HEALTH/NUTRITION

Roughage Times Ahead:

Fiber Fortification
Done Right
By Kimberly J. Decker
Contributing Editor

H
eres a riddle: Name a nutrient whose principal contribu-
tion to human health isnt its beneficial digestion prod-
ucts or its catalysis of metabolic reactions, but instead
comes from the fact that no matter how much of it we eat (and
we dont eat nearly enough), it never actually enters the body.
Need another clue? So convincing is the evidence in favor of this
un-nutrients value that the FDA sanctions several health claims
aimed explicitly at increasing its consumption. If youre still
stumped, just think, natures little broom.

Food Product Design

 HEALTH/NUTRITION
Photo: ADM
Yes, its dietary fiber, the same
old-time roughage that grandmas
have sworn by for ages. Positive sci-
entific findings combined with a nas-
cent vogue for whole foods, public-
health advocacy and a population
entering its later innings hoping to
undo the slump it built up earlier in
the game are giving Americans
plenty of reason to eat more fiber.
Hypothetically, motivating a
fiber-famished public to open wide
shouldnt be a tough sellprojected
growth in the fiber industry from
revenues of $193.1 million in 2004
to an estimated $495.2 million by
2011 suggests a bull market for
fiber-fortified foods, as reported in
the Frost & Sullivan study Strategic
Analysis of the United States Food
Fiber Industry. But such a market
wont develop on its own. As the re-
Food Product Design
port also states, The appeal for food
fiber as an additive is not related to
its ability to increase the flavor of
foods.
And how. Notwithstanding con-
sumer confidence toward fiber in
theory, fiber in fact has rarely gotten
more than a chilly reception. Perhaps
our stepwise inclination toward re-
fined tastes and textures has doomed
coarse, drab fiber to irrevocable sec-
ond-class status. Nor do manufactur-
ers appreciate the havoc it can play
in formulas where it is not welcome.
But the road to roughage neednt be
a rough voyage. Knowing which in-
gredients to use and where to use
them can make for smooth sailing.
More than good-for-the-gut
Technically speaking, because
fiber never breaches the digestive
Resistant starches help boost the fiber
content of baked goods while contribut-
ing little flavor to the food.
lining or assimilates itself into our
cellular or metabolic machinery, it
never does enter the body. But Ody
Maningat, vice president, applica-
tions technology and technical serv-
ices, MGP Ingredients, Inc.,
Atchison, KS, says, Fiber is a nutri-
ent. Its a misconception to say that it
just passes through you.
How does an indigestible nutrient
benefit health? Chiefly, by improv-
ing conditions in the gastric cavity as
it gels and ferments there. For
starters, when soluble fibers, such as
pectins, gums, mucilages and beta
glucansoften called viscous
fibersform gels in the stomach,
they slow, and thus increase, nutrient
absorption in the small intestine. The
polysaccharide inulin, for example,
is particularly adept at boosting nu-
trient uptake, with 15 grams per day
evidently increasing the bioavailabil-
ity of calcium, iron and magnesium.
Some products can improve
on that score. According to
Kathy Niness, vice president, mar-
keting, Orafti Active Food
Ingredients, Malvern, PA, a double
blind placebo-controlled study
showed that 8 grams per day of
BENEO Synergy 1, a proprietary
new enriched form of inulin, in-
creases calcium absorption by 20%.
In this study, published in the British
Journal of Nutrition, 87
(Supplement 2), May 2002, page
S187-S19, 32% of the consumed
calcium was absorbed by subjects
 HEALTH/NUTRITION

When swapping flour for resistant

starch in a baked snack, product
designers usually do not have to alter
baking times, partially due to the low
water-holding capacity of resistant
starches.

taking a placebo, whereas those con-

suming the companys inulin ingre-
dient absorbed 38%.
Inulin at levels as low as 5 grams
per day also encourages the growth
of healthful lactobacilli and bifi-
dobacteria, crowding out bad mi-
croflora in the process. Thus, it acts
as a prebiotic fiberand in this ca-
pacity, its not alone. A host of other
fermentable fibers, both soluble and
insoluble, serve as fodder for gut
bacteria. When considering a prebi-
otic fiber, notes Juliana Zeiher, in-

gredient technologies manager, GTC
Nutrition, Golden, CO, The glucose
terminals and short chain length are
extremely important to the fermenta-
tion profile and ingredient function-
ality, as they determine how easily
probiotic bacteria can metabolize it.
