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Citrus Fiber In the News

Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber Water Holding, Natural Emulsifier, Upcycled, Sustainable, Gelling Properties - Sustainability - Eco-friendly - Upcycled
June 9, 2020
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Citrus Fiber In the News

Citrus Fiber/Fibre: Frequently Asked Questions

Citrus fiber is the "go-to" clean label ingredient, especially Citri-Fi® citrus fiber. This natural citrus fiber sets itself apart from other citrus fibers due to its sustainable story, patented technology and superior functional benefits. For instance this citrus fiber or citrus fiber extract provides high water holding, emulsification and gelling properties. In addition, it cleans up food labeling. Learn more about this superior citrus fiber by checking out the frequently asked questions.

Because of citrus fiber's clean label functional benefits in food and beverage products, the food industry placed citrus fiber in the limelight. As a result, customers continue to ask questions about this superior natural ingredient. Below, we captured and shared common questions asked about this excellent clean label food ingredient.

Citrus Fiber: Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Citrus Fiber? 

Citrus fiber consists of insoluble and/or soluble fibrous components of citrus fruits such as orange, lemon and limes. Though most people automatically assume that food makers use citrus fiber for fortification purposes such as "adding fiber", this is not the case for citrus fibers like Citri-Fi®. Not all citrus fibers are created the same. For instance, Citri-Fi uses a process free from chemicals to convert byproduct or "upcycled" material produced by the citrus juicing industry into higher valued products. As a result, the patented mechanical process opens up the fiber to provide high surface area.

Because of the high surface area and composition, this citrus fiber can be used at very low levels while providing high functional benefits such as water holding, emulsification and gelling. Citri-Fi contains high amounts of both insoluble and soluble fiber, especially native pectin, that provide the functional benefits. Because of this, Citri-Fi improves texture, taste and stability of food first and contributes some dietary fiber second.

Key differences separate Citri-Fi citrus from others in the market. Citri-Fi adheres to a sustainable model using byproducts from food processes. Other fibers use grind and grow models. In other words, other suppliers specifically source their materials from products grown specifically to be processed into plant fibers. In addition, some citrus fibers contain mostly insoluble fiber. As a result, they provide limited functionality in the food product. Lastly, Citri-Fi uses a process free from chemical modifications. Other processors use alcohol washes and other chemicals to create their products.

2. What is Citrus Fiber Made From?

Citrus fiber can be made from different citrus fruits such as orange, lemon or limes which are the most common raw materials.

3. What is Citrus Fiber Extract?

Citrus fiber extract serves as another description for citrus fiber. Some ingredient suppliers use this terminology to try and differentiate their citrus fiber products from others in the market. Ultimately, food labeling trumps when it comes to describing this natural ingredient. For example, the FDA labeling guidance for Citri-Fi includes the following options: citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour. And the USDA fallows citrus flour or dried citrus pulp. These labeling options resonate well in the natural and clean label markets.

4. Is Citrus Fiber a Natural Emulsifier?

Not all citrus fibers on the market provide emulsification benefits. However, Citri-Fi citrus fiber does. This natural citrus fiber extract has high surface area that easily traps water and oil. Also the fibrous composition contains lipophilic and hydrophilic ends which attracts the oil and water into the matrix which further binds the two. For instance, Citri-Fi binds oil and water to create emulsions that are used in food applications such as dressings, sauces, beverages, dairy and meat alternatives like patties. Another feature is that this natural citrus fiber serves as a plating agent. In other words, Citri-Fi, when mixed with oil, turns difficult-to-use liquids into flowable powders. As a result this benefits foods like beverages, meats and sauces.

5. Is Citrus Fiber an Allergen?

Citrus fiber is allergen-free.

6. Is Citrus Fiber Gluten-free?

Citrus fiber is also gluten-free.

