Tereos introduces corn-based Actifiber for enriching food products
Key takeaways
- Tereos has launched Actifiber, a new corn-based, non-GMO, soluble fiber that enriches a wide range of food and beverage products.
- Actifiber demonstrated its ability to significantly boost a product’s Nutri-Score (e.g., from C to A in ice cream, or D to C in cake) and enable “high in fiber” claims in the EU.
- The ingredient is derived from corn starch through a unique manufacturing process that specifically ensures its neutral taste and clarity.
French cereal processor Tereos has launched Actifiber, a corn-based ingredient designed for fiber enrichment across food products. Made from non-GMO corn starch, the soluble fiber fits “seamlessly” in everyday food products while preserving their color and flavor.
Made through a manufacturing process that ensures its neutral taste and clarity, Actifiber is applicable across various applications, including beverages, baked goods, cereals, confectionery, chocolate, and dairy products.
“Through launching Actifiber, Tereos supports its customers in the transition toward creating healthier and more natural eating habits. We provide concrete solutions that meet both nutritional requirements and consumer expectations,” says Marion Hoff, Tereos’ sales director Europe.
“This new solution enriches products with fiber while reducing calories without compromising taste or texture.”
Actifiber labels its product a “concrete solution,” noting that fiber intake remains insufficient among consumers, while food fortification offers opportunities to close dietary gaps.
Research evidences the health detriment of low fiber consumption. For example, a recent study demonstrated how it is linked to the presence of plaque in coronary arteries that can trigger blood clots and cause heart attacks. Another paper highlighted how a high-fiber diet can help protect against infections by encouraging the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
Ingredient versatility
Actifiber is a versatile ingredient that can be used across various food products for fiber enrichment and nutritional improvement. For instance, a fiber-enriched water incorporating Actifiber can contribute significantly to daily fiber goals, providing up to 20% of the recommended daily fiber intake in a single 250 ml bottle.
When used in baked goods, such as a cake, adding Actifiber can elevate its Nutri-Score from D to C while simultaneously allowing the product to qualify for a “high in fiber” claim. This labeling system used in the EU scores foods and beverages from A–E based on their nutritional value.
The benefits extend to frozen desserts, where an ice cream containing Actifiber can dramatically improve its Nutri-Score from C all the way to A.
Similarly, a cereal bar enriched with the ingredient can see its Nutri-Score advance from D to B and also be eligible for the “high in fiber” claim in Europe.
Even confectionery items like chocolate can be fortified, as a chocolate containing 8% Actifiber can carry the desirable “high in fiber” claim.
“Actifiber illustrates our ability to innovate alongside our partners. This ingredient enhances the nutritional value of products without altering their taste, a true breakthrough for the food industry,” concludes Michel Flambeau, director of the Customer Innovation Center at Tereos.
