Email Us info@fiberstar.net
Call Us +1 (715) 425-7550
ORDER SAMPLE
Menu

Tag: vegan

June 16, 2021
No Comments
Fiberstar Blog

Vegan Ice Cream: The Smooth Freeze

The plant-based foods category is exploding with product launches. Some of these include plant-based or vegan ice creams and frozen novelties. However, creating these products come with challenges including ice crystal formation which negatively impacts texture and mouthfeel. One natural ingredient, Citri-Fi® citrus fiber binds the water to prevent migration. As a result, ice creams whether they are vegan, plant-based or dairy-free remain creamy and smooth during freeze/thaw cycles.

Plant-based foods continues to be a hot category as a result of the increase in new product launches. This is due to the advancements in procuring a variety of raw materials and creating new processing technologies. In addition, the escalating demand for plant-based products globally drives this growing trend as well. According to statistics cited on the Plant-based Food Association (PBFA) web page, plant-based foods grew by 27% in 2020 to reach a whopping $7B in the U.S.  

The plant-based dairy segment leads this category reaching $2.5B in 2020 with an average growth of around 20% compared to the previous year according to the PBFA. And this segment includes products like ice cream and frozen novelties which also grew by 20% and generated about $435M in sales. For many manufacturers, this is the tip of the iceberg. For instance, this segment will grow exponentially as the demand for foods free from animals and their byproducts continues to boom. 

Vegan Ice Cream Challenges

However, creating plant-based frozen desserts has its own set of challenges. For example, these products come in a variety of bases including almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, and oat milk to name a few. Many of these bases contain low protein and fat which typically helps bind water molecules during the freezing process. Because of this, ice crystals form which create a grainy or sandy mouthfeel in the finished product.   

Some solutions include adding proteins, food gums and other hydrocolloids to bind the water during the freezing process. At the same time, many of these ingredients lack freeze/thaw stablility during handling and storage. As a result, water eventually migrates out of the food matrix, causing not only ice crystal formation, but also a gummy texture depending on the stabilizing agent used.  

Natural, Creamy and Smooth Texture

One natural ingredient that remains amiss to formulators is citrus fiber. Yet not all citrus fibers are created the same. Citri-Fi, a highly functional citrus fiber created from byproduct of the citrus juicing process continues to be an ideal fit for this food application. The physical process creates the high surface area and emulsification properties that frozen desserts need. This high surface area in combination with the high pectin binds water and minimizes ice crystal formation during the freeze/thaw process. As a result, the frozen dessert provides a smooth and creamy mouthfeel without the gumminess over time.   

Citri-Fi is typically used between 0.25% to 1.50%. There are several incorporation methods available. Typically, Citri-Fi is mixed with the dry ingredients first before being added to the aqueous phase. However, adding Citri-Fi to glucose syrups first also gives formulators another option. And if Citri-Fi needs to be added to water first, it is recommended to add with strong agitation to prevent fisheyes from forming.   

Another key trend includes upcycled or sustainable food ingredients. Citri-Fi citrus fiber checks off those boxes when it comes to a sustainable story from farm to fork. This natural citrus fiber is non-GMO Project Certified, gluten-free and allergen-free. Citri-Fi's labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which resonate well in the clean label markets. As a result, this natural citrus fiber benefits a variety of products such as plant-based, vegan or dairy-free ice creams and frozen novelties.   

Looking into the Crystal Ball

As for future trends, new innovations will emerge within the plant-based ice cream arena. For instance, fermentation and other biological processes now create new proteins without involving an animal. Some vegan ice creams will be produced with new and novel plant-based milk bases. On the other hand, other products will focus on simple formulations to maintain a clean image. Regardless, Citri-Fi is an ideal solution to minimize ice crystal formation in any of these innovative technologies coming down the pipeline.  

Read more →

January 28, 2021
No Comments
Fiberstar Blog

Plant Sauces: Dressing up Stability and Emulsification

Creating plant sauces containing no animal-derived ingredients separate over time and lack full body mouthfeel. Natural ingredients like Citri-Fi® citrus fiber provide high water holding and emulsification which improve stability and texture in products like vegan ranch dressings.

The market whirled their attention around meat substitutes for the past year. At the same time, dairy alternative foods such as plant milks and dairy-free cheeses continued to grab market share. Yet, one food category remains amiss in this plant-based phenomena – plant sauces. For centuries, sauces and dressings were and still are food’s beloved canopy of flavor and texture. And since some of these products use animal-derived ingredients, they too face challenges converting into vegan versions.