7. What is Citrus Fiber Composition?

As mentioned before, citrus fiber composition varies depending on the supplier. Each supplier uses different processing methods as well as sources different raw materials. Citri-Fi citrus fiber contains about 70% total dietary fiber consisting of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Moreover, this citrus fiber consists of high amounts of intact native pectin. In other words, this composition is as close to natural as nature intended. Other citrus fibers may contain more insoluble fiber. As a result, these types of citrus fiber need to be blended with other hydrocolloids to provide the same benefits as Citri-Fi citrus fiber.

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Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber Water Holding, Natural Emulsifier, Upcycled, Sustainable, Gelling Properties
May 19, 2020
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Citrus Fiber In the News

How to Add Citri-Fi® Citrus Fiber to Foods

Citri-Fi® citrus fiber improves texture, labeling, stability and nutrition of various food products. However, to use this natural citrus fiber in foods, it needs to be hydrated correctly to activate the full functionality. As a result, these four easy methods minimize dispersion issues that may arise when adding this natural ingredient. 

Before diving into how to use citrus fiber in foods, let us review why you need to use Citri-Fi in the first place. Citri-Fi citrus fiber uses a process free from chemical modifications. The mechanical process opens up the fiber to provide high water holding and emulsification properties. As a result, when used at low levels (<1%), citrus fiber contributes multiple benefits to a variety of food products such as meats, bakery, beverages, sauces, dairy and frozen foods. Also, this natural ingredient improves hot trending products like dairy and meat alternatives. In the end, Citri-Fi citrus fiber should be your "go-to" natural ingredient to improve stability while cleaning up labels and enhancing nutrition.

Depending on the product, this healthy food ingredient provides various benefits. For instance, this food emulsifier binds water and oil which improves the stability of dairy, beverages, sauces, dressings and dairy alternatives. Additionally, Citri-Fi holds onto water to increase yields and improve juiciness and texture of meats and meat substitution products. Because this natural citrus fiber provides multiple functionalities, it replaces ingredients like starches, gums and other stabilizers to clean up food product labels.

Now that you joined the loyal citrus fiber club, let us talk about how to use it in food products successfully. Although your first urge will be to sprinkle Citri-Fi like pixie dust, proper hydration is key! In the end, properly hydrating Citri-Fi activates the full functionality of this citrus fiber.

How to Use Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber in Foods 

There are four main ways to use this natural hydrocolloid in foods to prevent clumping or "fish eyes".

1. Pre-mixed in Dry Ingredients

One option includes pre-mixing Citri-Fi citrus fiber with dry ingredients such as sugar, salt, flour, etc. depending on the food product. The dry ingredients should be approximately 10 times the weight of Citri-Fi. Moreover, foods that benefit include bakery items, seasoning mixes and processed meats.

2. Dispersed in Oil 

Another way to incorporate this natural food emulsifier is in oil. For instance, Citri-Fi can be mixed into an oil before being added to the food product or liquid. On the other hand, this natural emulsifier when mixed with a certain ratio of oil turns liquids into free-flowing powders As a result, this plated citrus fiber improves the handling and usability of the product. And as a bonus, when added to water or other food products, this plated material provides additional functionalities. For example, plated Citri-Fi provides stability and mouthfeel in beverages.

3. Dispersed into Syrups

Also, Citri-Fi can be added into syrups like sugar or glucose.

4. Prehydrated Directly in Water

Though we recommend adding Citri-Fi to dry ingredients before hydrating in water, you do have the option to prehydrate directly in water. However, in order to use this method, you need to add Citri-Fi in 3% or less solutions. In addition, this natural food ingredient needs to be added using strong agitation to avoid clumping and "fish eyes". Some recommended agitation options include blender, rotor stator homogenizer, mechanical mixer or a magnetic stirrer.

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Citri-Fi Citrus Fiber Water Holding, Natural Emulsifier, Upcycled, Sustainable, Gelling Properties
May 12, 2020
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Citrus Fiber In the News

5 Ways to Create Healthy Food using Citrus Fiber

Citri-Fi® citrus fiber creates high quality healthy food. For instance, this natural citrus fiber provides high water holding and emulsification properties. As a result, this natural citrus fiber can reduce oil, fat, eggs and add dietary fiber to an array of food products like bakery, beverages, dressings and snacks. 

