Elevating texture: Roquette leverages tapioca for improved viscosity in sauces, bakery and dairy

08 Aug 2024 --- Roquette is expanding its range of texturizing solutions by formulating four new tapioca-based cook-up starches that enhance the viscosity, consistency and elasticity in food applications like sauces, dairy desserts, yogurt and bakery fillings. The ingredients also provide benefits beyond texture, such as no off-flavors, adding clarity and neutral colors and elevating the visual appeal of foods, says the company.

The new grades — Clearam TR 2010, Clearam TR 2510, Clearam TR 3010 and Clearam TR 4010 — are specifically developed to address “unmet texture needs of food manufacturers and complement existing botanical sources within the broader range.”

The modified starches help manufacturers “bring new and improved products to market that offer unmatched texture and maximum consumer appeal,” says Damien-Pierre Lesot, head of product marketing at Roquette.

“Our new tapioca offering represents a significant advancement in food starch technology, providing manufacturers with versatile and high-quality texturizing solutions.”

By expanding its specialty starch solutions range, Roquette aims to support food producers in improving food texture and co-creating diverse food experiences.

Formulation flexibility
The new modified starches are versatile and provide flexibility in formulation. Clearam TR 3010 and Clearam TR 2510 are suitable for sauces, but impart different technical and texture properties, respectively, underscores Roquette.

Clearam TR 3010 is suited for tomato-based sauces. Its “flowable consistency” works well in squeezable tubes or applications requiring higher spreadability and provides a “velvety smooth texture, excellent gloss and good thickness” in oyster sauces.

Clearam TR 4010 enhances the “creamy mouthfeel” in dairy products like yogurt and desserts for a feeling of richness and fullness.Additionally, the ingredient imparts a cleaner mouthfeel and richer color in bakery fillings, along with elevated flavor release.

Meanwhile, Clearam TR 2510 has a low gelling temperature and high shelf-life stability, making it suitable for high-salt sauce recipes and chilled products. 

The third starch, Clearam TR 4010, enhances the “creamy mouthfeel” in dairy products such as yogurt and desserts, creating a sensation of richness and fullness.

Clearam TR 2010 is used in dough products that require a “satisfying bite, good chewiness and reduced stickiness.”

Shelf stability and clean label focus
Besides technical advantages like improving shelf stability and thickening and providing high heat resistance, the Clearam TR range also provides benefits in terms of taste, aesthetics and allergens.

The starches are “clean tasting,” and the absence of distinct flavors or off-flavors allows the natural taste of the intended application to take prominence. In some cases, it also enhances the intensity of the product’s inherent primary flavors.

The clear and neutral-colored starch solutions are also helpful for formulators creating products with appetizing visual appeal, especially those requiring a transparent appearance or retention of original color.

Additionally, since tapioca starch is naturally allergen- and gluten-free, it offers a suitable option for a range of label-friendly and free-from products. 

Other recent innovations from the company include fiber-rich and sugar-free mocktails, fava bean protein isolate for meat substitutes and multi-functional pea proteins for improved taste, texture and creativity in plant-based foods.