Plant Sauce Challenges

Some sauces and dressings use egg and/or milk proteins to provide texture, stability and flavor. When eliminated, food products suffer from oil and water separation, lack of creaminess and thin textures. However, food developers replace these animal-derived ingredients with modified starches, gums and chemical emulsifiers. As a result, food label declarations turn into lengthy lists full of questionable ingredients in the consumers’ eyes.

Today, the market offers a few natural ingredient options. One natural option, Citri-Fi citrus fiber, provides high water holding and emulsification properties. This citrus fiber’s insoluble and soluble fiber containing intact pectin uses a physical and surface activity mechanism to create the natural emulsification. The oil and water bind tightly to improve stability over time. Moreover, the citrus fiber improves the texture by creating a smooth and full body mouthfeel.

Citrus Fiber Improves Vegan Ranch Dressing

For example, food products such as ranch dressing typically uses mayonnaise, yogurt and buttermilk. Each component contains animal-derived ingredients such as egg and milk protein. However, at very low usage levels (0.2% to 2.0%), Citri-Fi can be used to replace egg in mayonnaise and to improve the texture of plant-based cultured products like dairy-free yogurts. So when the two are combined to make the vegan sauce, it performs like its animal-derived counterpart.

Citri-Fi is non-GMO Project Certified, non-allergenic and gluten-free. It has no E-number. Labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which all resonate well in the clean label markets. Fiberstar, Inc. is a proud member of the Plant-based Foods Association (PBFA).

To learn more about how to create vegan mayo, plant-based cultured products like non-dairy yogurt or plant sauces like vegan ranch dressing, please contact us. Formulation sheets and technical support are available.

Read more →

January 5, 2021
No Comments
Fiberstar Blog

Fiberstar, Inc. Joins the Plant-based Foods Association (PBFA)

Fiberstar’s superior line of highly functional citrus fibers which are used to improve the quality of plant-based products drives Fiberstar, Inc. to join the Plant-based Foods Association.

Fiberstar, Inc. joined the Plant-based Foods Association. This organization supports plant-based companies so that they succeed and thrive in the food industry. Since Fiberstar offers a portfolio of nature-based citrus fibers, this organization fits the company's vision. “We look forward to playing a bigger role in the plant-based foods industry.” says President and CEO, John Haen. “The Company’s superior line of highly functional citrus fibers are key to creating quality plant-based products.”

Citrus Fiber in Meat Substitutes & Dairy Alternatives

Fiberstar manufactures Citri-Fi® citrus fiber which is produced from byproduct of the citrus juicing process. Because the patented process is free from chemical modifications, Citri-Fi stays holistic in form. For instance, this ingredient contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. This composition also has high levels of intact pectin which is vital in providing multiple functionalities including water holding and emulsification.

Due to Citri-Fi’s plant-based origin and high functionality, this natural ingredient benefits various plant-based foods. For instance, in meat substitutions, the 100 series, (0.5% -1.0%), creates natural emulsions to improve the juiciness and succulence. In addition, the TX10 citrus fiber line, (0.5% - 2.0%), creates meatier appearance and texture. When using both citrus fiber products together, developers produce high quality meat alternatives that closely resemble their animal counter parts.

Another area of emphasis includes dairy alternative foods such as plant milks, ice creams, yogurts and cheeses. Citri-Fi citrus fiber, at low usage levels (0.2% - 1.0%), creates stable and full body plant milks. Because of its composition, this natural ingredient’s functionality increases in high shear conditions which helps replace other stabilizers. As a result, plant milks have shorter and cleaner label declarations. This natural citrus fiber also improves stability and texture of vegan ice cream and yogurts. Again, Citri-Fi has the potential to replace other stabilizers to clean up labels. Lastly in plant-based cheeses, this natural ingredients provides high emulsification and smooth texture which improves the stability over time.

High Performing Clean Label Food Ingredient

Citri-Fi's labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which resonate well in the natural and clean label markets. This citrus fiber is also non-allergenic, Non-GMO project certified and has no E-number which benefit plant-based foods.

Read more →

August 19, 2020
No Comments
Fiberstar Blog

Meat Substitute Foods: Creating Clean Labels using Citrus Fiber

Creating clean label meat substitutes is possible by using natural ingredients like citrus fiber which holds a lot of water to enhance juiciness, serves as a natural emulsifier and creates the meat-like appearance and texture that consumers expect when eating plant-based meats.