Creating healthy food today involves subtracting negatively perceived ingredients in addition to adding health promoting elements. For instance, food makers continue to reduce oils and fats in foods. As a result, consumers benefit from lower calories. On the other hand, creating better foods entails removing allergens such as soy, gluten or egg. Regardless, Citri-Fi citrus fiber is an ultimate tool in creating healthier high quality foods. Since this citrus fiber provides high water holding and emulsification properties, it improves stability, texture and nutrition in a variety of food products.

1.  Increase Fiber Contribution in a Variety of Foods

Today, food makers incorporate dietary fiber to make fiber claims. Since not all fibers are created the same, food manufacturers use more than one fiber type like a cocktail. For instance, some foods use functional fibers like Citri-Fi citrus fiber to provide water holding and emulsification properties. At the same time, formulators add other fibers simply to meet the dietary fiber claim requirements. The beauty of Citri-Fi is that its functional attributes benefit a variety of healthy food while also contributing fiber. For example, this citrus fiber improves mouthfeel and clouding in beverages such as ready-to-drink (RTD) and powdered drinks. And Citri-Fi enhances other foods like nutrition bars, snacks and bakery items.

Also, this functional citrus fiber replaces other ingredients like starches, gums and stabilizers. As a result, Citri-Fi cleans up label declarations while improving the nutritional profile. Citri-Fi's labeling options include citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour.

2.  Reduce Oil or Fat in Bakery Products

Citri-Fi citrus fiber's high water holding capacity allows bakers to reduce oil and/or fats in baked goods. For instance, when Citri-Fi is used between 0.25% to 1.00% in muffins, cookies or cakes, this natural ingredient retains moisture. As a result, bakery item's freshness factor remains for a longer period time. And this citrus fiber creates a texture that simulates a full-fat mouthfeel which consumers expect. Citri-Fi replaces up to 50% of oil or fat in bakery products without comprising the quality.

3. Remove Egg Products in Dressings and Sauces

Another industry trend is egg-free dressings and sauces which improves the nutritional profile. For instance, dressings like mayonnaise can now be made egg-less without compromising the texture. Citri-Fi citrus fiber's oil and binding power make this happen. Now, these type of products give vegan and vegetarians more options. And due to recent food safety concerns, food services switched to egg-free dressings and sauce food products. Either way, this natural citrus fiber creates a smooth texture that remains stable for long periods of time at low usage levels. 

4.  Minimize Saturated Fats in Meat Alternatives 

Citri-Fi citrus fiber also reduces saturated fats in meat substitution products like meat-free patties. Since many meat alternatives use coconut oil, these products tend to contain high amounts of saturated fats. When Citri-Fi 100 series is used in an emulsion, this natural ingredient allows food makers to use unsaturated oils and at a lower level. At the same time, the meat alternative is juicy and succulent during the cooking process. And to improve the meat-like texture, Fiberstar recently launched Citri-Fi TX. This new citrus fiber provides cold binding which allows food makers to replace binders like gluten. As a result, those formulating without allergens benefit with a clean label binding system.

5.  Improve Gluten-free Food Texture, Nutrition and Quality

Gluten-free continues to be a market need. Initially, first generation foods were loaded with simple carbohydrates with a short shelf-life. However, today, food makers focus on creating higher quality and healthier versions. And manufacturers upgraded to a more wholesome approach to gluten-free food making. Citri-Fi citrus fiber is an ideal solution when creating gluten-free foods. Because this natural citrus fiber holds onto water, gluten-free foods retain moisture longer. As a result, this improves the freshness factor. And because Citri-Fi meets the FDA fiber guidelines, this natural ingredient contributes fiber to the overall nutrition.

 

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January 20, 2020
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Citrus Fiber In the News

Meat Moisture: Managing Water in Poultry

Retaining meat moisture is a critical success factor in creating tasty food products. Many meats purge water in raw state and during the cooking process. As a result, the final food product tends to dry out which lessens the eating experience. However, there are several ingredients on the market that help bind this meat moisture. And some of these ingredients launched in the last few years trumped the traditional go to ingredients such as modified starches and certain gums.

