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February 14, 2022
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Citrus Fiber In the News

Givaudan and Fiberstar enter agreement to expand plant-based texturising ingredients to new markets

Versatile citrus fibre ingredient delivers multi-sensory food experiences across multiple product categories

GENEVA AND RIVER FALLS, WIS. (PRWEB) FEBRUARY 14, 2022

Givaudan and US-based company Fiberstar today announced that they have entered into an agreement allowing Givaudan to commercialise and use Fiberstar’s natural, plant-based texturising ingredient Citri-Fi®. The collaboration will support the expansion of Givaudan’s Taste & Wellbeing portfolio while extending Fiberstar’s geographic footprint and research & development opportunities.

The collaboration combines Givaudan’s broad customer reach and leadership in Taste, Sense, Nutrition and Health with Fiberstar’s expertise in the foodstuff texturising market space enabling food manufacturers to better respond to consumer demand in plant-based ingredients for products that combine desirable texture and taste.

Citri-Fi® is a clean label, non-GMO, vegan solution, free of commonly recognised allergens, that improves the texture, taste and stability of a variety of foods ranging from baked goods to meat alternatives. Citri-Fi® is derived from soluble and insoluble orange and lemon fibres through a mechanical process that converts what was once a by-product of the citrus juicing industry into a sustainable, nature-friendly ingredient.

Serge Sabrier, Global Category Director Sense, Givaudan said: “Foodstuff texturisers are an important component in supporting our customers and delivering great food experiences to consumers. We are excited to be partnering with Fiberstar, expanding our Sense Texture offering that today is strong in oat and quillaia. Both oat and citrus are considered superhero ingredients, offering exceptional functionality as natural foodstuff texturizers. Citrus fibre is a winning addition due to its high functionality and high consumer acceptance around the globe.”

John A. Haen, President and CEO of Fiberstar added: “We are enthusiastic about this new commercial agreement. With more than 20 years of experience in the natural texturisers space, we are excited to work with Givaudan to bring clean label texturisers and our extensive applications knowledge to a wider customer-base while also benefiting from Givaudan’s R&D expertise.”

Citri-Fi® can be used across a range of applications, adding body and mouthfeel to dairy and dairy substitutes; improving viscosity and mouthfeel in soups and sauces; enhancing moisture and freshness in bakery goods; and for boosting juiciness and texture in plant-based meat alternatives. In addition to these properties and benefits, Citri-Fi® can also improve a product’s nutritional profile.

In 2022, Givaudan will initially offer Citri-Fi® ingredients in Latin America* and to selected customers in Europe. Outside of these areas, Fiberstar will continue servicing its current customer-base and global distributor network. Givaudan will also use Citri-Fi® in its development work as it co-creates formulations with its customers. In the future, Givaudan intends to offer Citri-Fi® as an ingredient across all markets around the world.

(*with the exception of Chile)

About Givaudan

Givaudan is the global leader in the creation of flavours and fragrances, with its heritage stretching back over 250 years, the Company has a long history of innovating tastes and scents. From a favourite drink to your daily meal, from prestige perfumes to cosmetics and laundry care, its creations inspire emotions and delight millions of consumers the world over. The Company is committed to driving purpose-led, long-term growth while leading the way to improve happiness and health for people and nature. In the fiscal year 2020, the Company employed almost 16,000 people worldwide and achieved sales of CHF 6.3 billion and a free cash flow of 12.8% of sales. Let’s imagine together on http://www.givaudan.com.

About Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing

Powered by innovation and creativity, Givaudan Taste & Wellbeing aims to shape the future of food by becoming the co-creation partner of choice to its customers. Built on its global leadership position in flavours and taste, the Company goes beyond to create food experiences that do good and feel good, for body, mind and planet. With an expanded portfolio of products across flavours, taste, functional and nutritional solutions and a deep knowledge of the food ecosystem, Givaudan’s passion is to collaborate with customers and partners to develop game changing innovations in food and beverage. Let’s imagine together the future of food. Learn more at http://www.givaudan.com/taste-wellbeing.

About Fiberstar

Fiberstar, Inc. http://www.FiberstarIngredients.com is a privately held innovative biotechnology Company focused on enhancing food performance by manufacturing and marketing value-added, plant based food ingredients. Its largest brand, Citri-Fi, is a natural, highly functional citrus fiber sustainably produced. The physical patented process creates the high water holding and clean label emulsification properties. Citri-Fi is GRAS, non-allergenic, non-GMO and has no E-number. This natural fiber line benefits meat, dairy, bakery, dressings, sauces, frozen food, beverages, plant based foods and pet food through textural improvements, nutritional enhancements and/or cost savings. Headquartered in River Falls, Wisconsin with manufacturing in Florida and Wisconsin, Fiberstar sells products globally in over 65 countries.

