Sugar reduction: Cargill enters European soluble fiber market with US$45 million investment in Poland

13 Jul 2021 --- Cargill is investing US$45 million to add soluble fibers to its European portfolio of starches, sweeteners and texturizers as demand for reduced-sugar products grows. Based on micro-reactor technology developed in partnership with Germany’s Karlsruhe Institute for Technology, Cargill has secured both an exclusive license and granted patents. The soluble fibers enable sugar reduction up to 30 percent.

They also support calorie reduction and fiber enrichment in confectionery, sweet bakery, fillings, cereals, ice cream and dairy, while helping to maintain desired appearance, taste and texture.

Cargill is already a significant player in the sugar-reduction space, with a full line of sweeteners – ranging from full- to no-calorie – and the new soluble fibers round out Cargill’s portfolio.

“Unlike most of the soluble fibers currently available, our new offerings were specifically designed to address the unique challenges facing food manufacturers as they aim to improve the nutritional profiles of their products, with fewer calories and less sugars,” says Manuj Khanna, business development manager for fibers. 

“Our soluble fibers shine in these complex applications, providing great performance in terms of taste, appearance, digestive tolerance and mouthfeel – all critical to consumer satisfaction.”

Cargill’s soluble fibers enable 30 percent sugar reduction and support calorie reduction and fiber enrichment across categories, including ice cream.

Overcoming formulation challenges
Cargill’s soluble fibers with a botanical origin, such as wheat and corn, are especially relevant for applications where existing solutions fall short.

For instance, in sugar confectionery – where digestive tolerance can be an issue for young consumers or in breakfast cereals where taste and coating performance needs to match existing products – and in ice cream where consumers desire low-calorie products that still deliver on indulgence.

Product benefits extend to food manufacturing, as Cargill’s new soluble fibers can offer improved stability, easy handling and scalability, enabling formulators to gradually increase the degree of sugar substitution with limited changes to their recipes.

Pilots proving popular
Customer trials with Cargill’s new soluble fibers are already underway. Initial customer feedback affirms that the ingredients improve appearance and taste while maintaining processability similar to sugar or glucose syrups.

Cargill says that this patented technology will also allow the company to produce next-generation fibers. These future soluble fibers will address key market needs targeting sugar and fat reduction.

“Demand for products with improved nutritional profiles shows no signs of abating,” adds Willian Oliveira, segment director sweetness for Cargill’s European starches, sweeteners & texturizers business. 

“This critical investment, combined with our existing portfolio of sweetness solutions and deep formulation and application expertise, ensures we have all the tools necessary to support our customers’ product development journeys.”

Cargill’s soluble fiber product line will be manufactured at the company’s existing Wroclaw, Poland, facility. Construction of the new production unit has already begun, with full commercialization of the company’s initial offerings expected in the second half of 2022.

PepsiCo is scaling up its European beverage portfolio, pledging to reduce the average level of added sugars by 25 percent by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030.

Stripping out sugar
Reformulation of sugar reduced products shows no signs of slowing down as major brands adopt new methods to reduce sugar levels to create nutritional products. 

Sugar reduction and protein enhancement are the most sought after two concepts in purchasing decisions and are therefore significant focuses for “better-for-you” development, according to Innova Market Insights.

Analysis reveals that 91 percent of consumers are “at least a little” influenced by sugar reduction claims. Strategies in this context vary and include complete removal of sugar, blending of sugar with sweeteners and advances in sugar science.

In recent months, sugar reduction has made waves across several categories from confectionery to spoonable yogurt.

For instance, Chobani is poised to disrupt the yogurt space with a major US launch which sees the dairy specialist eliminate the sugar in milk. The strained yogurt expert has developed what it considers an “industry first” and potentially game-changing innovation with novel sugar reformulation at its core. 

Earlier this year, DouxMatok released its first direct-to-consumer product featuring its Incredo Sugar, a sugar-based solution that enables 30 to 50 percent sugar reduction.

Reduced sugar trends are also helping to reshape the ice cream segment, while it remains in sharp focus across beverage portfolios. 

Earlier this month, PepsiCo said it plans to scale up its healthy snacks and beverage portfolio across Europe, pledging to reduce the average level of added sugars in its beverage portfolio by 25 percent by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030.

By Gaynor Selby

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