Meat Moisture in Poultry using Citri-Fi Natural Citrus Flour

Citri-Fi® natural citrus fiber/flour holds high amounts of water and oil especially in meat applications such as marinade injected poultry. This natural citrus fiber/flour improves yield and texture of poultry food products when used in conjunction with phosphates. Alternatively, this citrus fiber/flour can be used to replace phosphates when used with other natural ingredients. For instance, a Citri-Fi and native rice starch combination create poultry products equal or better than their phosphate counterparts. Also, a combination of citrus fiber/flour and sodium carbonate produce high quality poultry foods when replacing phosphates.

Other Articles to Check Out

For more information about what ingredients are available in the marketplace and how to narrow down the selection, please read Food Business News article "Why Moisture in Meats Matter."

 

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December 17, 2019
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Citrus Fiber In the News

Clean Ingredient Solutions: Citri-Fi® Natural Citrus Fibers

Fiberstar, Inc. manufactures and sells Citri-Fi natural citrus fibers. These clean ingredient solutions provide high water holding and oil binding which is key to creating natural food products. For instance, meat alternatives require high oil binding and moisture retention to simulate their animal meat counterparts. However, many products using water holding ingredients tend to be mushy or grainy. Citri-Fi holds onto that oil and releases it during the cooking process. As a result, this creates a juicy and sizzling meat alternative that customers expect.

Vegconomist - The Vegan Business Magazine - Article

To learn more about about Citri-Fi's capabilities in other foods, please read the following Vegconomist article - Fiberstar, Inc: "Our Objective is to be the Global Market Leader in Natural and Clean Ingredient Solutions." 

Have questions, please CONTACT US!

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December 5, 2019
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Citrus Fiber In the News

Plant Based FiEurope Award: Fiberstar Wins!

Fiberstar wins the Plant-based FiEurope Award! This innovative company shared its recent plant-based development in meat alternatives. As a result, this newly developed texturizing citrus fiber complements Fibestar's extensive portfolio of plant-based solutions. Moreover, this award highlights Fiberstar's innovative approach to helping customers hit the market quickly with new plant-based products.

To learn more about Fiberstar's new plant-based texturizing solutions for meat alternatives
please CONTACT US!

 

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November 22, 2019
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Citrus Fiber In the News

Nutritional Ingredient for Bakery: Natural Citrus Fiber

Bakery is a staple in every consumer's lives. Because of this, baked goods serve as a perfect vehicle to deliver nutrition. Today, bakers include ingredients like protein and fiber to enhance their bread products. For instance, Citri-Fi natural citrus fiber is an ideal nutritional ingredient for bakery. Not only does this fiber provide some fortification, but also functional benefits. For example, Citri-Fi's high water holding capacity improves bread freshness over time. As result, consumers enjoy their baked goods longer.

Additionally, Citri-Fi is allergen-free and Non-GMO Project certified. Citri-Fi can be labeled as citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour which all resonate well in the natural markets. This nutritional ingredient for bakery also has no E-number which benefits the European markets.

To learn more about how to fortify your bakery products with nutritional ingredients, please check out this article - Nutritional Ingredients Help Fortify Snack and Bakery Products (Snackfood & Wholesale Bakery)

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October 31, 2019
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Citrus Fiber In the News

Snacks: Creating Better-for-You Foods

Improving Snack Foods using Citrus Fiber

There are many solutions sets when creating better-for-you snack foods. For instance, Citri-Fi natural citrus fiber reduces fat and/or oil content in snacks like cookies, biscuits and baked bars. This natural citrus fiber retains moisture which improves texture and quality over time. In addition, Citri-Fi cleans up labels in snack foods. Citri-Fi labeling includes citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus pulp which resonates well in the clean label market.

To learn more about how to create healthier snacks, read this article:

Snackfood and Wholesale Bakery: Formulation strategies for developing better-for-you snacks and baked goods

Have questions or need to order a sample: CLICK HERE!

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