‘No future’ for one-fibre functional solutions

Fibrim 1270 is a complex blend of insoluble fibre, soluble fibre and protein that has been processed for no flavour impact and excellent water absorption.

The particular blend of protein and fibre allows processors to improve the nutritional benefits of dough by diluting the sugar and fat and adding protein and moisture via the fibre. It dilutes and increases the yield of the dough, thus cutting costs.

When developing the product, the main barrier Solae had to overcome was in moisture management. Solae's director of product line management, Helen Webber, explained: "For this product to work you need to add a certain amount of moisture, which can be counterintuitive to bakers. We had to work on overcoming that barrier in our trials at customer sites, where we coached processors through the formulation process."

The product has attracted a lot of interest from manufacturers of gluten-free food products. Webber said: "Gluten-free products have an issue with moisture and a short shelf-life. Our product resonated well with gluten-free producers who wanted to extend the shelf-life of their products and keep them moist at the same time. We have since been working with them on new trials."

Fibrim 1270 also promises to improve gluten-free dough's microwaveability by the way in which the fibre functions and binds water. Webber said: "It will maintain gluten hydration and slow down starch retrogradation, and produces a light, fresh crumb structure in the end product."

Webber said that blends were the future of functional fibre sales. "I can see that the market is moving towards a blend of fibres in applications," she said. "There isn't much of a future for the one-fibre solution."