Beneo has expanded its chicory root fiber and rice starch ingredient portfolio with two organic solutions. The latest additions, an organic waxy rice starch, Remyline O AX DR, and organic chicory root fiber, Orafti Organic, strengthen the company’s position in the naturality space as consumers increasingly look for organic ingredients. According to Beneo, one in four consumers are willing to pay a premium price for organic products.

The rising demand for organic ingredients has been driven by the growing consumer perception of products as healthy and natural, and therefore, an intrinsic part of a healthier lifestyle. Organic products and ingredients are also considered a vital element for ethical and sustainable purchasing behavior, a key trend being seen within the F&B industry. There are high expectations for organic products globally, with a compound annual growth rate of 2 and 2.6 percent in value predicted between 2019 and 2022 in Europe and the US, respectively, the two largest organic markets, Beneo states. 

“This latest announcement highlights the enormous potential for using chicory root inulin and rice starch in organic food and drink products. As consumer interest in natural and organic products continues to rise, this new capability will enable food manufacturers to explore new avenues for organic products across various applications,” Thomas Schmidt, Marketing Director at Beneo, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

Beneo’s portfolio is based on functional ingredients from natural sources.” We follow a customer-centric approach and as such, our offerings are largely determined by customer demand. Thanks to this versatile portfolio, we are able to offer solutions that meet a range of end user needs. So, both organic ingredients and other variants will remain equally important to us moving forwards,” he continues. 

The addition of Beneo’s organic waxy rice starch, Remyline O AX DR, completes the existing portfolio of rice starches with the availability of organic solutions for both regular and waxy rice starch. Launching globally from July, Remyline O AX DR is the first of its kind to be brought to market, opening up new possibilities for NPD. As a waxy rice starch, it contains no amylose and therefore delivers better stability and less syneresis, making it easier to maintain a stable texture throughout a product’s shelf life, says Beneo. 

Remyline O AX DR is suitable for fruit preparations, as well as meat and poultry applications. Technical trials by experts at the Beneo-Technology Center have shown positive results for these applications, as well as for improving the texture of creamy desserts and yogurts. 

“The launch of the organic waxy rice starch is an important milestone for us. We see great potential for this new solution, especially within meat and poultry, as consumers worldwide place special emphasis on organic products when buying meat,” says Marc-Etienne Denis, Commercial Managing Director Specialty Rice Ingredients at Beneo. 

Consumers want to make ethical as well as healthier choices. One in two consumers (aged 18 – 70 years old) are looking at the ingredients list on new products before buying  and one in three consumers around the globe say that they have increased their research on ingredients over the past year, according to Beneo. “This also includes consumer interest in organic products and all things natural, which continue to grow in popularity. As more customers proactively seek out organic solutions, we are excited to be working in partnership with them, exploring these areas further and meeting the increasing consumer demand for organic food and drink products,” notes Schmidt. 

Rice is widely considered a familiar and natural product, with 61 percent of consumers worldwide seeing rice starch as natural. When asked about key starch ingredients (rice, corn, potato, tapioca and wheat), rice came out on top as “a cupboard ingredient” (67 percent), “healthy” (58 percent) and “easy to digest” (51 percent).

Organic certification for chicory root
Meanwhile, Beneo’s Orafti Organic, is a carefully grown and seleced organic variant of its popular chicory root fiber and yet another first to market. It is regionally grown and harvested by certified organic farmers in Belgium. Inulin and oligofructose remain the only proven plant-based prebiotics available, according to the International Scientific Association for Pro- and Prebiotics (ISAPP). 

Available from September, Orafti Organic enables manufacturers to add natural prebiotic fibers that will improve taste and texture, while also allowing for fat and sugar reduction in products across key applications such as dairy, cereals, bakery and confectionery.  

Regarding the launch of Orafti Organic, Eric Neven, Commercial Managing Director Functional Fibers at Beneo, comments: “Requests for organic chicory root fiber are constantly growing so we are pleased to be able to offer this solution to our customers, and be the first in the market to do so. Beneo is confident this move to expand our overall organic ingredients portfolio will be highly appreciated by the industry and shows particular promise for new product developments in this growing area.”

Growing consumer demand
Last month, FoodIngredientsFirst reported that almost three-quarters of consumers worldwide plan to eat and drink healthier as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as revealed by Beneo. While taking into consideration the opportunity to tailor NPD amid shifting consumption patterns, the company is having to adapt various aspects of its business to a post-coronavirus reality. 

Moreover, consumers are paying more attention to their digestive health and are gaining further understanding of the intrinsic link between the gut microbiome and its beneficial effect on overall well-being. In March, Beneo revealed it was making a significant expansion in its chicory root fiber production facility in Chile by 2022, funded by an investment of more than €50 million (US$56 million). The news came following the rising demand for chicory root fibers, inulin and oligofructose, as consumer interest in digestive health continues to grow. 

According to Innova Market Insights, there is a renewed interest in fiber. Going beyond digestive health benefits is driving new fiber applications and ingredients. There has been an 11 percent average annual growth in F&B launches with a digestive health-related claim (Global 2014-2018), says the market researcher. Sixty-four percent of US consumers say they consume fiber to promote healthy digestion (Innova Market Insights Survey, 2018).