Ingredion expands processed cheese ingredient offerings with new potato starches

19 Jul 2018 --- Ingredion has added three functional potato starches to its processed cheese ingredient portfolio, giving manufacturers greater functionality and choice. CheeseApp 50, 70 and 80 enable recipe cost savings in processed analogue block cheeses while delivering the appealing texture and sensory qualities consumers crave, according to the company. 

This is the first time Ingredion has brought potato-based starches to the processed cheese market, bringing its total portfolio of solutions to 12. With the addition of the three CheeseApp starches, food producers can improve the meltability, firmness and gratability of the analogue block and block processed cheeses for applications including pizza toppings, processed cheese slices and individually wrapped slices. 

Available in the UK, Ireland, Turkey, Africa and the Middle East, the CheeseApp range is also suitable for vegan and vegetarian cheeses, enabling manufacturers to tap into new and growing consumer trends.

Severine Bensa, Senior Marketing Manager at Ingredion EMEA, says: “Cheese is generally made up of three significant components – fat, protein and moisture – which together deliver the texture and flavor consumers have come to enjoy. However, when developing processed and analogue cheese, manufacturers often look to replace expensive ingredients such as protein, while being careful not to affect the eating experience. This is particularly the case in emerging markets where affordability is key for consumers and producers alike.”

“With the CheeseApp solutions, manufacturers can substitute protein and still produce a high-quality product with appealing texture at a lower cost. They also help to facilitate cost-effective gelling and melting properties at different protein levels and we have already developed a number of successful prototype recipes in our Idea Labs innovation centers.”

The three potato starches give strong gelling capacity or melting and can be listed as “modified starch” on the label. Based on potato, they deliver a neutral taste that makes them suitable for a broad range of applications, according to Ingredion. 

CheeseApp 50 modified potato starch provides firmness and strong gelling, while CheeseApp 70 provides a soft texture and perfect melt for pizza shreds and cheese slices. CheeseApp 80 can be used alone to give processed and analogue block cheese a low firmness and good melting behavior. 

These potato-based starches are easy to use and incorporate into formulations, gelatinizing even at low processing temperatures and shear with improved meltability and extended texture stability over shelf life. 

Bensa continues: “Whether you are looking to develop a new vegan block cheese, slices for burgers or the perfect melted grated pizza cheese as it comes out of the oven, our in-house chefs and food technologists can help identify the right cheese solutions for you.” 

“With our deep knowledge in starch technology and understanding of the processing challenges manufacturers face, we can replicate our customers’ conditions to scale in our dairy pilot plant, helping to quickly identify the recipes with the right ingredients before moving to larger batch production,” she explains. 

“These latest solutions build on our broad portfolio of starches from different bases. We can work with you to create consumer-winning recipes with improved functionality at a reduced cost.”

This portfolio extension follows Ingredion’s announcement of its strategic alliance with potato-based starch and fiber manufacturer Lyckeby in September 2017. These CheeseApp products are some of the first Ingredion has made available to its customer base following the agreement.

Meanwhile, the march of veganism in both emerging and established markets is expected to continue.

In addition, vegan launches in cheese products across EMEA have risen from 8 percent in 2012 (296 products out of 3,718), to 13 percent in 2017 (697 out of 5,486), according to Innova Market Insights data. 

“Both markets are impacted by the rise of animal-free alternatives and sources of non-dairy protein, but for different reasons. Cost is key to emerging markets but so too are kosher and halal considerations, while the continued rise of flexitarian and vegan lifestyles in Western countries coupled with increased awareness of farming techniques are influencing consumer food choices,” Bensa tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

“It is technically difficult to maintain the same eating experience in a vegan/low protein cheese as that of a traditional cheese, notably keeping the same bite, melting capabilities and flexibility. It requires application and formulation expertise to formulate high-quality finished products – something that Ingredion has a lot of experience in,” she concludes. 

By Elizabeth Green