For further information, please contact:

Eve Landen, Media Manager, Taste & Wellbeing, Givaudan
T +33 4 90 23 70 20
E Eve.Landen@givaudan.com

Jennifer Stephens, VP of Marketing, Fiberstar
T +1 303 513 4021
E J.Stephens@fiberstar.net

Jamie Till, Instinctif Partners
T +44 7581 480 083
E Jamie.till@instinctif.com

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February 11, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

The Buzz about Bakery Texturants in Bakery Mixes

Bakery mixes provide consumers the convenience and freshness factor. However, at the same time, they lack recognition when it comes to bakery mix trends, challenges and solutions. Citri-Fi® citrus fiber, a bakery texturant, provides multiple benefits including water holding and emulsification which helps overcome common challenges including texture, moisture retention and freshness over time.

Bakery mixes are the perfect blend of convenience and quasi-baking from scratch. Because of this, those with tight schedules can throw on an apron and bake at a fraction of the time. Mixes have other benefits in the food land including shelf stability, versatility and customization. For instance, bakery mixes have longer shelf lives compared to their ready-to-eat (RTE) versions. And these mixes can incorporate a variety of ingredients catering to specific consumer diets such as keto, gluten-free and low glycemic.

Surprisingly, this food segment rarely gets the airtime compared to the bakery category in general. To provide more insight about bakery mixes, Fiberstar’s marketing interviewed Sheila McWilliams, a Certified Food Scientist, to share her experiences in this exciting segment. Sheila has worked in the bakery food space formulating RTE and frozen bakery products like cookies, nutrition bars, cakes, muffins and yeast leavened sweet goods and breads. She loves the challenge of scaling a formula from the bench to production and finding new ingredients including bakery texturants that improve the quality and flavor of foods.

Bringing out the Best: Bakery Mix Interview

(Marketing): The baked goods category has several trends driving new product launches. One key trend is health and wellness such as sugar reduction, egg reduction, fiber enrichment and calorie reduction. Does the health and wellness trend cross over into bakery mixes as well? If so, what health and wellness trends do you see?

(Sheila): Bakery mixes have evolved due to an uptick of consumers baking at home. Yes, there are health and wellness trends affecting bakery mixes today. One popular health trend is the use of simple ingredients while still keeping the indulgence factor. Consumers associate recognizable ingredients to healthy choices versus other questionable ones which may be perceived as chemical-based. For instance, consumers look for just a short, simple list of all-natural bakery ingredients during the decision process. Other trends you mentioned including keto, gluten-free and vegan versions of bakery mixes are also on trend. However, they are a smaller niche versus the mainstream clean label bakery ingredient movement.

(Marketing): What challenges are surfacing in this health and wellness category and what solutions are you recommending to bakery mix blenders to overcome these challenges?

(Sheila): Consumers want choices, including healthier choices, while still maintaining the texture, flavor, and freshness of traditional bakery products. Typically better-for-you versions tend to fall short due to some natural ingredient's functional limitations. Chefs and product developers reach out looking for support to improve all these attributes in bakery mixes. At Fiberstar, we sell Citri-Fi® citrus fiber which improves texture and freshness over time in end products because it is a natural bakery texturant and clean label bakery ingredient.

(Marketing): You mentioned Citri-Fi citrus fiber as a solution. Please tell me a little more about this natural ingredient and why it is ideal for dry mixes in general.

(Sheila): Citri-Fi holds a lot of water and provides some emulsification. This bakery texturant provides a variety of benefits. For example, I recommend this natural citrus fiber in mixes to create a tender crumb texture. Because of the fiber’s high surface area and native intact pectin, Citri-Fi provides natural emulsification. As a result, product developers can clean up bakery mix labels. However one of the key benefits is Citri-Fi’s ability to hold water tightly at low usage levels (<1%). Because of this, the high moisture retention improves softness and freshness over time in end products.

(Marketing): How is this natural fiber different than other similar ingredients on the market?

(Sheila): Citri-Fi is an upcycled ingredient, with a functional advantage. In other words, this citrus fiber is derived from byproduct of the citrus juicing industry. The process, which is free from chemical modifications, creates a fiber that contains both native insoluble and soluble fiber components. Because of this, it can hold water and oil, far better than other common dough conditioners and additives. Also, this powdered product is a perfect addition to bakery dry mixes. It is easily mixed in with the dry ingredients. Some emulsifiers are not as process friendly.

Labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which is recognizable on ingredient labels for baked goods. Consumers easily relate to this ingredient. Other ingredients with similar functionality remain on the speculative list. Since this ingredient qualifies as a fiber, it improves the nutritional profile of the bakery mix unlike other ingredients on the market.

In the end, what consumers may not know is that citrus fiber is a functional ingredient and an ideal bakery texturant which is exceptional at improving the quality and freshness of finished bakery products.

(Marketing): Another hot area is specialty diets like keto, gluten-free, glycemic, vegan and free-from. What specialty diet trends are driving new product development in the bakery mix category?

(Sheila): Wellness and improved health is a driver in the bakery category development. Currently, I am receiving a lot of requests about keto and vegan. These are some of the newer trends in this category. As mentioned above, they are more niche.

(Marketing): Are there challenges in the specialty diet category? If so, what are they? And what recommendations are you providing to support product development?

(Sheila): Products in this category may lack the texture of traditional, gluten-containing bakery products. For example, a gluten-free product may be crumbly and dry. One gluten free baking solution is Citri-Fi which provides natural cohesion and moisture retention to dough to improve the texture of gluten-free products. This means better performance during manufacturing and better texture for the consumer.

In keto bakery products, Citri-Fi qualifies as a fiber so it can be added without impacting carbohydrates in the formula. And since Citri-Fi is plant-based - derived from citrus pulp and peel - it makes a perfect ingredient for vegan formulations. Moreover, it can be used with other natural bakery ingredients to remove egg due to its hydrocolloidal and emulsification properties.

(Marketing): If you had a crystal ball, what other developments do you see coming down the pipeline with bakery mixes?

(Sheila): Bakery mixes are a convenient and perfect way to get someone in the kitchen baking. They bridge the gap between scratch-cooking and convenience. It is an option for the home cook to provide family and friends with food that is indulgent, healthy and artisan-quality. There is so much opportunity for indulgent mixes that include multicomponent recipes and bakeware so the consumer can build a gourmet treat at home. Healthy options will continue to launch providing plant-based, clean-label alternatives for the home baker. Artisan-type bakery blends that include specialty flours, grains, flavors, and toppings may be in the pipeline. Bakery mixes provide consumers a convenient way to try a new recipe and new ingredients without the full commitment of buying the individual ingredients.

To learn more about Citri-Fi in bakery mixes, please contact us or order a sample below.

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January 20, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Citrus Fiber: Emulsifier, Stabilizer & Texturizer

In 2021, top read Fiberstar blogs indicated that individuals sought out food ingredients with “natural” functionalities. Today, there still remains a gap in the market between high functionality and natural/clean label. Yet, Citri-Fi® citrus fills this gap. These top read blogs highlighted Citri-Fi as a citrus fiber emulsifier, stabilizer and texturizer at the same time being natural! Because of this, food developers can create high quality clean label products.

Instead of rattling off the Top 5 read Fiberstar blogs in 2021, we will focus on their common hot topics. These top read blogs highlighted Citri-Fi citrus fiber’s ability to emulsify, stabilize and texturize a variety of food products. This might set eyes rolling since there are many food ingredients in the market claiming to do the same. However, this citrus fiber performs these functions “naturally” which sets itself apart from the others. Currently, natural emulsifiers are a rare find. On the other hand, food ingredients like Citri-Fi are available as citrus fiber emulsifiers.

Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber Natural Emulsifier

Citri-Fi's process is free from chemical modifications unlike other ingredients in the market. For instance, the insoluble and soluble fiber content contains native intact pectin. This high pectin content gives Citri-Fi the muscle to emulsify and stabilize foods like dairy, beverages, dressings, dairy alternatives and meat substitutes. As a result, developers create foods with more natural textures and mouthfeel.

For instance, Citri-Fi binds oil and water to create the succulent texture in meat substitutes. The 100 series in conjunction with the TX line makes meat-like texture and juiciness. And when this natural emulsifier and texturizer is used with plant proteins like canola protein, potato protein and/or pea protein, meat substitutes can be created free of methylcellulose.

Natural Water Holding Food Ingredient

The market is saturated with water holding ingredients such as gums, alginates, starches and plant fibers. However, Citri-Fi’s fiber composition not only binds high levels of water, but does this “naturally” at low usage levels (<1%). Many other ingredients need to be chemically modified to perform the same. Or if they are natural, they raise consumer’s eyebrows when listed on the food label.