As a prebiotic, the 95% active con-
tent of scFOS (short-chain fructooli-
giosaccharides) supports the growth
of a wide variety of bifidobacteria
and lactobacilli strains, and does not
support the growth of pathogens in
vivo, she points out.
As lactobacilli and bifidobacteria
ferment these fibers to short-chain
fatty acids, such as butyrate, they
lower colonic pH and thus prime the
environment even more for their ro-
bust growth. Some studies also asso-
ciate butyrate with colon-cancer pre-
vention, which, coupled with soluble
fibers ability both to dilute fecal car-
cinogens and hasten their transit
through the gastrointestinal tract,
argues convincingly for fiber as a
cancer fighter.
The case for its role in cardiovas-
cular health is even more persuasive.
Soluble, viscous fibers inhibit bile-
acid absorption, forcing the liver to
harvest cholesterol from the blood to
synthesize and replace the lost bile.
The upshot: reduced circulating cho-
lesterol levels. For several years, the
FDA has permitted foods with at
least 0.75 grams per serving of solu-
ble fiber from oats to bear the claim,
Soluble fiber from foods such as oat
bran (or oatmeal, rolled oats, or
whole oat flour), as part of a diet low
in saturated fat and cholesterol, may
reduce the risk of heart disease.
More recently, the FDA gave the go-
ahead to a similar health claim for
products containing at least 0.75
grams per serving of whole-grain
Photo: ADM
barley or dry-milled barley, after the
National Barley Foods Council,
Spokane, WA, filed a petition with
research showing daily consumption
of 3 grams of barley beta-glucans
lowered cholesterol by about 5%.
For product designers, that means
adding fiber can produce some atten-
tion-grabbing headlinesor at least
labels. A variety of meaningful
health claims can be made on fiber-
rich foods including nutrient content,
health and structure/function
claims, says Zeiher. Most prebi-
otic-fiber claims only pertain to
products containing soluble fiber,
whereas nutrient content claims can
be achieved with both soluble and in-
soluble fibers.
By forming viscous gels, soluble
fibers delay carbohydrate digestion
and absorption, helping maintain cir-

Food Product Design

 HEALTH/NUTRITION
culating blood glucose levels, damp-
ening fluctuations in glycemic re-
sponse, and increasing insulin sensi-
tivity, while also extending feelings
of satiety. Given that every gram of
an effectively noncaloric fiber can
potentially displace 4 or 9 calories
from an equal amount of carbohy-
drate or fat, Foods containing fiber
are typically healthier and also lower
in calories, says Jit Ang, executive
vice president of research and devel-
opment and business development,
International Fiber Corporation,
North Tonawanda, NY. Therefore,
consuming these foods would fit into
most dietary plans, from weight-loss
diets to weight-maintenance diets.
And, of course, we dont call it
natures little broom for nothing:
Fiber, particularly insoluble, is the
laxation aid for the ages.
Photo: ADM
Food Product Design
How much is enough?
Pity, then, that Americans average
only 10 to 15 grams per day, accord-
ing to Ang. Thats far short of the 25-
gram daily reference value (DRV)
that the National Academy of
Sciences set for a 2,000-calorie diet,
as well as the 2005 USDA Dietary
Guidelines for Americans recom-
mendation of 14 grams per 1,000
calories.
Such targets are worthy goals, for
sure, but theyre ambitious for a pop-
ulation that, as Ang says, prefers
ease rather than health. Even con-
scientious eaters, mindful of what
fiber does and where it lurks, would
have trouble packing that much into
three squares. Dorothy Peterson,
product line specialist for starches,
Cargill Food & Pharma Specialties,
Minneapolis, observes most people
are unwilling to completely change
their diet to meet the recommenda-
tion and, instead, suggests looking
to more nontraditional foods to in-
corporate fiber so that people actu-
ally get close to that recommended
amount.
