Technology, sustainability and functionality at forefront of fiber sector, flags industry roundtable

08 Sep 2021 --- Developments in the nutrition sector are improving fiber’s quality, applications and sustainable sourcing. NutritionInsight explores these advancements with experts from BioLumen, JRS Food Ingredients, Nexira and Sensus.

They give more insight into the different technologies being used in this sector and the health benefits and food applications their dietary fibers cater to.

Fiber technology improves functionality
Taking a look at the innovations within the fiber space, JRS’s plant fiber technology converts plant-based raw material into functional and nutritional ingredients for a more circular supply chain, notes Annegret Stier, regulatory & nutrition expert at JRS Food Ingredients.

“The various Vitacel dietary fibers open up innovative possibilities for fiber enrichment of all product categories far beyond baked goods and pasta,” she remarks.

While the utilization rate of other dietary fibers such as highly fermentable oligosaccharides can be limited due to gastrointestinal intolerance, Vitacel dietary fibers are well tolerated and can be used in unlimited amounts, Stier notes.

“Vitacel can meet the increased demand for foods fortified with plant-based, functional ingredients that contribute to gut health and well-being.”

Extraction and purification
Meanwhile, BioLumen’s traditional fibers are degraded during their extraction. “When one grinds an apple and then ingests its juice and residual fibers, you do not get back the apple,” comments Paolo Costa, co-founder of BioLumen.

“This is due to delicate fiber lattice entrapping the nutrients. Sugars from the juice will be quickly absorbed in the duodenum, giving a glycemic peak and leaving nothing for the microbiome in the gut.Nexira is involved in the sustainable development of acacia forests for future fiber supply.

Instead, BioLumen recreates that original fiber lattice, and so people get a slower absorption and food for the good bacteria in the gut and thus, a strong prebiotic function.

Also demonstrating the intricacies of fiber in manufacturing processes, Julie Imperato, marketing manager at Nexira, explains that the company’s acacia fiber is gently manufactured through a stringent physical process.

The method processes the acacia fiber in its liquid form through a very fine purification step to remove any organic or mineral foreign matter.

“The refined gum syrup is then sterilized through a short time and high-temperature system, spray-dried or instantized, aseptically packed, and delivered to customers in the soluble form of an easy-to-use white powder.”

Impact of fiber on health
The fiber in food provides various metabolic benefits in the gut. “It acts as a barrier to sugar absorption, reduces insulin response, feeds the intestinal microbiome, induces the satiety signal sooner and removes cancer cells from the colon,” clarifies Robert Lustig, co-founder of BioLumen.

BioLumen created a completely natural 3D structured fiber that expands hundreds of times in the stomach, enabling it to absorb sugar and fats. It then releases these prebiotics in the intestine for beneficial bacteria to feast on.

This ultimately reduces calorie intake, while promoting a healthy gut and improves metabolic health.

Insoluble fiber is also beneficial for the maintenance of gut health, as evidenced by JRS’s research.

“JRS’s research on the health effects of Vitacel wheat fiber intake on diabetes prevention, gut health and the microbiome will help understand how insoluble fiber affects human metabolism,” comments Stier.

“Vitacel wheat fiber is partially fermentable and accessible to the human microbiota. Unlike soluble fiber, insoluble fiber ferments more slowly, leading to a desirable shift of the fermentation process toward the distal area of the gut.”

The aim should be to ensure fermentation along the entire colon by different saccharolytic substrates to achieve full effectiveness, he continues.Frutafit inulin and Frutalose oligofructose are prebiotic, soluble dietary fibers with both nutritional and functional properties.

“The prebiotic concept should therefore be expanded to move away from the idea of promoting the abundance of individual, well-examined bacteria toward the promotion of a positive bacterial metabolism in the intestine through more complex dietary fibers, such as Vitacel, which contains cellulose and hemicelluloses,” adds Stier.

Nexira’s acacia fiber is gradually fermented from the transverse to descending colon with a high digestive tolerance due to its highly branched structure, explains Imperato.

“Certified FODMAP-friendly, our ingredients can be consumed by people with digestive disorders.”

Chicory root, inulin and oligofructose benefits
Supplementation of chicory root fiber into foods is an excellent approach to increase fiber intake and beneficial bifidobacteria, which underlies positive health effects such as improved digestion, mineral absorption, immunity and weight control, comments Paul Vennik, director of marketing & sales at Sensus.

Sensus specializes in Frutafit inulin and Frutalose oligofructose, which are prebiotic, soluble dietary fibers with both nutritional and functional properties.

“These functional food ingredients can replace sugar and fat while improving taste and mouthfeel,” says Vennik. “Poor diet and insufficient fiber intake are considered primary drivers for a dysfunctional or unhealthy microbiome.”

“Also, they promote digestive health by enriching the fiber content of food,” he continues. “Moreover, they have a prebiotic effect, stimulating the production of beneficial bacteria in the colon.”

Intestinal microbiota has an important role in regulating the immune system. As chicory inulin has a low caloric value and promotes satiety, it can make a significant contribution to weight management, Vennik highlights.

From a food formulation standpoint, he further explains that different chain lengths of chicory inulin have properties to improve mouthfeel, mask off-tastes and support sugar or fat reduction.

“There are increasingly EU authorized health claims for inulin to maintain low blood glucose and gently improve digestive health. Chicory root fibers are the only plant-based prebiotic endorsed by ISAPP, and prebiotic claims can be increasingly made in many countries.”

Suitable for versatile applications
Fibers are versatile and can be used in different food applications. To achieve fat reduction of up to 50 percent and sugar reduction,Nexira’s Equacia can be used. It is a co-processed ingredient made of soluble acacia gum fibers and gluten-free insoluble wheat fibers, Imperato observes.

“Equacia is a nutritional texturizer specially designed to reduce fat and sugar content while preserving organoleptic properties and fortifying food products with fibers. It improves the overall texture of baked goods such as muffins, bread, and cakes. Equacia is also useful for the substitution of eggs to address vegan and allergy concerns,” adds Imperato.Acacia gum powder is easy to use in yogurts, beverages or supplements.

Also, acacia gum powder is easy to use in many applications: a yogurt with prebiotic properties, a beverage enriched in acacia fiber or a supplement for digestive health, Imperato adds.

Vitacel dietary fibers are a solution to reduce sugar, fat, salt and to increase the fiber content without compromising a product’s texture or taste, explains Stier.

Sustainably sourced
Sustainability efforts are critical as consumers demand enhanced traceability and clean sourcing of their functional food and beverages.

In association with the non-government organization SOS Sahel and its partners, Nexira is involved in sustainable acacia forests for future supply, Imperato remarks.

“This innovative and collaborative approach combines economic and social development for local populations with environmental protection to prevent deforestation.”

Sensus is also stepping up its efforts to elevate production chain transparency. Vennik comments on how the process from the chicory grower to the end product is being made visible to the customer.

“The modern consumer demands this,” he explains. “We want to make sure that our customers know our products’ minimal processing and plant-based nature. We work on this together with our chicory growers.”

Future of fiber
Looking ahead, circular fiber solutions are set to mature. Work will also be carried out on nutritional optimization of plant-based alternatives, which means that Vitacel dietary fibers will continue to gain importance for this product group, explains Stier.

“Concerning nutritional optimization, Nutri-Score and food product reformulation driven by governments and public health authorities will also push the use of dietary fibers such as Vitacel.”

By Nicole Kerr