Because of this high water holding, Citri-Fi improves freshness of baked goods, reduces syneresis in dairy foods and creates more natural textures in sauces. And one other benefit that places it on a high pedestal versus others is that Citri-Fi improves freeze/thaw stability of frozen foods. For example, this natural ingredient minimizes water migration during the freeze/thaw cycles. Ice cream and frozen dairy alternatives create less ice crystals which preserves its creamy mouthfeel. And frozen meals refrain from turning into a mosh pit of mash.

Natural Food Texturizer

Fiberstar recently launched Citri-Fi TX which creates meat-like texture in plant based meats and animal meat products. Though there is a plethora of plant-based textured proteins on the market, Citri-Fi TX differs. Most texturized proteins start their life as part of a plant and then further processed. Citri-Fi TX citrus fiber exists in a larger granular form - minimally processed. And because it is derived from citrus fruit, it is non-allergenic unlike soy and wheat. Many texturized proteins serve as a base in vegan meats at high usage levels. On the other hand, Citri-Fi TX usage level ranges 1-4% to enhance the texture.

About Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber

Citri-Fi citrus fiber is allergen-free and gluten-free. This natural food ingredient has no E-number. And the 100 series including TX is non-GMO project certified. Labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which all resonate well in the natural and clean label markets. Citri-Fi is a citrus fiber emulsifier, stabilizer and texturizer. To learn more about Citri-Fi’s natural functionalities, please contact us.

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January 13, 2022
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Fiberstar Blog

Top 5 Fiberstar Videos Watched in 2021

The top 5 most watched Fiberstar videos in 2021 revolved around Citri-Fi® citrus fiber as a plant based meat ingredient and its natural emulsification properties. Both topics are trending as the market is looking for cleaner food ingredients not only for vegan meats but also for other foods such as beverages, dairy, sauces and dressings.

Every year, Fiberstar publishes the top 5 watched videos. And it is no surprise that in 2021, the top videos involved plant based meat ingredients. In addition, the other top watched topic covered Citri-Fi citrus fiber’s emulsification properties. Although Citri-Fi's emulsification properties help create succulent vegan meat textures, this emulsification also benefits other food products such as beverages, dairy, sauces and dressings.

For the past few years, Fiberstar built a toolbox of solution sets to help product developers create methylcellulose-free meat alternatives. Unfortunately, these is no “one size fits all” when it comes to this difficult feat. Because of this, Fiberstar created a string of videos exemplifying these solutions. Some videos are available on our website.  However, the newer demonstration videos using canola, potato and/or pea protein are available by contacting Fiberstar directly.

1. Methylcellulose Replacement in Meat Alternatives 

One solution available for product developers is to use alginate to create emulsion gels that bind oil and water which help water release over time when cooking vegetarian meats. As a result of this, products are succulent and juicy. This video demonstration shows how to create emulsion gels.

2.  Citri-Fi in Vegetarian Meat Products

This tutorial discusses Citri-Fi citrus fiber’s water holding and emulsification properties which are key plant based ingredient functionalities. Citri-Fi enhances vegan meats containing methylcellulose. At the same time, making methylcellulose-free vegetarian meat products is possible when this citrus fiber is used with wheat gluten.

3.  Citri-Fi Natural Citrus Fiber Emulsification Demonstration

Though there are several citrus fibers available on the market now, Citri-Fi continues to be the highest functioning citrus fiber due to its high intact pectin content. For instance, Citri-Fi’s emulsification properties tend to outperform other ingredients in the market. As a result, food products are stable a lower usage levels which equates to cost-in-use advantages. And this plant based meat ingredient’s emulsification is ideal for creating succulence in meat substitutes. This demonstration shows how Citri-Fi binds the oil and water to form an emulsion.

4.  Creating Emulsions with 10% Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber

Citri-Fi citrus fiber’s typical usage level ranges between 0.2% to 1.0%. However, to demonstrate the full effect of the emulsion, Fiberstar shared a video using higher levels of citrus fiber. Imagine the same effect in your food or beverage but at lower usage levels.

5.  How to Make Meat Alternatives using Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber

The Citri-Fi 100 series provides the water holding and emulsification to help create plant based meats with succulent and juice texture. Recently, Fiberstar launched the next generation Citri-Fi TX which gives vegan meats the meat-like texture and appearance. This video demonstrates how to use both of these plant based meat ingredients to create high quality meat substitutes.

Although these videos ranked the top 5, the video library contains many other videos. For instance, categories range from Citri-Fi functionalities to Citri-Fi use in specific food and beverages. Please check out the various on demand videos available in the Fiberstar Video Library.

