TIC Provides Agar Substitute

03 Feb 2015 --- TIC Gums has introduced a new stabilizer system for icing and glaze applications. Ticaloid DG 671 is designed to perform similarly to agar at a lower usage level, providing cost-in-use savings and an answer to a shifting agar market.

Agar is often the preferred stabilizer for icings and glazes as it controls water migration, aids in icing retention and creates a finished product that is easy to apply. Due to market fluctuations and limited availability the cost of agar has increased, causing developers to search for alternatives.

“Agar’s primary country of harvest, Morocco, has imposed strict harvest volume limits and even more stringent exporting limitations for the harvested product. These restrictions, paired with adverse weather conditions, have led to a volatile supply lacking stability in price and availability,” explains Mat O’Connor, director of global sourcing and procurement at TIC Gums.
 
To meet the request for an agar substitute, the Gum Gurus at TIC Gums’ Texture Innovation Center researched, tested and successfully developed Ticaloid DG 671 as an alternative in icings and glazes.
 
As explained in the most recent white paper, A Cost-Effective Stabilizer Alternative to Agar, Ticaloid DG 671 is proven to perform similarly to a traditional agar-only system, but at a lower price and usage level, providing up to 21% total cost-in-use savings.