Seaweed extract claimed to remove calcium problem in desserts

A seaweed extract for both dairy and non-dairy desserts that doesn’t interact with calcium debuted at Food Ingredients Europe (FiE), which took place in Frankfurt at the end of November.

The Satialgine line of alginate ingredients is designed to create a rich, creamy indulgent texture without the use of eggs or traditional additives, according to its maker Algaia.

One of the biggest challenges with alginate is preventing its interaction with calcium, said Fabien Canivet, applications manager for the French firm.

‘Technological complexity’

“Alginate ingredients are well-known to strongly interact with calcium, creating potential technological complexity that limits their use by dairy manufacturers,” he said.

Thanks to being soluble at low temperatures, alginate could help manufacturers save time and energy, preserve sensitive ingredients, and reduce fat oxidation – making the overall process and product more cost-effective, Canivet claimed.

“Our Satialgine series is an easy-to-use solution providing an innovative texture for the dairy industry, offering a rich, creamy, indulgent profile with a low fat advantage,” he said.

‘Non-dairy desert formulations’

“It also can be used to great effect in non-dairy desert formulations based on soy, almond, or coconut.”

Headquartered in Paris, Algaia has a research and development centre in Normandy and a production facility in Brittany, where brown algae is harvested just a few kilometres away.

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