Fiber Makes Food and Beverages Better (and Healthier)

Fibersol-2 works by partially fermenting in the large intestine, and fractions not utilized are excreted. The ingredient has been shown to reduce serum blood glucose and insulin levels, which may benefit diabetics, dieters and exercisers. And, because it is a prebiotic, it promotes beneficial bacteria in the colon.

However, do the health benefits get lost if the fiber is taken in a dietary supplement versus a functional beverage? "The form of the finished food in which Fibersol-2 is delivered, such as a beverage or nutrition bar, does impact the nutritional efficacy of the ingredient," said Steve Young, Ph.D., technical advisor to Matsutani America. "However, this is true of all nutrients, such as protein, fat and carbs, and is also affected by the amount and type of other nutrients in the foods, the conditions under which the food is consumed and the nutritional state of the individual consumer. So far, the nutritional benefits of Fibersol-2 stand out in most applications."

Fibersol-2, like other purified fibers, is not compatible with government-allowed health claims, but it can carry nutrient content claims and/or appropriately worded structure/function claims.

And who knew that chocolate really could be good for one's health? Well, not chocolate, necessarily, but carob (Ceratonia siliqua). From carob pulp, an insoluble dietary fiber with antioxidant activity was born--Caromax from Somerset, N.J.-based Nutrinova Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Celanese AG. With application in bakery products, cereals, snacks and health bars, this fiber's health benefits lie in its lignins and polyphenols. A recent study presented in Scotland indicated that a diet enriched with Caromax had a positive impact on cholesterol levels. And, when using Trolox Equivalent Antioxidative Capacity (TEAC) methodology, researchers found that the carob-derived fiber was a superior antioxidant in comparison to wheat or oat bran.

The fiber's free-radical fighting abilities also translate into benefits for product shelf-life, since the ingredient helps to inhibit fat oxidation, leading to a shelf-life of up to two years. Because of its water-binding capacity, Caromax can extend the shelf-life of baked goods by reducing the incidence of staleness and inhibiting microbiological growth. In baked goods applications, Caromax can reduce the stickiness of the dough, which may make the dough suitable for automated industrial production. With a dietary fiber content of approximately 80 percent, Caromax contains 40 kcal to 60 kcal per 100 grams of fiber.

Fiber from flaxseed is another possibility when choosing an ingredient for a line of food or beverage products. The fibrous portion of the flaxseed is found within the outer layers of the seed, especially in its hull, which is rich in soluble and insoluble fibers, lignan phytoestrogens (found to benefit cancer, osteoporosis and, of course, heart disease), and antioxidants. Flaxseed also is high in healthy omega-3 oils, which are susceptible to oxidation if not adequately protected. Angusville, Manitoba-based Pizzey's Milling takes this into account with its flaxseed, guaranteeing a minimum of a one-year shelf-life at room temperature for its ingredients.

Milled flaxseed is a light-brown meal similar in texture to wheat bran. Pizzey's reported that milled flaxseed can replace some of the oil used in baked goods; be used as a substitute for eggs in recipes; be used as a stabilizer, similar to gum arabic; and extend shelf-life due to its water-binding properties. It is also stable in virtually all processing conditions that Pizzey's has examined, including homogenization, pasteurization, baking and extrusion.

Pizzey's ingredient line includes the milled flaxseed BevGrad, formulated for liquid and semi-liquid products, and FortiGrad, a flaxseed fiber that contains a high concentration of soluble fiber (30 percent), enabling it to be used in high-moisture food and beverage products.

The company offers milled whole-grain flaxseed and flaxseed fiber in powder form. However, in this form, it is important to ensure that the bulk densities of a product's ingredients are compatible with each other. This is so "that it does not lead to unforeseen sifting or dusting during the manufacturing process," said Daniel Best, marketing director at Pizzey's.

Something else to keep in mind when using multi-beneficial flaxseed fiber and milled flaxseed is that it has a relatively high level of insoluble fiber--and it binds to moisture. In certain high- or intermediate-moisture products, this can lead to competition between ingredients for available water, causing clumping, gumming or separation. "The typical solution, should this occur, is to add a compensating amount of water or to reduce the amount of the other water-binding ingredients," Best said. "Normally, the flaxseed grain will swell and suspend itself in beverages." For this reason, however, flaxseed would probably not be the first ingredient of choice to use in a clear beverage application. If a beverage's innate viscosity is insufficient to keep the flaxseed properly suspended, a manufacturer may want to add a small amount of natural vegetable gum or pectin to keep the flaxseed suspended over time. However, BevGrad does very well in opaque products, such as milk, soy milk, fruit juice beverages or smoothies.

Adding dietary fiber to a food or beverage not only betters the end product in terms of food science, but also in terms of consumer health. Armed with the knowledge of IOM's new fiber recommendations, a manufacturer would be remiss not to add fiber to a product, thereby helping individuals meet their fiber needs for the day. "As a dietitian, I know people should get fiber in their normal diet but, being realistic, that just isn't going to happen for most individuals, especially 38 g/d for men under age 50," Stephens said.

Tungland stated that a manufacturer needs to stay focused on what it wants the end product to convey. "For a manufacturer thinking of adding fiber to a food or beverage, the No. 1 question should be: 'How do I produce a product that is highly marketable in terms of claims, taste and convenience, and is high in fiber to increase my margin on the product?' Working as a partner with [fiber suppliers] in achieving these goals is paramount to success."

And as Young reported, many manufacturers seem to be on the ball in this area, developing fiber-enhanced foods and beverages that are compatible for both men's and women's diets--a win not only for expanding the reach of fiber applications, but for also improving the population's overall health.

Share this article: Email, Slashdot, Digg, Del.icio.us, Yahoo!MyWeb, Windows Live Favorites, Furl
Add this article feed to: RSS, My Yahoo, Newsgator, Bloglines