The food industry has been crying out for new innovative meal options that satisfy both retailer specifications and consumer palates and fuller for longer foods have been a real growth area.
This unprecedented demand for foods that keep hunger pangs at bay, has meant that Ulrick & Short Ltd has had an overwhelming response from food manufacturers for its highly functional, Omega balanced range of natural fibres.
The company’s range of insoluble flax, wheat, oat and bamboo Scilia® fibres can be used in a wide variety of food applications including, bread, pasta, soups and sauces, whilst offering improved nutritional declarations such as ‘high in fibre’, ‘natural source of Omega3’ and ‘helps maintain healthy blood cholesterol’, subject to the finished product complying with the recommended calorie bands.
Whilst the more common fibres oat and wheat have had a firm place within food products for decades, the lesser known flax and bamboo fibres are still to become more widely utilised.
Credentials of flax fibres have recently been boosted following a study carried out by the University of Copenhagen, which concluded that flax fibre can ‘supress appetite and help support weight loss.’ Findings like this make flax fibre a highly desirable ingredient and food producers are already incorporating it into cereal mixes and seasoning blends.
Ulrick & Short’s range of flax fibres offer excellent binding capabilities, so rather than adding this directly to finished products, the company is urging food producers to incorporate this highly versatile fibre into items such as breakfast bars, snacks and prepared foods.
Similar to flax fibre, bamboo fibre binds with less liquid and its unique fibre structure, makes it ideal for using in crisp baked products such as crackers and wafer-like biscuits. Ulrick & Short’s bamboo fibre ingredients also deliver a creamier mouth-feel so can be used for icings and also in sauce bases such as béchamel.
All of Ulrick & Short’s nutritional fibre ingredients are gluten free and neutral in taste. They do not mask flavours, can optimise texture and improve overall finished product forms. As with all of the company’s clean label ingredients, its latest Scilia® fibre range offers extended functionality, structure and stability opportunities and are easy and affordable to integrate into existing products and can help develop new ones.
Foods that can keep consumers fuller for longer are increasing in popularity as consumers begin to recognise the real satiety benefits. Not only do these foods help to ease snacking habits, they also carry extremely complex nutritional profiles, perfect for those wanting to stay healthy and lose weight.
With stricter regulations on labelling being issued, manufacturers need to understand fully the types of claims that can be achieved from functional ingredients for their packaging. To help manufacturers get this right, the company has developed an easy to use claims calculator.
For more information please visit www.cleanlabelingredients.com or contact one of the team direct on 01977620011.