When IFF by now materials carrageenan – a crimson seaweed extract – SEAFLOUR is a total food stuff component (soon after harvesting, the crimson seaweed undergoes a “all-natural preservation procedure” just before currently being dried and milled, according to IFF) that includes protein, fiber, and minerals and can be explained on elements lists in the US as ‘natural seaweed.’
The light-weight tan-colored powder “delivers remarkable steadiness, substantial-suspension skill and outstanding mouthfeel,” and has “a unique synergy with plant proteins, retaining plant-primarily based beverages secure and captivating, and offering easy, creamy texture and mouthfeel during their shelf life,” explained Michael Cammarata, senior beverage technologist, IFF, Nourish division.
At the lower use amounts in a plant-dependent beverage, in the meantime, it does not impart any colour or taste, he stated. “We’ve run sensory evaluation to make sure that there is no maritime off notes you can choose up in the ultimate goods.”
Suspension and mouthfeel
So how can SEAFLOUR potentially shorten some ingredients lists?
“The true staple in the business now for this style of [plant-based milk] application would be gellan gum to give security,” said Cammarata. “But in a good deal of conditions, our shoppers also have to incorporate some other kind of thickener, some thing like xanthan gum, guar gum or locust bean gum, to get some of these extra indulgent textures and beverage apps.
“But we have been equipped to achieve that with just the use of this ingredient, in sure applications… The actuality that it can do what gellan gum does from a suspension standpoint, and [also] do what an more thickener will do from a mouthfeel standpoint, tends to make it quite exclusive in our view.”
As to how SEAFLOUR – which has self-affirmed GRAS status – compares to carrageenan, he reported: “We’ve discovered some seriously remarkable variations.
“The marketplace knows about carrageenan and its synergy with casein micelles [dairy proteins], although it does not have that very same interaction with plant proteins. But with SEAFLOUR we see gains when it is made use of in mix with specified plant proteins, specifically soy and pea.
“So for illustration, upon addition of pea protein into an almond dependent beverage, you can get ideal uniformity by various months of shelf-daily life. We’ve also discovered when SEAFLOUR is made use of in combination with certain plant proteins, the dosage level necessary to improve security is decrease, and the viscosities are higher.
“So with this one component in selected plant based beverage applications, you can get the stability, the uniformity that our shoppers are on the lookout for by the shelf life, as very well as the mouthfeel and viscosity that buyers are seeking for.”
He added: “With this solitary ingredient, companies have the opportunity to decrease fats and sugar stages in their solutions without the need of compromising texture or mouthfeel.”