Additional Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber Information

Citri-Fi citrus fiber is non-GMO, allergen-free and gluten-free. This natural food ingredient has no E-number. And the 100 series is non-GMO project certified. Labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which all resonate well in the natural markets. To learn more about Fiberstar’s toolbox of solutions, please contact us.

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December 13, 2021
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Citrus Fiber In the News

“Finally” User-friendly, Methylcellulose-free Solutions for Meat Substitutes using Citri-Fi® Citrus Fiber

Fiberstar, Inc., the leader of high performing citrus fibers, launches new methylcellulose-free solutions to create clean label meat substitutes. “This launch comes at a time when food manufacturers are scrambling for ways to improve meat substitute texture in addition to food labelling,” says President and CEO John Haen. “Many clean label options on the market have their drawbacks ranging from manufacturing complexity to consumer acceptance.” Because of this, Fiberstar introduced its next generation Citri-Fi® TX20 texturizing citrus fiber which can be used with specific plant-based proteins such as potato and/or canola to produce methylcellulose-free meat analogs.

Clean Label Formulating Toolbox for Meat Alternatives

Since the plant-based boom, companies have been seeking alternatives for methylcellulose. At the same time, the market realizes there is no one-to-one substitution. As a result, Fiberstar built a toolbox of methylcellulose-free solutions for meat alternatives. These satisfy a range of product requirements. The new Citri-Fi TX20, which provides firmness, thickening power and meat-like texture is a key instrument in this toolbox. “We cater to a variety of customers ranging from those who need allergen-free options to those who are trying to create healthier products without coconut or palm fat,” explains Mr. Haen. “These plant proteins work synergistically with Citri-Fi to create the meat-like texture, succulence and hot bite that customers expect.”

The Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber 100 Series

Also, in this toolbox is the standard Citri-Fi 100 citrus fiber line. It binds water and emulsifies to create the juicy texture. When used in these new methylcellulose-free solutions, they provide additional benefits including heat and freeze/thaw stability. The Citri-Fi products are sustainably derived from citrus fruit. The process, which is free from chemical modifications, produces a high fiber product containing equal amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber which gives it superior functionality compared to other similar plant fibers on the market.

Additional Citrus Fiber Benefits

Fiberstar’s new methylcellulose-free solutions are clean label and have no E-number. The labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour. Citri-Fi is allergen-free, gluten-free and Non-GMO Project certified.
“R&D will continue to pioneer new clean label solutions using our citrus fiber technology,” states Dr. Brock Lundberg, Ph.D., President of R&D and Food Applications. “Our long-standing expertise and nimble technical team shorten our customer’s time to market which sets us apart from others in the industry.”

About Fiberstar, Inc.:

Fiberstar, Inc. www.FiberstarIngredients.com is a privately held innovative biotechnology Company focused on enhancing food performance by manufacturing and marketing value-added, plant-based food ingredients. Its largest brand, Citri-Fi®, is a natural, high performing citrus fiber sustainably produced from citrus fruit. The physical process, which is free from chemical modifications, creates high water holding and clean emulsification properties which benefit meat, dairy, bakery, dressings, sauces, frozen food, beverages, pet food, dairy alternatives and meat substitutes. Citri-Fi is GRAS, non-allergenic, non-GMO Project certified and has no E-number. Headquartered in River Falls, Wisconsin with manufacturing in Florida and Wisconsin, Fiberstar sells products globally in over 65 countries.

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September 15, 2021
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Fiberstar Blog

Fiberstar, Inc. Partners with New Food Ingredient Distributors

Fiberstar, Inc. partners up with two new food ingredient distributors to further strengthen its market penetration in the U.S. Accurate Ingredients and Gillco Ingredients join Fiberstar’s global distributor network by offering complimentary portfolios of ingredients, technically sound sales teams and highly responsive customer service.

Fiberstar, Inc. sells Citri-Fi® citrus fiber globally using a robust distributor network. To further penetrate the food ingredient marketplace, the company added two new distributors to their sales network – Accurate Ingredients and Gillco Ingredients. Both companies come with seasoned technical service in addition to a complimentary portfolio of food ingredients.

“The market is demanding natural, clean and functional ingredients like Citri-Fi citrus fiber,” says President and CEO, John Haen. “Because of this, it was time to partner up with distributors that not only focus on natural offerings, but also, provide customers with technical knowledge about each food ingredient’s functionality when formulating food and beverages.”