Meat substitute food products popped up in the market like the color neon in the 1980’s. However, unlike neon which faded as fast as it illuminated the fashion world, plant-based food products are now the new normal. Environmental and health concerns steered meat alternatives into the food industry limelight. Because of this, plant-based is a long-term life style choice among consumers. And, this new lifestyle translates into cleaner food labels.

To create meat substitutes that simulate their animal counterparts, food manufacturers use a variety of ingredients. For instance, some of these ingredients include fibers, starches, gums and other stabilizers in addition to plant-based proteins. On the other hand, some ingredients like methyl cellulose quickly emerged as the go-to ingredient in formulators' tool boxes. One of the main benefits is its multi-functionality despite its labeling concerns.

However, today, new natural functional ingredients are available. For example, Fiberstar offers several solutions which create high quality meat substitute foods with cleaner labels.

Citri-Fi® TX Citrus Fiber Builds Texture in Meat Substitutes

The company launched the new Citri-Fi TX10 citrus fiber. This natural ingredient’s large particle size simulates texturized vegetable protein (TVP) when building appearance and texture. For instance using between 1% to 3% allows formulators to create meatier texture while benefiting from the cold binding properties that may be lacking in formulations. And in some instances, developers do not need to use gluten which is a typical binding agent.

Citri-Fi TX10 labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which resonate well in the clean label markets.

Cleaning Labels using Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber Solutions

Another break-thru includes the use of citrus fiber in addition to other natural ingredients to displace methyl cellulose in vegan meats. The Citri-Fi 100 citrus fiber series not only holds large amounts of water but also serves as a natural emulsifier. Due to its insoluble and soluble fiber matrix which contains high levels of intact pectin, this natural ingredient creates emulsions that contribute to meat alternatives succulence. As a result, the meat-free products create the juicy sizzle during the cooking process.

This 100 series in conjunction with Citri-Fi TX10 works together to create the emulsion and meat-like texture that consumers expect in meat substitutes. In addition, these two products work synergistically with three natural solutions to help replace methyl cellulose. As a consequence, these solutions create consumer friendly food labels. The three solutions include ingredients such as starches, enzymes, alginates or gellan gum.

To learn more about these potential clean solutions, please contact Fiberstar technical support team at techsupport@fiberstar.net. The team will cut the development time by recommending the ideal system and demonstrate how to create high quality healthy vegan meat products via technical service, tutorials and videos.

Additional Information

NEW Texturizing Citrus Fiber: Citri-Fi® for Meat Alternatives

Meat Alternatives and Citrus Fiber FAQ

https://www.fiberstar.net/aiovg_videos/citrus-fiber-replace-methyl-cellulose-meats-video/

New Meat Alternative Ingredients: Top 5 FAQ About Citri-Fi® TX BLOG

 

Read more →

April 21, 2020
No Comments
Fiberstar Blog

Egg-Free Sauces: A Hard Egg to Crack

Citri-Fi® citrus provides natural emulsification and high stability to egg-free sauces and dressings like mayonnaise. As low as 0.25% to 1.50% usage level delivers thickness and full body to no egg dressing food products. Due to its high functionality, this citrus fiber also replaces starches and gums to clean up food labeling.

Eggs are essential when creating foods such as baked goods, dairy desserts, dressings and sauces. Because of its composition, eggs offer the biggest bang for the buck - emulsification. On the other hand, despite eggs being a natural food, it does not serve the vegan, vegetarian and/or allergen-free markets. And in some markets, developers seek out egg-free options to create healthier and safe food products for retail and food service. In that case, Citri-Fi citrus fiber is an excellent natural ingredient to use when creating egg-free sauces and dressings.

Creating Egg-cellent Egg-free Sauces

Citri-Fi citrus fiber provides high water holding and emulsification properties. Due to its composition, this natural fiber binds oil and water and creates highly stable sauces. As a result, formulators can eliminate eggs in certain egg-free sauces and dressings like mayonnaise. Citri-Fi's recommended usage levels range between 0.25% to 1.50%. And because this functional fiber provides similar benefits to eggs, Citri-Fi also replaces starches and gums which are typical go-to's when formulating egg-free sauces. Citri-Fi cleans up labels and creates high quality food products. For instance, Citri-Fi's labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which resonate well in the natural food markets.

