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Formulating Plant-based Foods
August 16, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Formulating Plant-based Foods 3 Ways: Citrus Fiber

Free-from, fake, faux, replacements, substitutions and alternatives are just a few descriptors thrown around when referring to non-meat and non-dairy food products. The hot plant-based food trend continues to spur this lexicon exercise. Today, consumers choose a plant-based diet on their set of values and beliefs which vary from person to person. For instance, some are concerned with the environmental impact, the carbon foot print and sustainability when purchasing foods. Others believe that the plant-based diet will curb them from onset diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and hypertension. And some do not believe in slaughtering animals when there are…

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gluten-free ingredients like Citri-Fi citrus fiber in gluten-free bakery
July 27, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Gluten-free Ingredients: Next Generation Challenges & Solutions

Back in 2005 during my R&D days, gluten-free bakery became the next new hot wave for food formulators. Working in R&D meant you joined sensory panel evaluations or bakery cuttings. And at that time, my bakery team produced never ending rounds of gluten-free breads using a cocktail of starches, gums and gluten-free flours. The polarizing results teetered between a mouth full of sawdust to teeth encased with gummy dough. As a result, formulating with gluten-free ingredients reverted my bakery team to ground zero. At that time, the goal was to create a gluten-free food that was edible and tasted good….

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Clean Label Bakery Fillings using Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber
July 13, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Bakery Fillings: Converting to Clean Label

What is more decadent than biting into a warm donut with filling oozing over your lips? This fond memory stems back from childhood days and forward into adulthood. Bakery fillings come in a variety of flavors and textures including cream, chocolate, fruit and nut-based. This gives bakers a palette of options which make the combinations endless. However, bakers also use stabilizers to improve the filling’s stability and texture. For instance, fruit fillings typically contain added pectin to thicken and gel. Also, bakers incorporate modified starches which provide viscosity, heat tolerance and freeze/thaw stability. For years, bakers leaned on these hydrocolloids…

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Plant based Pizza using Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber
June 22, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Plant Based Pizza: Piece by Piece

Someone told me once that pizza is the ultimate food. It contains all 5 food groups: fruits/vegetables, starch, dairy, protein and fat. In product development classes, pizza was the go-to meal when creating portable snacks, feeding a family of five and nourishing those in need. Although pizza is a quick and easy morsel for the consumer, the complexity spins most food developers heads when it comes to plant-based pizzas. Pizza is comprised of multiple components including the crust, sauce, cheese and protein toppings. When combined together, water and oil, when not bound, tend to migrate in different directions. Throw in…

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pulp replacement beverage ingredients
June 8, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Drink up! Pulp Replacement Beverage Ingredients

Fruit pulp, a natural texturizer, gives juice beverages the body and mouthfeel that consumers expect. This fruit fraction creates multiple textures. For instance, juicers extract liquid and pulp together to create an orange bliss. And whole fruit including pulp is whipped using a high sheer blender to make a frothy smoothie. In food processing, fruit pulp is often added back into fruit juices. However, when the markets fluctuate, fruit or vegetables may swing in price. As a result, processors look for pulp replacement beverage ingredients which are more cost effective than using fruit pulp itself. Many beverage types use pulp…

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Meat-like Texture in Minced Meat Patties
May 20, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Meaty, Meatier, Meat-like Texture – Citrus Fiber TX

Creating the ultimate meat-like texture that consumers expect is an on-going quest in the foodie world. Thanks to advanced processing technology, consumers teeth clench a turkey leg typically at Renaissance Faire nowadays. Today, meat comes in a variety of forms off the bone. Though some consumers savor a good old slab of steak, the market now offers other types like sausage links, nuggets and deli cold cuts. However, there is one common denominator amongst them all – a meaty texture. This process technology also opened doors for plant-based meat producers. Many of these meat substitutes use the same equipment and…

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Starch Replacement in Formulations Food Collage
April 29, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Starch Replacement in Formulations: Ironing out the Options

Food starch is one of the most common food ingredients used today. For instance, consumers sprinkle food starches into their home recipes to create thick and creamy soups. And the food industry uses it as a workhorse ingredient in almost every food product around the globe. Many of the common botanical starch sources include corn, wheat and rice. They all provide multiple functionalities including thickening, viscosity, gelling, binding and emulsification depending on the botanical source and modification. In the hydrocolloid world, they are the champions of water management. As a result, they create high quality processed foods such as yogurts,…

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Egg Replacement - Citrus Fiber in Bakery Foods, Dressings and Sauces
April 20, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Egg Replacement: The Good Egg – Citrus Fiber

Real eggs are the workhorse ingredients in the food world. They have so many functions in baked goods including aeration, browning color, binding, humectancy and leavening to improve the texture over shelf-life. Moreover, eggs provide coagulation, coatings, crystallization control and richness to a variety of other foods. Besides the functional benefits, eggs also fortify foods with protein content. So, why would the market demand egg replacement options? Eggs experience pricing fluctuations like any other food staple. Temporary anomalies such as the current Avian flu create price hikes and supply constraints that affect companies that are not locked into contracts or…

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Sliced Chicken - Clean Label Processed Meats
April 13, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Clean Label Processed Meats: Tips using Citrus Fiber

Animal meat processors continue to swirl around in a pool of continuous market flux. For instance, the entire supply chain faces dilemmas ranging from animal treatment to environmental concerns. However, one demand that continues to surface is clean label. This trend floated to the top due to a shift to plant-based eating. Though meat substitutes may be packed with plant-based proteins, some critics quickly point out the degree of processing that occurs. Because of this, many skeptical consumers revert back to their definition of “real food” –  clean label processed meats. Clean label in this arena applies to many facets…

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Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber Improves Plant-based Meat Formulations & Dairy Alternatives
March 23, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Natural Products Expo Trends: Plant-based Meat Formulations & Dairy Alternatives

It happened! The 2022 Natural Product Expo West show resumed its regular in-person exhibition. For those who are not familiar with this trade show, it is the mecca of all trade shows when it comes to natural food products. For the seasoned attendees, one knows this massive show merits at least two days, a pre-planned floor strategy and a pair of cozy shoes to wear. If you are lucky enough, you may eye-spy tinsel town investors and actors trolling the floor next to you. However, this year, it is no surprise that plant-based foods stood in the limelight. Two categories…

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