Innovation | Nutrition | Regulatory | Safety | Sensory Industry Response: The Hows and Whys of Boosting Fibre in Everyday Products Persis Subramaniam Head of Product Development Leatherhead Research Limited
Innovation | Nutrition | Regulatory | Safety | Sensory
Industry Response: The Hows and Whys of
Boosting Fibre in Everyday Products
Persis Subramaniam
Head of Product Development
Leatherhead Research Limited
www.leatherheadfood.com
“Carbohydrate polymers with three or more monomeric units, which are
neither digested nor absorbed in the human small intestine and belong
to the following categories:
— edible carbohydrate polymers naturally occurring in the food as
consumed,
— edible carbohydrate polymers which have been obtained from food
raw material by physical, enzymatic or chemical means and which
have a beneficial physiological effect demonstrated by generally
accepted scientific evidence,
— edible synthetic carbohydrate polymers which have a beneficial
physiological effect demonstrated by generally accepted scientific
evidence”.
Legal Definition of Fibre
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Insoluble Dietary Fibre
• Cellulose
• Hemicellulose
• Plant waxes
• Chitin/chitosan
Soluble Dietary Fibre
• Pectins
• ẞ-glucan
• Gums
• Inulin
Total Dietary Fibre
Total Dietary
Fibre
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Fibre Ingredients
Cereal Based
Plant extracts /Isolates
Fruit Based
Others
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Cereal Based Ingredients
Insoluble and
soluble fibres
Lipids concentrate here but
also some insoluble and
soluble fibres
Starch mainly; but endosperm
cell walls contain insoluble and
soluble fibres
Important Ingredients
Whole Grain/flour
Fibre
Bran
Germ
β-glucan
High Fibre Grains
Oat Rye
Wheat Legumes (e.g.
soyabean)
Barley Speciality grains
Rice e.g. Amaranth
Corn Flax, Spelt
Hull composed
of insoluble fibres
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• Dried fruit e.g. 5-6 dates 3g
Fruit-based fibre ingredients
Source Ingredient Typical Total
Dietary Fibre
(%)
Dates, figs raisins Whole/pieces 5-8
Fruit Powder 10-65
Apple/citrus Pectin 50-80
Apple Fibre 20-70
Fruit Purees/concentrated pastes >5
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Other Gums
• Soluble fibres
• Seaweed extracts – carrageenan and
alginates
• Plant extracts –gum arabic, karaya and
tragacanth
• Seed extracts – guar, LBG
• Not used for fibre content (used at low levels
<2%)
Plant Extracts and Isolates
(Fibre content 80-90%)
α-Cellulose
Microcrystalline Cellulose
(MCC)
Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose
(HPMC)
Carboxy
methylcellulose (CMC)
Cellulose based gumsInsoluble Dietary Fibre changed to
Soluble Dietary Fibre
• MC & HPMC are cold water soluble;
insoluble in hot water
• CMC is soluble in cold and hot water
Gums Contributing Fibre in Products
- Partially hydrolysed guar and
acacia gums
- 80-85% fibre content
- Cold water soluble
- Used in beverages to add fibre
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Inulin
• Extracted from chicory
• Polymer of fructose (DP 2-60)
• Soluble fibre
• Prebiotic
• Fibre content about 90%
• Heat stable
• Easily digestible
• Can gel at >25% based on DP (longer
chain less inulin needed)
• Fat replacing
FOS
• Produced from inulin through partial
enzymic hydrolysis (DP 2-10)
• Prebiotic
• Sugar replacing
Applications
• Yoghurts
• Cheese spreads
• Frozen desserts
• Confectionery
• Used for sugar and fat
reduction also
Inulin and Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
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• Konjac flour
• Sugar beet fibre
• Pea fibre
• Cocoa fibre
• Tomato fibre
• Bean fibre
• Nuts e.g. defatted peanut flour
More Plant Extracts and Isolates
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• Chitosan (insoluble fibre from
treatment of chitin; from shells
of shrimp and crab and other
shellfish; used in Japan in
cookies and noodles)
• Curdlan (more than 90%
insoluble β-glucan fibre;forms
a strong, elastic gel with heat;
used in Japan in noodles)
• Resistant starch (1-40%
insoluble fibre)
• Polydextrose
- Resistant oligosaccharide or
polysaccharide
- Prebiotic 4g/day
- Solid and liquid forms available
- Very soluble
- Used as a bulking agent for
sugar and fat reduction
- Humectant
- Used in baked goods,
confectionery, frozen desserts
- Fibre enrichment
Other Sources of Fibre
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• Understand the functionality role of the ingredient in the
product
• Is it multi functional?
