The tapioca based product has already made a successful debut in grocery after a household name retailer used it to reduce the sugar content in cupcake frosting in a Christmas line, with further products targeting children to follow this year.
 
The primary challenge in sugar replacement is less to replicate the sweetness and more about retaining functionality and form; in the case of frostings the key is to maintain structure and volume. 
 
John Ellis, Ulrick & Short Field Support Technologist, explained: “A typical sweet topping will contain approximately 30 per cent fat and 70 per cent sugar. The level of fat has gradually shrunk over recent years in favor of sugar – because sugar is considerably cheaper and for some time fat was seen as the villain of the piece. However, in a ‘catch-22’ situation, reducing fat affects structure and volume and increasing fat adds calories - so that is precisely wher avanté comes in either on its own or in conjunction with one of our other innovative ingredients.”

Ellis told FoodIngredientsFirst: “Tapioca starch is a clean label ingredient, and it’s understood by customers. The key to success with these products has been all about the process applied to the starch in order achieve the desired functionality for specific applications.”
 
“There are lots of ingredients available to replac sweetness, but this is not often the problem; indeed many customers tell us that they prefer the flavor of a product without it being so sweet, and that the less sweet flavor allows other flavors to be tasted. The focus of avante is on maintaining the desired structure and form for different products in conjunction with no detriment to taste and mouthfeel.”
 
“This new non-GM clean label starch is the perfect solution to reducing sugar in frostings and fillings whilst maintaining form and flavor. In a filling for, say, a Swiss roll, celebration or slab cake, it’s possible to replac up to half of the sugar content; in toppings up to 25 per cent whilst retaining definition; and glace icing such as for doughnuts could see a 20 per cent reduction. With the help of our food technologists there is an almost endless range of sweet applications that could benefit from bespoke product development.”
 
Ulrick & Short has invested significant time and expertise into proving the functionality and versatility of its sugar replacement ingredients, which help to maintain superb texture alongside a credible gloss finish and enhanced flavors. The company’s sugar replacement range can provide a genuine, functionally credible alternative for food manufacturers that not only fulfils all requirements for taste, texture and flavor, but also enhances flavors and spices rather than masking them. Coupled with other ingredients such as fat replacers, proteins and fibers, food manufacturers have everything they need to provide consumers with healthier alternatives to their favorite foods – including sugar-loaded bakery. 

“Ulrick & Short is already developing new applications for the avante range,” explains Ellis. “We are just working on a project to extend the sugar reduction into fondants and this technology is likely to have implications for sugar paste and other high sugar confectionery products. Market demand is leading the drive for more solutions such as this so there are definitely further innovations to come!”
 
Ulrick & Short is the leading British-owned starch specialist, supplying household name food manufacturers across the world with naturally gluten-free non-GM ingredients, and innovating across a diverse range of food industry sectors including bakery, meat, dairy, soups and sauces. The company has a team of dedicated sector specialists and food technologists based in Yorkshire and works hand in hand with customers to maximize value from product development.