TIC Gums launches new fiber for baked goods
claims to allow bread manufacturers to add high levels of fiber to
their products without affecting the bread's texture.
Ticaloid LC-SR6 is a blend of soluble and insoluble fibers, which the firm says can replace up to 20 percent of the flour in a formulation. At this level, manufacturers can add 6g of fiber to a 50g bread serving, said TIC Gums. Manufacturers of baked goods are increasingly looking to add fiber to their products due to the nutritional and health benefits linked to this, such as its promotion of digestive health and the immune system, as well as its ability to help manage hunger and therefore control weight. Soluble fibers include those derived from fruits and vegetables, as well as cellulosic materials such as cellulose powder and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). Insoluble fibers typically include those derived from cereals, as well as inulin, guar gum and methylcellulose (MC). But adding soluble fiber to products has proved challenging, as most soluble fiber sources are incompatible with gluten development, said Dr Mar Nieto, director of technical services for TIC Gums, who led the work on the new gum system. "The structure of branched gums such as gum Arabic and maltodextrin gets in the way of intramolecular disulfide linkages in gluten - meaning that the dough structure is not properly formed," he said, adding that this was a challenge the firm had to overcome when finding the right combination of soluble fiber. The Ticaloid LC-SR6 blend, which was introduced at the IFT food expo last week, includes inulin, guar gum, MC and a small amount of gum Arabic that does not interfere with gluten development. Specific grades and quantities of these ingredients were chosen so the finished fiber product - a powder with a similar consistency to flour - also has the same water absorption as flour, explained Nieto. The ingredient can be used to replace flour on a one to one basis, without any major adjustments to the production process, he said, adding that manufacturers would have to add back into the formulation the level of gluten removed due to the reduction in flour. The prototype presented by TIC Gums at IFT was a white bread with 20 percent flour replacement, which delivered 3g of soluble fiber and 3g of insoluble fiber per 50g serving. According to the company, this is significantly higher than the average fiber levels in bread products currently on the market, which generally contain less than 5g fiber per serving (based on a TIC Gums recent market evaluation). The company claims its product is the first to have achieved this level of soluble and insoluble fiber fortification. TIC Gums said the texture and taste of finished goods remain the same, allowing for higher nutritional value bread without impacting consumer acceptance levels. The only difference in the production process is a slightly longer dough rise time (five minutes longer in the lab), said the firm. Although Ticaloid LC-SR6 has as yet only be tested in bread, Nieto believes there is "no reason" why it would not also work in other baked goods, such as muffins and cookies. The product claims to be "fairly priced", reflecting the costs of the raw materials used, and is aimed at the premium baked goods market, where consumers would be willing to pay a higher price for a healthier product, said TIC Gums. Other products the firm introduced at IFT include Nutriloid 7000, a hydrocolloid designed to add soluble dietary fiber to soups without increasing viscosity, and Dairyblend IC EZ, a blend of emulsifiers and hydrocolloids that allow for a smooth, creamy texture in low-fat ice cream applications.