Moreover, Citri-Fi citrus fiber also provides thickness and full body mouthfeel. This plant-based ingredient is vegan, vegetarian and allergen-free. It has no E-number which is ideal for certain markets like Europe. Citri-Fi creates highly stable egg-less sauces and dressings. Learn more about natural emulsification or creating no egg sauces by checking out the video library.

Read more →

April 14, 2020
No Comments
Press News

NEW Texturizing Citrus Fiber: Citri-Fi® for Meat Alternatives

Fiberstar launches a new texturizing citrus fiber, Citri-Fi® TX, which creates meat-like texture and provides cold binding in meat alternatives. And this new citrus fiber gives formulators the ability to remove gluten and other gelling and/or water absorbing ingredients to improve food labeling.

Fiberstar, Inc launches Citri-Fi® TX Texturizing Citrus Fiber which improves texture, quality and the eating experience of meat alternatives. Today, meat analog manufacturers continue the search for clean label ingredients to improve the eating qualities of their food products. However, some of the challenges they encounter include soggy or mushy texture, lack of juiciness and sub-par quality. Fiberstar works closely with customers to understand the formulating pitfalls. As a result, the team launched a new texturizing citrus fiber to the meat-free category.

Citri-Fi TX Texturizing Citrus Fiber Benefits

This new texturizing citrus fiber provides a few key benefits including meat-like texture, cold binding and clean label. For instance, the larger particle size lends itself to bind more water than gluten and other binders. As a result, it serves as a way to prevent the meat analog from turning soft and mushy during cooking. Also, it absorbs water through processing, storage and cooking. And the larger particle size adds a more meat-like texture with particulates similar to that of ground beef.

If manufacturers avoid allergens, Citri-Fi TX allows developers to replace gluten. This natural citrus fiber binds proteins together both during cold forming and cooking. In other words, Citri-Fi provides excellent cold binding. This attribute prevents patties from falling apart during the forming and cooking process. Because of this, meat alternatives require less gelling, binding and water absorbing ingredients. Please contact us about the technical bulletin available on gluten replacement in meat alternatives.

Citri-Fi TX's recommended usage levels range from 1% to 4%. The more citrus fiber used, less gelling and absorbing ingredients are needed in the formulation. And Citri-Fi TX's labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which resonate well in the natural food markets.

Other Meat Alternatives Citrus Fiber Solutions 

The workhorse Citri-Fi 100 series also improves meat alternatives. The 100 series provides natural emulsification properties which binds oil/fat and water. Due to this, formulators adjust the ratios of water and oil so that the amount bound or released during cooking targets the desired effect. Hence, the final product produces the juicy sizzle that consumers expect.

Citri-Fi 100 and Citri-Fi TX can be used in meat-free patty formulations to create meat analogs similar to their animal counterparts. Starting formulations, technical bulletins and technical support are available to help you launch in the market quickly. Please contact us to learn more!

Read more →

March 27, 2020
No Comments
Fiberstar Blog

Bettering Bakery Ingredients with Clean Label Citrus Fiber

Citri-Fi® citrus fiber's high water holding and emulsification properties improve a variety bakery products geared toward clean label, vegan, paleo and health and wellness markets. This clean label bakery ingredient's low usage level and natural labeling makes it an essential food ingredient when baking.

Creating clean foods, especially bakery products, have different meanings depending on the consumers. Some believe clean refers to the ingredient declaration. For example, food labeling should list recognizable ingredients and be short in length. On the other hand, others think clean defines health and wellness. As a result, many consumers adhere to specialty diets like paleo or vegan. And then there are consumers who see clean label as "free from". For instance, bakery products that are free from gluten or other allergens appeal to those who seek overall well-being. Regardless of the definition, bakery ingredients, such as citrus fiber, provide companies a way to create clean label bakery applications.

Clean Label Bakery Ingredients

Citri-Fi citrus fiber is a highly functional ingredient that provides high water holding and emulsification properties to bakery products. These bakery ingredients replace chemical emulsifiers while maintaining the structure and texture of baked goods. Also, this natural fiber improves perceived freshness over time because it delays the staling process. Because Citri-Fi label options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour, this bakery ingredient resonates well in the natural markets. Lastly, this citrus fiber's usage levels range from 0.2% to 1.0% which means less is more when creating high quality bakery products. To learn more about usage levels, check out the Bakery Application Guide.