Ang agrees. At this time, most
consumers tend to relate fiber with
grain-based foods, such as unre-
fined grains and the baked goods
and breads made from their fiber-
rich flour and bran. But, he asks,
why stop there? I believe that if
food technologists can develop
good-tasting fiber-fortified foods,
we can change the current consumer
stereotype of high-fiber foods. For
example, what is wrong with a
fiber-fortified breakfast patty if it
tastes good?
Know your limits
Ah, but thats the question.
Consumers are looking for fiber,
says Steve Ham, director of market-
ing for specialty ingredients at MGP,
yet taste is always going to win out.
Its a matter of making a healthier
product without sacrificing the sen-
sory properties. A pivotal question
he thinks formulators should ask is,
Whats the goal of balancing how
much fiber to add without taking
away from the sensory properties of
the original product?
Fortifying a bar application with
resistant maltodextrin not only boosts
soluble-fiber levels, it can help extend
the bars shelf life.
 HEALTH/NUTRITION
Its the existential dilemma of the
fiber formulator. And at least the
government has provided some goal-
posts to clear. The FDA allows prod-
ucts that are low in fat and contain at
least 20% of the daily value for
fiberabout 5 gramsper reference
amount to promote themselves as
excellent sources of fiber; good
sources must contain at least 10%, or
2.5 grams, per serving.
But squeezing even that much
fiber into some serving sizes can be
well nigh impossible. As Maningat
says, If you have a food that has a
serving size of, lets say, 15 grams,
and you have to meet claims for an
excellent source of fiber, that means
you have to have 5 grams of fiber. So
youre looking at more than a 33%
incorporation. You cannot do that
with wheat bran or oat bran without
Photo: Orafti Active Food Ingredients
Food Product Design
negatively affecting taste, texture
and color.
Fiber fortification, thus, is typi-
cally self-limiting. When a food is
fortified with fiber, a number of
changes will take place, most of
which can be detrimental to texture,
flavor and mouthfeel, Ang says. In
most cases, over-addition of fiber
will cause dryness in the food prod-
uct, a chalky or gritty mouthfeel, a
very dense texture and lack of flavor.
That is why it is often difficult to de-
velop great-tasting, high-fiber food
products.
Fiber the old-fashioned way
Of course, what seems dense and
gritty in one product might simply be
rustic in another. Whole-grain and
artisan breads, hearty wheat crack-
ers, flaked and shredded cereals, gra-
nola bars, and even sweets like oat-
meal cookies and homey quick
breads have all historically had suc-
cess as high-fiber foods, in no small
part because they often developed
that way. In these applications, the
high-fiber medium is the message.
Because such items have evolved
for higher fiber levels, formulators
and manufacturers have adapted to
fibers effects on processing. As
Sarah Schut, market manager,
CreaFill Fibers Corp., Chestertown,
MD, says, An insoluble fiber loves
water. It absorbs tremendous
amounts of it, holds it and forms a
matrix with it. This also can affect
product color and moisture release.
Thus, bakers of high-fiber foods
have learned to increase moisture
levels and mix times to account for
insoluble fibers hygroscopicity.
They may also lengthen baking cy-
cles or raise temperatures to drive off
that lingering water. And they prehy-
drate fibers that take longer to soften,
and use ingredient forms that convey
the proper color and mouthfeel al-
most instinctually.
It always helps, though, when in-
stinct gets a shot of innovation. The
attention directed at fiber has
spawned innovative ingredients that,
to all outward appearances, look and
perform like the fiber sources of old.
For example, Sustagrain barley, an
identity-preserved waxy barley from
ConAgra Mills, Omaha, NE, im-
Adding inulin to yogurt products
contributes prebiotic fiber while
providing other health benefits,
including increased calcium
absorption by the consumer.
 HEALTH/NUTRITION
Photo: ADM
proves upon traditional whole-grain
barleys fiber and nutritional bene-
fits. The company, in conjunction
with Montana State University, con-
ventionally bred the barley to have a
total dietary fiber (TDF) of 30%,
fully half of which is cholesterol-
lowering beta glucan. Thats roughly
triple the TDF and soluble fiber of
conventional whole oats. And with
only 30% starchless than half that
of other cerealsits glycemic index
(GI) ranks among the lowest for
grains.
