Fiberstar Inc. has launched Citri-Fi 125, a natural citrus fiber used to improve tomato-based food products by replacing starches and gums in sauces, condiments and spreads. Today, more than ever, consumers connect ingredients to the foods they eat by reading food labels. As a result, consumers expect recognizable, short and transparent labels, which are driving the need for clean label ingredients.

“We are in an excellent position to grow with the projected clean label demands and we continue to invest in new clean label technologies and additional production for the future,” says Fiberstar President and CEO, John Haen.

“This new use for our flagship Citri-Fi product comes timely, as our customers are looking to replac starches and gums in various foods such as meats, sauces, beverages and baked goods to improve label declarations,” he explains.

The food industry is responding by reformulating or creating foods using a whole foods approach which is perceived to be healthier for the consumer. “Our natural citrus fiber aligns with today’s consumers expectations when it comes to clean label,” says Haen.

“Richness is one of those sensory terms that drive consumer liking, but is tricky to define exactly. In tomato sauce, richness comes not only from the thickness, but also from other cues like mouthfeel, color, and flavor. It’s a rare good thing to find an ingredient that hits on so many positive drivers and is clean label to boot,” Kurt Villwock, Director R&D at Fiberstar tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

According to Villwock, the project to create and vet this technology took about 9 months to fully develop. 

The drive towards clean label also means that there is an increase in requests for plant-based ingredients. This is due to several factors, such as the vegan/vegetarian movement, plant protein trend and health & wellness initiatives. 

Jennifer Stephens, VP of Marketing explains: “Though vegan/vegetarian products have been on the market for more than a decade, what has changed is the number of consumer segments that this appeals to. Today, there are several segments including flexitarians, kids, mothers, sports nutrition and allergen-free groups. Plant-based products are perceived to be healthier, animal-free and sustainable. Some plant-based proteins are allergen-free, non-GMO and packed with nutritional value.”

“The protein enhancement trend to curb appetites and prolong satiety helped prop up the demand for plant-based ingredients,” notes Stephens. “Moreover, sourcing new plant-based proteins such as quinoa, rice and legumes like pea became popular over time. Plant-based proteins were once primarily used  in sports nutrition products. But they moved into other food segments such as beverages, baked snacks, yogurts, cereals and bakery products. One of the hottest areas is non-dairy beverages. Various plant-based proteins are incorporated into these food products for the nutritional value as well as texture.”

She adds: “Citri-Fi, a natural citrus fiber created from the orange juicing process, is benefiting from this plant-based food trend. Many customers use this natural fiber in combination with other plant-based ingredients such as vegetable proteins, oils, starches and other fibers to improve the texture, quality and food labeling declaration. Citri-Fi can be labeled as citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour. This natural fiber qualifies under the new FDA dietary fiber definition, therefore, it contributes fiber to food products.”

The clean, patented process creates a high surface area, which lends itself to high water holding capacity and emulsification properties. This natural fiber’s composition of soluble and insoluble fibers simulates tomato fibers texture and composition. When sheared, Citri-Fi also provides a significant increase in viscosity. Used at 0.5 percent or less, tomato paste reductions of 10 percent or more are possible. Unlike starches and gums, this natural fiber also maintains the deep red color and enhances the tomato flavor throughout the food cooking process. Moreover, Citri-Fi creates the tomato texture that consumers expect when eating foods rich in tomato. On the other hand, ingredients like starches and gums tend to create unnatural slimy or pasty textures. In addition to the improved texture, Citri-Fi is stable to freeze/thaw, low pH, heat and shear conditions. Additionally, it will assist to bind up water from syneresis and any free oils present in sauces.

Haen concludes: “We continue to work closely with our customers to provide innovative and natural solutions to improve food product quality and labeling, globally. We are in an excellent position to grow with the projected clean label demands and we continue to invest in new clean label technologies and additional production for the future.”