Accurate Ingredients offers extensive food ingredient sales, marketing and distribution resources serving the U.S. market. For instance, their portfolio of specialized ingredients,  experienced sales team and robust customer service provide customers a top-of-the-line experience. As a result, customers can rely on their trained experts to source and recommend ingredients based on functionality and cost.

Gillco Ingredients prides itself on partnering with some of the most reputable and innovative food ingredient manufacturers which offer a line of healthy, natural and functional ingredients. Its technically trained sales force understand each ingredient’s functionality allowing them to help speed up their customers’ product development efforts. In addition to the savvy technical team and extensive portfolio, they offer well integrated and highly skilled customer service.

Citri-Fi is ideal for both portfolios. For example, this citrus fiber line provides high water holding, emulsification and/or texture to variety of food products. This natural food ingredient is Non-GMO Project certified, non-allergenic and gluten-free. Labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour. As a result, they all resonate well in the clean label markets.

To learn more about the new distributor partnerships, please contact us.

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May 19, 2021
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Fiberstar Blog

Bakery Ingredients: 5 ways to use Citrus Fiber

Many bakery ingredients in the industry provide single functionalities to baked goods. On the other hand, natural ingredients like Citri-Fi® citrus fiber provide water holding and emulsification which benefit a variety of bakery items. Bakers gravitate to Citri-Fi for its ability to create baked items that maintain freshness over time which is the gold standard in quality. And due to its natural emulsification, this citrus fiber is the ideal solution to replace certain emulsifiers to clean up labels. Other key areas include plant-based, gluten-free, egg and oil reduction and bakery fillings.

Creating bakery foods is a combination of art and science. Where else can an elbow test measure viscosity or a handful means a cup? Although measuring methods produce the perfect loaf or muffin, bakery ingredients play an equally important role especially on a mass scale. For instance, bakers use additional ingredients not commonly used in home baking to preserve the baked good’s quality during post production, handling and storage.

Citri-Fi is an upcycled natural citrus fiber created from byproduct of the citrus juicing process. This natural ingredient provides high water holding and emulsification properties which benefit a variety of baked goods. For example, citrus fiber offers the following five ways to create stellar bakery items.

1) Moisture Retention and Improve Freshness over Shelf-life

Citri-Fi’s number one use in baked goods is moisture retention. This citrus fiber’s high surface area and high intact pectin content locks in the water. Over time, the native starch slowly releases the water which is then bound to the citrus fiber. Because of this, the natural occurring gluten and citrus fiber retain the moisture which results in the perception of freshness over time. In this case, less is more. At low usage levels, 0.3% to 1.0%, Citri-Fi can be incorporated into the baked good with additional water to improve the overall texture and organoleptic properties.

2) Emulsifier Replacement in Baked Goods

Mass produced breads typically use some sort of emulsifier to improve loaf volume and create softer crumb. However, some emulsifiers such as mono and diglycerides, lecithin, DATEM and SSL are not perceived to be clean label bakery ingredients. And some emulsifiers are considered allergens like those that originate from soybean. Yet, the market offers very few natural replacements.

Citri-Fi at low usage levels, 0.5% to 1.0%, replace lecithin or mono and diglycerides in baked goods while maintaining the shelf-life and eating qualities. This citrus fiber's allergen-free and clean label status makes this attractive. Citri-Fi’s labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour. These labeling options resonate well in the natural and clean label markets. Please contact us to learn more about our emulsification study which compares Citri-Fi’s superiority over other emulsifiers in the marketplace.

3) Plant-based and Gluten-free Specialty Markets

Gluten-free formulating still exists today. Regardless, the prevalence of certain conditions (e.g. Celiac disease, autoimmune, autism, etc.), drive the need for allergen-free formulating. Gluten-free requirements affected the bakery category the most. As a result, gluten-free and allergen-free bakery goods flooded the market over the last 20 years. However, allergen-free formulating comes with a set of challenges. For instance, many of the base flours do not retain moisture well to keep the structure soft and tender over time. Because of this, bakers prefer natural ingredients such as citrus fiber to bind the water. As a result, the allergen-free bakery items maintain the sense of freshness over shelf-life. Without additional ingredients, these type of bread products would suffer with limited shelf-life and stale texture.

Currently the hottest lifestyle trend, plant-based eating, hit the market quickly. The growing demand is driving bakers to remove animal byproducts such as fats and eggs from their formulations. Once again, this delta creates a slew of challenges for the baker. However, functional bakery ingredients like Citri-Fi can aid in creating high quality and organoleptic pleasing baked goods when animal byproducts are substituted out with other ingredients. Citri-Fi complements the baking system to provide the additional water holding and emulsification properties which are typically compromised when other hydrocolloids or fibers are used to replace animal byproducts.