Health and Wellness Baked Goods

Many bakers are converting their recipes to vegan due to the latest plant-based food trend. As a result, Citri-Fi citrus fiber is used in conjunction with other natural ingredients to replace animal fats or eggs. Its emulsification properties makes this an essential baking ingredient when creating better-for-you products. Moreover, the same emulsification properties also benefit gluten-free products. These "free-from" items tend to be dry and mealy due to the types of flours used. However, Citri-Fi helps to improve the moisture retention so that products remain fresher longer.

Additional Information About Formulating Clean Bakery

The below links are great resources to learn more about clean label baked goods and how Citri-Fi citrus fiber can help you create high quality bakery products. The Bakery Video Library is also an excellent resource.

Read more →

January 13, 2020
No Comments
Fiberstar Blog

Top 5 Videos Watched in 2019 – Citri-Fi® Citrus Fiber

Over the past year, Fiberstar released several videos to quickly teach food companies how to use Citri-Fi natural citrus fiber. For example, some of these food video categories include: citrus fiber functionality, bakery, meats, sauces, beverages, pet food and meat and dairy alternatives. Please check out the Fiberstar video library HERE! Below are the top 5 videos watched in 2019.

Top 5 Videos Watched in 2019

  1. Citri-Fi Natural Citrus Fiber Emulsification Demonstration

    Natural emulsification ranked as one of the top requests in 2019. However, not many natural food ingredients provide emulsification properties. Check out how Citri-Fi natural citrus fiber opens up to bind and lock in water and oil.

  2. Fiberstar's Citri-Fi Natural Citrus Fiber Overview

    Citrus fiber containing insoluble and soluble fiber with native pectin provides high functionality. As a result, these benefit a variety of food applications. Unlike other citrus fibers that use solvents or chemicals in their process, Fiberstar produces citrus fiber using a patented clean method. Learn more how Citri-Fi citrus fiber trumps others in the marketplace.

  3. Citri-Fi Natural Citrus Fiber in Meat Alternatives

    The hottest topic in 2019 involved creating meat alternatives that simulate their animal counterparts. Given that Citri-Fi natural citrus fiber binds water and oil, developers use this fiber to create high quality vegetarian and/or vegan food products.

  4. Methyl Cellulose Replacement in Meat Alternatives

    Many manufacturers looked for alternatives to methyl cellulose to clean up their labels in 2019. As a matter of fact Citri-Fi when used with other natural ingredients can replace methyl cellulose in meat alternatives. This natural fiber labeling includes citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour. As a result, these labeling options resonate well in the natural and clean label markets.

  5. Citri-Fi Natural Fiber in Emulsified Dressings & Sauces

    Natural emulsification was a key functionality sought out in 2019 specifically in dressings and sauces. Learn how to use citrus fiber to replace chemical emulsifiers in high fat and/or oil food products.

Read more →

December 17, 2019
No Comments
Citrus Fiber In the News

Clean Ingredient Solutions: Citri-Fi® Natural Citrus Fibers

Fiberstar, Inc. manufactures and sells Citri-Fi natural citrus fibers. These clean ingredient solutions provide high water holding and oil binding which is key to creating natural food products. For instance, meat alternatives require high oil binding and moisture retention to simulate their animal meat counterparts. However, many products using water holding ingredients tend to be mushy or grainy. Citri-Fi holds onto that oil and releases it during the cooking process. As a result, this creates a juicy and sizzling meat alternative that customers expect.

Vegconomist - The Vegan Business Magazine - Article

To learn more about about Citri-Fi's capabilities in other foods, please read the following Vegconomist article - Fiberstar, Inc: "Our Objective is to be the Global Market Leader in Natural and Clean Ingredient Solutions." 

Have questions, please CONTACT US!

Read more →

November 4, 2019
No Comments
Press News

Plant-based News: Fiberstar is a FIE Award Finalist

Fiberstar, Inc., a world leading producer of natural citrus fiber qualifies as a finalist for a Food Ingredients Europe award. One of the awards is given to those offering innovative technologies for plant based foods.  Citri-Fi, a natural citrus fiber holds high amounts of oil. Consequently, this is key in replacing methyl cellulose in meat alternative foods. However, when used with other water holding natural ingredients, this fiber improves texture. And Citri-Fi helps reduce the amount of saturated and/or unsaturated fats used. As a result, manufacturers create juicy foods which consumers expect. Citri-Fi also improves texture and stability in other plant based foods. Check out our usage guide CLICK HERE!

Citri-Fi is allergen-free and gluten-free. This natural fiber is Non-GMO Project certified. Labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which resonate well in the clean label market.

Have questions or need a sample, CLICK HERE!

Read more →