• Bakery, Snacks, dairy and more!
• Additional benefits
e.g. Useful for sugar and fat reduction
Options for Formulation- What works
and when?
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• Solubility
• Viscosity
- Concentration increases
viscosity
- Viscosity increased with
molecular weight
- pH and ionic strength varies
with fibre type
• Gelation
• Oil binding capacity
• Water Holding Capacity
Important Properties Affecting
Processing
Ingredient
g water/
g fibre x100
Apple pulp 230
Rice bran 100
Wheat bran 260
Oat bran 140
Sugar beet fibre 350
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Fibre in Products
Application in Everyday Products
- What Works and When?
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Fibre Claims by Product Category
• Snack foods dominate high/added fibre product launches
• Bakery, breakfast cereals and side dishes also significant usage of high/added fibre claims
• All categories where consumers would expect to find fibre – an inherent part of product e.g. wholegrain cereals
without the need for fortification
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Fibre in other categories?
• Added fibre vs. inherent fibre
• Increasing number of consumers seeking clean labels and products
using natural ingredients
• Added fibres not always aligned with trends towards clean labels
• Added fibre chocolate – Do consumers really want fibre in indulgent
products?
• Dose rates – how much chocolate would you need to eat to gain any
real health benefits?
Inulin Oligofructose Inulin
Soluble
corn
fibre
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Soluble fibre – increase fibre content whilst reducing fat
Derived from chicory root – label “chicory root fibre”
Clean taste, neutral flavour with a creamy mouthfeel similar to fat
Other health claims – blood sugar, bowel health
• Suitable applications include:
Yogurt
Cream cheese
Dairy desserts
Spreads
Ice cream
Baked goods
Multi-functional ingredients - Inulin
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Oat Beta-glucan
• Approved EFSA claim relating to cholesterol
• “Oat beta-glucan has been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol.
Blood cholesterol lowering may reduce the risk of (coronary) heart
disease”.
• Foods should provide at least 3 g of oat beta-glucan per day in order to bear the
claim
• Clean label ingredient
• Claims commonly seen in breakfast cereals where oats are a key ingredient
• Categories beyond bakery and breakfast cereals are innovating with oat beta-
glucan and marketing its use on label – e.g. smoothies and juices
USA: Reverse osmosis water, peach
puree, apple juice from concentrate,
pear juice from concentrate, mango
puree, oat soluble fiber, guar gum,
xanthan gum, natural flavor, beta
carotene for color
UK: Pineapple juice (35%),
cloudy apple juice, pink
guava purée (15%), carrot
juice, golden berry (3%),
oat beta glucan (contains
gluten), lemon juice
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Nutrition and Health Claims
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Currently Permitted Nutrition Claims
Low energy
Energy-reduced
Energy-free
Low fat
Fat-free
Low saturated fat
Saturated fat-free
Low sugars
Sugars-free
With no added sugars
Low sodium/salt
Very low sodium/salt
Sodium-free/Salt-free
No added sodium/salt
Source of fibre
High fibre
Source of protein
High protein
Source of vitamin(s)/ mineral(s) X
High vitamin(s)/ mineral(s) X
Contains [name of nutrient]/ other
substance
Increased (name of nutrient)
Reduced (name of nutrient)
Light/lite
Naturally/Natural
Source of omega-3 fatty acids
High omega-3 fatty acids
High monounsaturated fat
High polyunsaturated fat
High unsaturated fat
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Approved Nutritional Claims Relating to
Fibre in EU
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Health Claims currently authorised for
fibre ingredients
Claim:
XX fibre contributes
to an increase in faecal bulk
Nutrient:
Barley Grain Fibre
Oat Grain Fibre
Rye Fibre
Wheat Bran Fibre
Sugar beet fibre
Barley Grain Fibre
Conditions:
Only for food high in that fibre
Claim:
XX fibre contributes to an acceleration of intestinal
transit
Nutrient:
Wheat Bran Fibre
Conditions:
Only for food high in that fibre
Consumer information must say daily intake
has to be 10g
Claim:
Consumption as part of a meal contributes to a reduction in blood
glucose after that meal XX fibre contributes to an an acceleration of
intestinal transit
Nutrient:
Arabinoxylan (AX)
from wheat endosperm
Conditions:
Only for food with 8g AX per 100g of availablecarbohydrates as part of the
meal.