4) Egg and Oil Reduction Bakery Ingredients

Reducing egg and/or oil requests often pop up. In some regions, formulators reduce these ingredient as a cost savings strategy. In other markets, reducing egg and/or oil improves the nutritional profile of foods. Due to Citri-Fi’s high water holding properties, this natural citrus fiber is essential in creating the moist texture typically when egg and/or oil are present in the formulation. And the natural emulsification properties of the citrus fiber mimics its counterparts to maintain high quality texture. Ultimately, Citri-Fi can reduce egg and oil in bakery formulations while still providing the full-fat mouthfeel which consumers expect.

5) Bakery Filling Texturant and Stabilizer

Many challenges arise when working with bakery fillings. In baked products, fillings need to tolerate the heating and handling while still providing functionality before, during and after the baking process. Since some fillings are low in pH, this too creates an environment where functional bakery ingredients break down. Hence, several factors affect fillings when creating a natural texture.

Citri-Fi citrus fiber’s multi-functional properties tolerate heat and low pH conditions. For instance, this functional ingredient creates natural textures in fruit-based fillings in low and high pH conditions. Citri-Fi can be used “as-is” to generate the gelling textures in high Brix and low pH systems. At the same time, this natural citrus fiber also can generate gelling textures in low Brix and low pH systems. Please contact us to learn more about this new technology.

Another key area where Citri-Fi improves bakery is in filled baked goods. This natural citrus fiber’s high water holding capacity binds the water to prevent blow-outs during the baking process.

There are multiple areas where Citri-Fi citrus fiber benefits bakery products due to its multiple functionalities. Bakers gravitate to this ingredient due to its ability to create freshness over time versus other ingredients, its emulsification properties and its clean label status.

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March 31, 2021
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Fiberstar Blog

Natural Emulsifier in Pet Foods: Citrus Fiber

Creating clean label pet foods poses a variety of challenges including finding an effective natural emulsifier. Citri-Fi® an upcycled citrus fiber created from byproduct of the citrus juicing process provides high water holding and natural emulsification properties. As a result, this pet food ingredient improves texture and stability of canned or wet foods, fresh foods in chubs and semi-moist treats.

Slowly you twist the can opener peeling back the lid without a sound. Regardless of the silence, your furry canines bolt into the room with their tongues swinging. Quickly you pour the contents into their bowls and watch them lap it up within seconds. In the end, this ritual sounds quick and simple. On the other hand, creating this healthy and nutritious pet food results in multiple challenges.

In the past, pets scavenged left-out scraps. However, over the years pet food companies changed this by creating specific foods for companion pets. And as time chugged along, standard pet foods bloomed into a variety of formats using multiple ingredients. Today, consumers demand label friendly pet food ingredients thanks to the humanization trend.

Formulation Challenges

Creating clean label pet foods poses multiple challenges which affect texture, stability and palatability. For instance, some pet foods contain oil and water which rely on emulsification to keep them bound over time. However, the market offers very few natural emulsifiers. Without emulsification, water and oil separate negatively affecting the texture and shelf stability. Some examples of these foods include canned or wet foods, fresh foods in chubs and semi-moist treats.

Citrus Fiber, a Natural Emulsifier

Plant-based fibers are commonly used in the pet industry to improve product quality in addition to enhancing nutrition. At the same time, one functional fiber sticks out in popularity due to its high water holding and emulsification properties. Citri-Fi is an upcycled citrus fiber produced from byproduct of the citrus juicing process. Due to Citri-Fi’s highly exposed surface area and high level of pectin content, this natural pet food ingredient binds oil and water creating stability over time. For instance, in semi-soft chews or wet pet food applications, this citrus fiber forms an oil-in-water emulsion to stabilize ingredients into a homogeneous system.

A simplified model system testing varying concentrations of oil, water and fiber in addition to various oil types and challenging storage conditions demonstrates this. The results indicate that Citri-Fi emulsifies up to 60% oil to form stable oil-in-water emulsions when using 2-4% citrus fiber depending on the oil type and storage conditions. As a result, this equates to citrus fibers being able to hold up to 25 times of water and 30 times of oil in the emulsion.

Additionally, the high oil binding property of citrus fibers improves extruded products where oils add unwanted lubricity. The citrus fiber binds the free oil in the system. In addition, Citri-Fi is compatible with other pet food ingredients like flavors, colors, thickening or gelling agents or other nutritional components. Moreover, this natural citrus fiber is thermally stable in high temperatures such as in extrusion processes without losing its functionality.

