Let's Talk about Fiber
We are full of it, and by it, we mean fiber! Manildra Group offers FiberGem, an RS4-type resistant wheat starch, that is specifically designed to increase the dietary fiber in all food products. FiberGem is ideal in bakery applications due to its smooth, non-gritty texture, bright white color, and easy incorporation into existing formulations. Manildra’s FiberGem is also the starch-type building block in low carb baked goods.
FiberGem, a cross-linked phosphorylated RS4, is a source of dietary fiber as defined by the FDA. The production process for FiberGem creates a high degree of cross-linked starches that are a diester of a phosphate molecule. Coming in at 90% dietary fiber, FiberGem as an insoluble source of fiber and is resistant to enzymatic digestion. The FDA has also determined that products such as FiberGem have a beneficial physiological effect on human health including lowering blood glucose and cholesterol levels, reducing caloric intake, and improving digestion. FiberGem is a great source of dietary fiber and has exceptional functionality in baked applications as compared to other fiber types.
FiberGem provides bakery products with a bright, white color, a clean flavor profile and smooth finished product characteristics. It also has a low water holding capacity, meaning it does not disrupt viscosity or absorption when added to a dough or batter system. In comparison to other sources of dietary fiber, like oat, tapioca, and chicory root, FiberGem has superior synergy with other ingredients in wheat-based systems. Because FiberGem is derived from wheat, it works well with other wheat ingredients like flour and wheat protein; and, it also has the most replicable taste, texture, and mouthfeel to traditional baked goods made with wheat flour. Another reason bakers may select FiberGem over other sources of dietary fiber is because of its similar gelatinization properties as wheat flour. Non-wheat sources of dietary fiber have differing gelling points during baking, meaning oven profiles will need to be adjusted to reach the same bake and final crumb quality. Need another reason to give FiberGem a try? Like conventional wheat starch, baked products containing FiberGem have a neutral flavor profile and clean eating characteristics. Other sources of dietary fiber often create spongy, granulated textures and earthy, tart flavors that often must be masked with flavor blockers or emulsifying agents. Whether you are seeking to add fiber to your product, or decrease total carbohydrate contents, FiberGem can be your solution for a wide range of bakery products.
Thinking about offering low carb versions of your current products? To do so, you must lower the net carbohydrate count. Net carbs are the carbohydrates in food that you can digest and use for energy. On food labels, this is determined by subtracting the amount of dietary fiber from the total carbohydrate count. This allows for bakers to reduce the total carbohydrates or add fiber to their products. Manildra’s FiberGem and GemPro Proteins can help replace conventional flour in any bakery application. When removing wheat flour from a formula, the structure for said product is removed. Depending upon the desired processing characteristics and finished product attributes, the ratio of fiber-to-protein and protein-to-protein can be rebalanced to meet desired handling, mouthfeel, and eating characteristics. When making products that require more strength, like white pan bread, the amount of GemPro HPG increases; inversely, when making products that require more softness, like hamburger buns, the amount of extensible GemPro Prime-E increases. Lastly, when looking to create a softer, more cake like product with less structure, the amount of FiberGem increases proportionally to the GemPro proteins. Check out our formula page to get started.
Are you ready to take the high fiber or low carb leap? Let the Manildra Team help you innovate and make your low carb dreams come true today!