EHL Ingredients Reports Strong Rise in Arrowroot Powder

25 Nov 2013 --- During the past six months EHL Ingredients, a leading packer, blender and importer of natural food ingredients, has reported a surge in demand for arrowroot powder from food manufacturers looking to tap into to the burgeoning ' free-from' foods market.

During 2013, sales of EHL's natural arrowroot powder have soared by 20%, with the surge in popularity of the product being attributed to its properties as a gluten-free thickening agent.

The white, flavourless powder is a starch extracted from the roots of various tropical tuber plants, typically grown in the West Indies. It has twice the thickening power of wheat flour and can be used as a replacement for corn or wheat flour in both sweet and savoury foods. Available in conventional and organic formats, EHL’s arrowroot is ideal for thickening soups, sauces, stews, sweet gels or fruit sauces. In addition, bakers can use the powder in biscuits, puddings and cakes.
 
Tasneem Backhouse, sales director at EHL Ingredients, says: "Free-from foods have been a key area of growth for us, as an increasing number of food manufacturers look to include free-from items alongside their conventional products.  
 
"At EHL, we have noticed an increasing demand for arrowroot powder which can be attributed to its use as a gluten-free alternative to cornflour. Its high starch content, and the fact that it does not hinder the flavour of foods, unlike some other thickening products, makes it ideal for food manufacturers to use in sweet or savoury sauces, glazes and jellies, as well as soups, stews, broths and baked goods.
 
"The medicinal benefits of arrowroot also make it suitable for people with digestive disorders, and with gluten-free foods increasingly being associated with wellbeing and weight loss, retailers are also seeing a growing demand for gluten-free food products as consumers look to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
 
"As with all of our allergen-free ingredients, our Arrowroot powder is produced to the strictest quality and safety controls so that our customers can rest assured that the product is completely allergen-free."
 
EHL Ingredients supplies organic and conventional arrowroot powder in bulk 25kg bags or can be ordered in smaller quantities if required and packed down to 1kg bags. It is available to food and drink manufacturers, bakers, wholesalers, ingredient retailers, health food stores as well as co-packers and bottlers.