Dutch firm Sensus unveiled an inulin powder specially designed for use in clear beverages this week, designed to meet the growing demand for innovative beverages.
The company said it has received significant interest from manufacturers at the Food Ingredients Europe show. The prebiotic fibre is ideal for applications requiring high solubility, such as beverages and also fruit purees.
Frutafit CLR prevents crystallisation in high dry matter applications, according to Sensus, and it also minimises gelling and viscosity at high dosages so has advantages in processing for bakery products, cereals and cereal bars and confectionery.
Inulin, derived from chicory roots, is not digested by human enzymes and reaches the colon intact. It acts as a prebiotic, increasing the number of bifidobacteria present in the gut and reducing the chances of infection.
Inulin is recognised as a dietary fibre in most countries and can therefore often lead to a fibre claim for foods. "We are looking at near-water beverages, breakfast drinks and also children's juices as strong possibilities," Miek van Wijnbergen, marketing co-ordinator at Sensus, told NutraIngredients.com.
Last year Sensus completed a multimillion euro investment, expanding its manufacturing capacity in Roosendaal, The Netherlands from a few thousand tonnes to several tens of thousands of tonnes.