Consumer information must say as part of the mealdaily intake has to be
10g
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β-glucan Claims
(Refer to Specific Conditions of Use )
• Beta-glucans contribute to the maintenance of normal blood
cholesterol levels
• Consumption of beta-glucans from oats or barley as part of a meal
contributes to the reduction of the blood glucose rise after that meal
• Barley beta-glucans has been shown to lower/reduce blood
cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of
coronary heart disease.
• Barley beta-glucans has been shown to lower/reduce blood
cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of
coronary heart disease
• Oat beta-glucan has been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol.
High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart
disease
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Health Claim - Oat Fibre Beta-glucan
• Oat fibre is rich in beta-glucan
• Approved health claim relating to beta-glucan and LDL
cholesterol
• Fat reduction and additional health benefits
70% less saturated fat
than regular biscuits
Beta-glucans from oats
and barley which helps
reduce cholesterol levels
in the blood
Ingredients: Whole
wheat flour (40%), oat
flakes (25%), raw cane
sugar (17%), corn oil
(14%), beta-glucan
rich cereal fibres
(5%) (barley fibre, oat
fibre), glucose-
fructose syrup,
leavening agents
(sodium acid
carbonate, ammonium
acid carbonate), whole
sea salt (0.5%)
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Cellulose based ingredients
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)
• Consumption of Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose with a meal contributes
to a reduction in the blood glucose rise after that meal
- The claim may be used only for food which contains 4 g of HPMC per
quantified portion as part of the meal. In order to bear the claim
information shall be given to the consumer that the beneficial effect is
obtained by consuming 4 g of HPMC as part of the meal.
Warning of choking to be given for people with swallowing difficulties or
when ingesting with inadequate fluid intake - advice on taking with
plenty of water to ensure substance reaches stomach.
• Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose contributes to the maintenance of normal
- The claim may be used only for food which provides a daily intake of 5 g
of HPMC. In order to bear the claim information shall be given to the
consumer that the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 5 g of
HPMC. blood cholesterol levels
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Nutrient Claim Conditions of use
Chitosan Chitosan contributes tothe maintenance ofnormal bloodcholesterol levels
The claim may be used only for food which provides a daily intake of 3 g of chitosan. In order to bear the claim information shall be given to the consumer that the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 3 g of chitosan.
Pectin Consumption of pectinswith a meal contributes to the reduction of the blood glucose rise after that meal
The claim may be used only for food which contains 10 g of pectinsperquantified portion. In order to bear the claim, information shall be given to theconsumer that the beneficial effect is obtained by consuming 10 g of pectinsas part of the meal.
Glucomannan(konjac mannan)Glucomannan
Glucomannan (konjacmannan)Glucomannancontributes to themaintenance of normalblood cholesterol levels
The claim may be used only for food which provides a daily intake of 4 g of glucomannan. In order to bear the claim information shall be given to the consumer that the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 4 g of glucomannan.
Many Others…
For Claims Checks Contact Leatherhead Research Ltd
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How well does the consumer understand
fibre and benefits of fibre?
Results from Recent Leatherhead Study
Consumer and Fibre
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Consumers need more information about the
health benefits of eating fibre
22%
1%
17%
60%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Healthiness
I don't know Worse The same Better
Q: How do food and drink products advertised as ‘high in fibre’
compare with standard products in terms of …?
53%
36%
11%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Agree Disagree I don't know
I would like more information about the health benefits of eating fibre
Source: Leatherhead Food Research, September 2015, n=834
Q: Which, if any, of the following do you agree or disagree with?
Source: Leatherhead Food Research, September 2015, n=834
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A third of consumers are aware of problems
with amount of fibre in their diets
5%
27%
16%
41%
10%
1%
Very difficult
Quite difficult
Neither easy notdifficult
Quite Easy
Very easy
Don’t knowSource: Leatherhead Food Research consumer survey, August 2015, n=640
Q: How easy or difficult is it to judge how much of the following you are eating in
your diet?
Source: Leatherhead Food Research, September 2015, n=834
Q: Which, if any, of the following do you agree or disagree with?
35%
57%
7%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Agree Disagree I don't know
I know I need to eat more fibre but struggle to introduce more fibre into my
diet
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7 in 10 consumers think they are eating
about the right amount of fibre
30%
69%
1%
Fibre
Too little About right Too much
Source: Leatherhead Food Research consumer survey, August 2015, n=640
1%
44%
55%
Sugar
Too little About right Too much
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What does 30g/day of fibre look like?
Everyday
3-5 servings
of fibrous
vegetables
2-4 servings
of fruit
3 servings
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How fibre could look like in everyday
products?
Innovation | Nutrition | Regulatory | Safety | Sensory
Thank you for your time
Persis Subramaniam