Marilyn Stieve, business development manager for flax-based ingredients at Glanbia Nutritionals, said that the new ingredient builds on the success of the existing hydrocolloid systems that was developed three years ago.
The latest ingredient addition offers “up to 40% cost savings over guar gum and other gum systems,” the firm said.
The new ingredient is a more complex, concentrated hydrocolloid and due to its high functionality, means manufacturers can use less, Stieve told BakeryandSnacks.com.
The OptiSol 5300 can be used in a broad range of bakery applications, inclusing flat breads, gluten-free baked goods, bakery mixes, breadings and batters.
It has also been successful in sauces and beverages, she added.
Riding the guar roller coaster…
For the last couple of years, the food industry has been plagued with soaring guar gum prices driven by increased use in the gas and oil industries and shortages worsened by flooding damage in growing regions.
In the latest IMR International report published by Dennis Seisun guar prices are pegged at between US$13-14 per kg to US$18-19/kg. Seisun said that high prices are set to continue until at least the end of 2012, probably beyond.
As a result, food formulators have been forced into looking for alternatives which has in turn sparked many ingredient firms to develop guar replacers – either with alternative blends or different hydrocolloids including locust bean gum and xanthan gum. Among the companies cashing in on this flurry for alternatives are Mühlenchemie, TIC Gums and DuPont.
Glanbia Nutritionals’ latest move is part of a wider industry trend to plug guar gum replacers. It said its flax-based ingredient offers comparable functionalities to guar gum. High in fibre (32%) and protein (34%) Glanbia said “it offers excellent moisture migration control properties and the ability to bind both fat and water for improved texture and crum structure, increased volume and extended shelf life.”
Stieve said that Glanbia continues to invest in R&D to “explore the benefits of flaxseed hydrocolloids and how we can further optimise their usage.”