Adds Beth Arndt, manager of
product development at ConAgra
Mills, this is whole-grain barley
were dealing with. Part of the ben-
efit of using whole grain is that
youre not just delivering the iso-
lated fiber, youre delivering the en-
tire nutrient package, including
Food Product Design
lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals,
flavonoids and other phytonutri-
ents, she says.
Flaked and steel-cut forms of the
ingredient work wherever an analo-
gous oat product would, says Bill
Bonner, ConAgra Mills director of
product development. The steel-cut
kernels show up well in soups or
anywhere youre going to have a
high moisture content so that itll be
able to cook up. And while the
lower starch-to-fiber ratio gives the
flakes a firmer texture vis--vis oats,
with the right thickness, Bonner
notes, the two are interchangeable.
Just flake it a bit thinner and its in-
distinguishable, he says. In fact, a
2-to-1 blend of oat flakes with this
barley increases the per-serving fiber
in a hot cereal by 50% without af-
fecting taste or texture.
Beta-glucan-rich barley flour can
replace a high level of wheat or white
flour in flatbreads and other unleavened
baked goods.
In flour form, the barley can
strengthen fiber levels in baked
goods, extruded cereals, snacks and
pasta, Bonner continues. While its
minimal gluten content and higher
fiber prevent it from replacing wheat
flour 1-to-1, he suggests aiming for a
15% to 40% addition and homing in
on the ideal level from there.
Flatbreads, tortillas and pizza crusts
can substitute at higher levels, be-
cause they dont need the lift or
gluten structure of highly risen
bread. And the company has devel-
oped a pasta that substitutes the bar-
ley flour for 30% of the durum
semolina. With only 4 grams of the
ingredient needed to deliver 0.6
grams of beta glucan per reference
amount, Arndt adds, you dont need
bushels to make a health claim. The
microfine form of the flour, with a
particle size of less than 200 mesh,
goes unnoticed in viscous, opaque
beverages, smoothies, yogurt, pud-
dings and other products not nor-
mally associated with barley beta
glucans.
Breaking from tradition
As fiber suppliers have taken
stock of the profit potential of high-
fiber mainstream foods, theyve re-
sponded with a range of invisible
fibersinnocuous both on the
palate and in productionthat in
some cases not only dont muck up
processing or quality, but even en-
hance it.
 Take fiber and its performance in
extruded breakfast cereals. When
working with extrusion, says Doris
Dougherty, senior food scientist, Tate
& Lyle Americas, Decatur, IL, you
quickly find that the issue is expan-
sion due to the inability to cook out
your base material. But when were
trying to fortify at high levels of fiber,
it becomes more and more difficult to
cook out that base material.
Chalk it up to water management:
Modified fibers exert a tenacious
moisture grip. Many times, though,
you dont want to add that addi-
tional water, says Susan Potter,
R&D scientist at Tate & Lyle. You
dont want it to come out too wet be-
cause you still have to drive that
moisture off to get a crisp product.
Driving off moisture adds cost, and if
you fail to drive off that moisture,
you dont get the right mouthfeel and
texture. Tate & Lyle has developed
an ingredient system, that when
added at roughly 13% to 18% of an
extruded breakfast cereals formula
(depending on the form of the ingre-
dient), can provide enough fiber per
30-gram serving for a good or ex-
cellent source claim without damp-
ening either expansion or a cereals
characteristic light, crispy texture. A
blend of insoluble oat fiber, modified
food starch, maltodextrin, sucralose,
natural flavors, and colors, it facili-
tates that cooking and gives the
proper expansion and balanced fla-
vor, Dougherty says.
Another fiber source that helps
manufacturers eliminate sugar from
their formulas is inulin and the re-
lated shorter-chained FOS. There are
distinctions between the ingredients
that fall into this category. Zeither
notes that fructooligosaccharides
has been used almost universally
when describing these prebiotic
fibers, but cautions that this label is
not entirely accurate, and the general
misunderstanding has occurred
specifically because the differences
between the three prebiotic cate-
gories were previously not well
understood. She terms scFOS a
specific, defined mixture of glucose-
terminated fructose chains with a
maximum chain length of 5 units and
95% pure active prebiotic, which is
derived from sugar cane by a natural
fermentation process. On the other
hand, she describes oligofructose as
a mixed FOS, the enzymatic
When were trying to fortify at high
levels of fiber, it becomes more and more
difficult to cook out that base material.
hydrolysis product of inulin. It con-
sists of mixed glucose and fructose-
terminated chains, varying in length
from two to seven, she says. Inulin
is not a fructooligosaccharide, be-
cause the majority of its chains ex-
ceed 10 units. This makes inulin a
polysaccharide that has some prebi-
otic properties.
