Prebiotic “gem”: Blue Sky Botanics unveils baobab fruit purée with gut benefits

01 Nov 2021 --- Botanical extract manufacturer Blue Sky Botanics is launching Baobab Fruit Purée, a bioactive ingredient marketed as having a higher prebiotic dietary fiber content than those produced with other plant powders, such as inulin.

Caroline Brevitt, managing director of Blue Sky Botanics, tells FoodIngredientsFirst that Baobab Fruit Purée contains 11 g per 100 g of total dietary fiber, several times higher than other fruit purées.

For example, the baobab puree has 3.4 times more dietary fiber than prune puree and 4.3 times more than banana. Compared with raspberry and strawberry, it has 12.3 and 15.9 times more dietary fiber, respectively.

“The purée has a smooth consistency that readily combines with other ingredients. It has a moderately low pH and high Brix that makes it an ideal ingredient for a wide range of sweet and savory applications from healthy snacking, beverages and preserves,  explains Brevitt.The research found baobab fruit fiber to be as powerful a prebiotic as inulin, but at half the dose.  

Promoting gut health
Food and beverage formulators are incorporating prebiotic ingredients more regularly into products to aid the gut microbiome. Dietary fiber such as inulin is used to stimulate the growth of probiotic bacteria. 

The increased interest in functional fiber ingredients is due to consumers linking gut health and the microbiome to overall holistic well-being. In line with the trend of personalized nutrition, cereal fibers, soluble fibers and fruit fibers are being promoted.

Baobab has a tangy citrus flavor with hints of grapefruit and caramel and allows food developers to infuse their products with texture and a pleasant mouthfeel.

Research conducted by Ghent University in Belgium found the baobab fruit fiber to be as powerful a prebiotic as inulin, but at half the dose. Multiple studies were conducted on the Hadza hunter-gatherer tribe of Tanzania, who consume lots of baobab. 

The study found that the Hadza have one of the most diverse gut microbiomes globally due to the high soluble fiber content in their diet, researchers deduce.

Baobab is estimated to be worth US$1 billion to rural Africa, sustaining the livelihoods of ten million households.

Multiple formulations possible 
The Baobab Fruit Purée produced by Blue Sky Botanics has a shelf life of six months at ambient, 12 months when chilled, or 18 months when frozen.

The puree is also high in vitamin C, potassium and calcium. It can be used in various applications, including baby food, confectionery, baked goods, beverages, desserts, dressings, nutrition bars, ice creams, preserves and yogurts.  

Brevitt explains: “There are times when a formulation calls for a liquid ingredient, and we have had many customers ask if we could supply baobab in this format.” 

The company found the best solution for applying the baobab to different applications and discovered the puree worked best. 

Blue Sky Botanics imports their baobab from Zimbabwe based on a 16-year sourcing relationship with Gus le Breton, “The African Plant Hunter” and founder of the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) and PhytoTrade Africa.Turning the fruit powder into a puree resolved time constraints and blending challenges.

Powder formulation challenges addressed
Blue Sky Botanics discovered that the baobab fruit, which occurs naturally as a powder, presents challenges in food formulation. 

“The hydrophobic nature of baobab powder makes blending into liquid formulations on an industrial scale both challenging and time-consuming without specialist mixing equipment,” says Brevitt.

The baobab fruit pods dehydrate and harden on the branch throughout the dry season. This process of dehydration naturally concentrates the nutrients in the pods.

Turning the fruit powder into a puree resolved these challenges, allowing the company to expand its uses.

Baobab Fruit Purée eliminates these challenges as the mechanical forces needed to incorporate the powder smoothly and consistently into a solution have already been applied.

By Inga de Jong