Other Benefits of Citrus Fiber

Citri-Fi contributes dietary fiber in addition to reducing caloric content when replacing higher caloric pet food ingredients. This natural citrus fiber is non-GMO, allergen-free and gluten-free. Citri-Fi’s labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which all resonate well in the natural and clean label markets. Additionally, dried citrus pulp is AFFCO approved.

For more information about citrus fiber as a natural emulsifier and functional pet food ingredient, please contact us.

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November 10, 2020
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Fiberstar Blog

Improve Your Nutri-Score using Citrus Fiber in Foods

Citri-Fi® functional citrus fiber provides high water holding and emulsification properties. As result, this natural ingredient improves the Nutri-Score by reducing calories, fat, sugar and salt while contributing fiber. In the end, Citri-Fi not only enhances food and beverage quality but also improves the nutrition label which gives consumers healthier choices.

The Nutri-Score is a type of traffic light system which helps consumers in the EU to choose “healthier” foods. For instance, this scoring system classifies foods and beverages into five groups starting with A (green) to E (red). Food ingredients are ranked from 1 to 10 which is then summed up to calculate a letter grade. It is this letter grade that highlights whether the food is healthy or not. For example, ingredients like sugar, saturated fats and sodium worsens the score. On the other hand ingredients like protein and dietary fiber improves the score. From this nutrition label, consumers quickly discern the nutritional value of the product. Ultimately, this system encourages consumers to pick healthier choices and puts more emphasis on their diet.

Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber Positively Affects the Nutri-score

Citri-Fi citrus fiber is produced from upcycled bio-material or byproduct of the citrus juicing process. The patented process which is free from chemical modifications opens up the fiber to provide high water holding and emulsification properties. As a result, these functionalities improve food and beverage products quality and Nutri-score. For instance, at small usage levels (0.2% to 1.0%), Citri-Fi improves the score by reducing calories and fats in addition to creating better textures in salt and/or sugar reduced food products. Additionally, Citri-Fi improves the score by increasing the fiber content of the food and beverage.

Food Products and Improved Nutrition Labels

This citrus fiber benefits various food products. For example, in bakery foods, Citri-Fi’s high water holding and emulsification properties helps reduce fat, oil and/or egg while contributing fiber. Other functional benefits include improved structure and perceived freshness over time. In dairy, ice cream, sauces and dressings, this natural citrus fiber reduces fat and improves texture of sugar-reduced products. While in beverages Citri-Fi improves mouthfeel while contributing fiber. And in meats, this natural food ingredient reduces fat and salt while providing emulsification for good oils.

In the end, removing the unhealthy ingredients from food and beverages at times reduces the product quality. Depending on the formulation, these ingredients provide also functional benefits in addition to their organoleptic contributions. Using natural highly functional fibers like Citri-Fi allows product developers to either replace or reduce those negatively perceived ingredients without compromising product integrity. Moreover, Citri-Fi cleans up the food nutrition label and statement since its labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour.

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September 4, 2020
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Fiberstar Blog

Replace Methyl Cellulose in Meat Analogs Video Series

Fiberstar, Inc. released a video series covering the three new solutions using citrus fiber to clean up meat alternative labels. For instance, the videos demonstrate how to create the meat-free or vegan patties using specific ingredients, equipment and methods. Ultimately, the citrus fiber replaces methyl cellulose and creates the meat-like texture and bite that consumers expect.

Fiberstar launched three new solutions sets using natural citrus fiber to replace methyl cellulose in meat alternatives. As a result, these innovative solutions meet the three requirements when developing meat substitutes. First, it needs to create meat-like appearance and texture. Secondly, the solution set should also deliver the succulence and juiciness that consumers expect. Lastly, this replacement solution must clean up labels.

Citri-Fi citrus fiber meets all the requirements to make a high quality meat analog. For instance, Citri-Fi® TX large particle size and water holding creates the meat-like texture and appearance. In addition, the Citri-Fi 100 series' high surface area binds oil and water. As a result, the citrus fiber enhances the succulence and juiciness. Since Citri-Fi's labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour, this resonates well in the clean label market. Moreover, this citrus fiber replaces methyl cellulose to create more natural meat alternative food products.

Watching the video series will not only speed up product development efforts, but it will also illustrate the excellent functional benefits that Citri-Fi citrus fiber offers.

To access the video series, please contact us!

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