A signal advantage of these solu-
ble polyfructans, which occur natu-
rally as storage polymers in plants, is
their mildly sweet taste. Inulin has a
very pleasant flavor, says Sally
Romano, vice president, sales and
marketing, Sensus America,
Monmouth Junction, NJ. And the
shorter the chain length, the sweeter
the FOS. This comes in handy in for-
mulas aiming both to maximize fiber
and minimize carbs. Weve got a
liquid inulin that we call sweet liq-
uid fiber thats 50% as sweet as
sucrose and only 1.9 kcal per gram,
she continues. So in addition to
adding fiber, you can replace sweet-
eners at the same time.
ScFOS is mildly sweet, according
to Zeitherabout 30% as sweet as
sucroseand only 1.5 calories per
gram. She describes oligofructose as
a pleasantly sweet hydrolysis prod-
uct of native inulin, consisting
mostly of linked fructose units, with
some glucose-terminated chains.
Oligofructose is about 30% to 60%
as sweet as sugar and contributes 1.5
kcal/gram.
Product developers who replace
some of that sugar with high-inten-
sity sweeteners might also want to
consider adding inulin and short-
chain FOS for their ability to mask
the oft-derided aftertaste that haunts
some alternative sweeteners. As a
bonus, some prebiotic fibers allow
for claims such as enhances calcium
absorption, helps build a stronger
immune system, good/excellent
source of fiber, for optimal diges-
tive health and more, says Zeiher.
The opportunity to make claims will
March 2006 Food Product Design 83
 HEALTH/NUTRITION
Photo: Orafti Active Food Ingredients
vary depending on the fiber source, the
application used and inclusion rates.
Inulin can also help those formula-
tors tackling low-glycemic products.
Replacing sugar with inulin lowers
the glycemic index of foods which in
turn helps control blood sugar levels,
says Niness. Inulin may be used to re-
place up to 8 grams of sugar per serv-
ing in foods and has the added benefits
of being natural and promoting diges-
tive and bone health.
Romano also notes that inulin, un-
like some other fibers, doesnt have a
marked affinity for water and moder-
ates the effects of more water-seeking
fibers. Sometimes manufacturers will
use it with insoluble fibers, like wheat
fiber, because a lot of those fibers bind
a lot of water.
For those looking for the likeliest
application candidates, Zeiher lists a
Food Product Design
number of emerging products incorpo-
rating prebiotic fibers, including kefir,
yogurt and other dairy drinks, sports
products, functional waters, nutrition
bars, weight loss products, soymilk,
green foods, probiotic supplements,
mineral supplements, medical foods
and pet foods.
Joining the resistance
Inulin is hardly the least water-bind-
ing fiber out there. For that purpose and
others, the family of digestion-resistant
starches has really bloomed in recent
years as manufacturers have looked to
these ingredients as the ultimate in
stealth fiber addition. As Ham notes,
If you look at resistant starches, for
example, theres very low water-hold-
ing with a high TDF. So its easy to for-
mulate without having to deal with
higher water levels.
Inulin can add hidden processing
advantages to some bar applications.
For example, inulin can help cereal bars
maintain their shape, which aids extru-
sion and packaging.
Unlike traditional starches, resistant
starches (RS) evade absorption in the
small intestine while fermenting in the
large. Classified into four categories
RS1 through RS4they generally be-
have metabolically like insoluble cellu-
lose fibers. RS1 is physically trapped
within foods, protecting it from amy-
lolytic enzymes and landing it within
the National Academy of Sciences
definition of intrinsic and intact di-
etary fiber. Also considered as such is
RS2, a native granular form of starch
resilient to enzyme action, except in its
gelatinized state. Peterson notes that
while RS2s dont have as high a level
of total dietary fiber as some other re-
sistant starches, They do have benefits
in terms of being more of a good carb.
