used in gluten-free Oreos but not in regular Oreos.

These differences in ingredients result in variations in taste and texture. Regular Oreos, with their enriched wheat flour, provide the classic elasticity and chewiness that many people enjoy. In contrast, gluten-free Oreos use alternative flours and additives like xanthan gum to try to replicate this texture, often resulting in a slightly different mouthfeel. The use of different sugars and oils also contributes to subtle differences in sweetness and flavour between the two versions. Regular Oreos' enrichment with vitamins and minerals adds some nutritional benefits that are not present in the gluten-free version.

Labels

Key Canadian Labelling Requirements:

• Bilingual labelling: English & French in Canada
• Common Food Name
• Date Marking & Storage Instructions
• List of Ingredients
• Nutrition Facts Table: Displays calories, fat, saturated fat, and other key nutritional metrics
• Net Quantity: weight (g) for Oreos
• Sweeteners

Oreo Labelling Compliance:

The packaging for both variants of Oreos follows Canada’s food labelling requirements as outlined in module 4.3 of the FNH 200 course. The snacks are labelled in both English and French (this complying with Canadian bilingual labelling), with the common name for the food chocolate sandwich cookies also present. The best before date is marked, and there is a detailed Nutrition Facts Table as well, showing all appropriate information (e.g. calories, amounts of fat, sugars, sodium, etc...). Each package has the net weight, and sweeteners present are included in the Nutrition Facts Table as opposed to clearly labelled elsewhere on the packaging.

• Regular Oreo Packaging
• Gluten-free Oreo Packaging

Fun Facts

Oreos are a popular favourite among snack lovers, boasting the title of the best-selling cookie of the 20th and 21st C, and available in over 100 countries. Oreo has produced 206 different flavours, including several limited edition flavours such as Sour Patch Kids and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. There are several theories regarding the origin of the cookies' name. Some believe it is derived from the French word or meaning gold, or that the two 'o's represent the top and bottom cookies, respectively, with the inner letters being the crème filling sandwiched in between.

References

This Food Science resource was created by Course:FNH200.