They have less impact on glycemic re-
sponse. The RS3 category undergoes
physical retrogradation to a crystalline
form of nongranular starch, and RS4,
the newest group of RS, comprises
starches that are chemically modified
to make them both digestion-resistant
and more concentrated in TDF. For
example, Fibersol-2, a digestion-
resistant maltodextrin from ADM,
Decatur, IL, analyzes as fully
90% TDF.
Regardless of its subgroup, a resist-
ant starch as a rule boasts the benefits
of small particle sizemaking it less
texturally or visually intrusivelower
water-absorption, paler color and
blander flavorconsiderably opening
the applications to fiber fortification.
Notes Allan Buck, research and devel-
opment, ADM, By simply removing
HEALTH/NUTRITION
soluble carbohydrates, such as corn
syrup, and replacing them with
Fibersol-2, at 90%-plus fiber, we can
put fiber into confections, beverages,
frozen desserts, sauces, fillings, condi-
ments, and so on.
Because some resistant starcheslow
water-holding capacity can very closely
match the absorptive capacity of tradi-
tional wheat flour, Maningat says, If
you have a flour that has a 60% water
absorption, a formulator wont even
have to change that when he incorpo-
rates resistant starch as a source of
fiber. Changing to resistant starch also
does not impact baking time.
Nevertheless, some applications
that could benefit from resistant
starches could also benefit from greater
moisture retention. MGP is developing
a 70%-TDF resistant starch that,
through starch choice and processing
modifications, holds more moisture
than the average resistant starch. Lets
say that a typical wheat-based resistant
starch will absorb 0.7 grams of water
per gram of starch, Maningat says.
We can change our process to raise
that to 2 grams of water per gram of
starch. And with the fibers shorten-
ing-like texture in mind, Ham says,
We are going to be pursuing dairy ap-
plications, sauces, salad dressings.
With the added water, we see the possi-
bility to replace fat in addition to
adding fiber.
By gum!
Most fat-reduced sauces and salad
dressings cast gums and hydrocolloids
in the role of fat mimetic. But these vis-
cous, soluble fibers, under the right con-
ditions, can also help boost fiber levels
in foods. Depending on the benefits
you want from the gum, fortification
will be easy or hard, says Mar Nieto,
technical services manager, TIC Gums,
Food Product Design
Inc., Belcamp, MD. This has to do with
gums inherent viscosity and its effects
on both nutrition and product quality.
Remember that its through viscosity
that a gum interferes with glucose and
bile-acid absorption, so to reap a gums
glucose-maintenance and cholesterol-
lowering benefits, You want to use the
thicker gums that will add viscosity,
such as guar gum, konjac, pectin, and
locust bean gum, he says. However,
There will be a restriction here be-
cause you cannot make a product so
thick that nobody will eat it.
The texture of highly hydrated
products, such as bread doughs and
beverages, suffers when fortified with
gums sufficient to achieve their cardio
and blood-glucose benefits. In breads,
for example, gums will make the
structure so dense that, even after bak-
ing, parts of it will be so dense that it
looks like its not cooked, Nieto says.
Weve done a lot of work using thick fiber quantities will of necessity de-
gums in bread, and the highest you can
use is 1%, bakers percentage. With
water and other ingredients, it would be
lowersay, 0.6%. At a 0.6% addition,
even a gum with 80% to 90% TDF
average for mostwill only deliver
about 0.54 grams of fiber per 100
grams of bread. Figure a single slice
weighs half that and youre not gaining
much fiber to crow about. And while
suppliers have suggested low-viscosity
guar as a solution, by virtue of its low
viscosity, You will still have to use a
lot more of the gum for it to be benefi-
cial to health, he says.
On the other hand, if prebiotic ad-
vantages are your goal, the main crite-
rion for a prebiotic gum is not its vis-
cosity, but rather its suitability to
fermentation in the large intestine.
The fermentation productsthe
short-chain fatty acidsare whats
beneficial, Nieto says. Sound fermen-
tation candidates include gum arabic,
guar gum, pectin, inulin and gum aca-
cia, but the latter two stand out for their
marked lack of viscosity, meaning that
you can load your food with a lot of
them, he says.
The most effective way to load a
product with gums benefits, however,
is to take a tag-team approach that
blends thick ones with thin. This allows
for significant fiber levels in beverages,
yogurt and other foods otherwise un-
able to access gums cholesterol- and
glucose-maintenance benefits. So if I
want to fortify a product mainly to gain
prebiotic value, Nieto says, I can use
as much gum as I wantas high as 5
grams per servingand it will not have
a negative effect on sensory attributes.
But if I want to get the glucose-absorp-
tion benefit, I would use a thick gum in
combination with a thin gum to achieve
the fortification levels I want. While
pend on the gum, the product and the
serving size, he cites levels as high as
3.5 grams per serving as realistic.
A few grams here, a few more
therepretty soon, meeting those
fiber guidelines wont seem that tall
an order after all. Thanks to the
widening range of ingredients avail-
able, to say nothing of the products
they allow us develop, natures little
broom looks poised to make a clean
sweep of the fortification market.
Kimberly J. Decker, a California-
based technical writer, has a
B.S. in Consumer Food Science
with a minor in English from the
University of California, Davis.
She lives in the San Francisco
Bay area, where she enjoys
eating and writing about food.
You can reach her at
kim@decker.net.
By Cindy Hazen
Contributing Editor
W
e know its good for us, but
most of us are getting less
than half of FDAs Daily
Reference Value for fiber. Rather than
the recommended 25 grams of fiber in
a 2,000-calorie diet, we struggle to
reach 13 grams. Our consumption is
so low that the USDAs Dietary Guide-
lines for Americans report published
in 2005 cites fiber as a nutrient whose
consumption is low enough to be of
concern and states efforts are warranted
to promote increased dietary intake.
USDA recognizes that a diet rich in
dietary fiber promotes healthy laxation,
reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and
decreases the risk of coronary heart
disease.
While the government and health
agencies such as the American Heart
Association, Dallas; the Mayo Clinic,
Rochester, MN; and the American Diet-
etic Association, Chicago, urge Ameri-
cans to eat more fruits, vegetables and
whole grains to increase general fiber
consumption, how can the food in-
dustry help?
Rhonda Witwer, business devel-
opment manager, National Starch Food
Innovation, Bridgewater, NJ, sees it
clearly. Weve got to build the fiber
intake in this country, she notes, and insoluble and water-soluble. Insoluble
baked goods have got a tremendous
opportunity to deliver those products.
But adding fiber to baked goods
brings a host of challenges, both from
a product-development standpoint and
from a consumer standpoint. The devel-
oper must choose a fiber source that
blends well with the product concept,
as well as the other ingredients. Texture,
flavor, color and particle size are attri-
butes that should be considered. With
the inclusion of one new fiber ingredi-
ent, the finished baked good might
brown undesirably or become grainy.
Fibers water-holding capacity can im-
pact the machinability of the dough, as
well the finished mouthfeel, be it crisp
or chewy. The final product must align
with consumer expectations, or it is
destined for failure. Consider a dense,
bran-laden angel food cake for an exam-
ple of fiber fortification gone awry.
Everybody should love fiber
Its sometimes called bulk. Old-tim-
ers call it roughage. Essentially, fiber
is an indigestible complex carbohydrate.
Simply put, its the parts of plant foods
that the body cant absorb.
There are two types of fiber: water-
fibers those that do not dissolve in
water include cellulose, hemicellu-
lose and lingnin. Soluble fibers include
gums and pectin. In general, soluble
fibers can greatly increase a products
viscosity and water requirements com-
pared to insoluble fibers. The texture
imparted by soluble fibers is best de-
scribed as gummy. Insoluble fibers,
on the other hand, tend to give a drier
mouthfeel. In baked goods, soluble
fibers can often inhibit fermentation and
proofing processes in breads, says Jit
Ang, executive vice president, Inter-
national Fiber Corporation, North Tona-
wanda, NY. Most breads use insoluble
fibers. Soluble fibers are not normally
used in bread applications.
From a health standpoint, solublee
and insoluble fibers have different roles.
As insoluble fiber passes through the
body, it moves waste quickly, possi-
bly reducing the risk of colon cancer.
Insoluble fiber is found in grains, nuts
and vegetables. Soluble fiber helps
lower blood-cholesterol and glucose
levels. Good sources of soluble fiber
are fruits, vegetables and certain grains,
such as oats and barley. All fiber takes
up space in the stomach and adds to
Food Product Design
 ELEMENTS
the feeling of fullness, making it impor-
tant to weight loss. High-fiber diets
are usually less energy dense, mean-
ing that they have fewer calories per
volume of food.
The American diet is fiber-deficient
partly because we dont consume en-
ough fruits and vegetables. The major-
ity of us eat less whole foods in favor
of the more-processed variety. This is
especially true from a baked-goods
standpoint. Refined white flour, from
which the bran, germ and endosperm
have been stripped away, has predomi-
nated in the market. The dietary fiber
in 100 grams of enriched, bleached,
all-purpose white flour is just 2.7 grams.
Compare this to 100 grams of 100%
whole-grain wheat flour, at 12.2 grams
of fiber, and one path to fiber inclu-
sion in baked goods is clear.
Whole-grain solutions
Replacing some or all of the wheat
flour with a whole grain can add fiber
to breads, cookies and crackers. Usage
level could be anywhere from 30% to
100% substitution with whole-grain
flour, says Tania Sant, R&D project
manager, The Hain Celestial Group,
Inc., Azusa, CA.
Many common flours beat the fiber
content of white wheat flour: Rye flour
has 14.6 grams of fiber per 100 grams.
Oat flour has 11.5 grams, barley flour
has 10.1 grams, corn flour has 10 grams
and buckwheat flour has 10 grams.
Besides boosting the fiber content of
baked goods, they provide valuable
Resistant-starch ingredients,
such as high-amylose corn starch,
can help product designers convert
typical baked goods into high-fiber
versions without much, if any,
organoleptic alteration.
Food Product Design
nutrients. Nutritionally, these flours
contribute B vitamins and phytonu-
trients present in the bran layer of the
grain, says Sant. Protein and vitamin
E are present in the germ of the grain.
Unique grains like quinoa, ama-
ranth, spelt and kamut (with 5.9%,
15.2%, 11.4% and 19.2% fiber, respec-
tively) are finding use in breads, crack-
ers, bagels and tortillas. Were seeing
more uses of exotic grains, says Cyn-
thia Harriman, director of food and nutr-
ition strategies, Oldways Preservation
Trust and the Whole Grains Council,
Boston. These are realistically only
available to small producers, as the big
guys would swallow the worldwide sup-
ply of some of these niche grains with
three weeks production!
Sant is optimistic about the future
supply of whole grains. I am sure
suppliers will rise to the occasion if
there is a demand, she says. There
is a trend toward making whole-grain
claims and, therefore, using whole-grain
flours as a partial or full substitution
will be more commonplace in the com-
ing years.
Some grains shine in certain appli-
cations but not in others. Most every-
one is familiar with the flavor and
desirable texture that oats can add to
certain cookies and cakes. Brown rice
flour is less well known, but could be
an important tool in applications where
crispness is desired. In cakes and cook-
ies, however, brown rice flour can make
the product gritty if used as a complete
replacement for white flour.
When using whole grains, textural-
ly, the product will be denser, but one
can overcome some of that with clever
use of leavening agents, says Sant.
The flavor contributed by the wheat,
barley and oat flours could be favorable
or unfavorable, depending on the appli-
cation. Tannins in the bran contribute
to that. The stronger flavor and texture
could mesh well in a bran muffin or
multigrain bread. However, it might
prove offensive in a yellow cake or
sugar cookie. In applications where
reliance on gluten development is high,
such as breads, it is recommended to
add gluten to a formula low in wheat
flour to maintain dough consistency.
Photo: National Starch Food Innovation

For many kids, not to mention adults
with white-bread tastes, the flavor
and/or textural perception of whole
grain is a turnoff. However, one break-
through ingredient might provide a
solution. Its a 100%-whole-grain
wheat flour that combines the nutri-
tional benefits of whole grains with a
taste and texture similar to white-flour
products, according to Garth Neuffer,
spokesperson, ConAgra Food Ingre-
dients, Omaha, NE. Because it has
a lighter color, sweeter, milder taste
and is ground to a finer texture simi-
lar the refined white flour, Ultragrain
can be used as 100% substitute for
traditional white flour in any number
of products, including breads, buns,
bagels, rolls, wraps, tortillas, muffins,
noodles, pizza crusts, waffles, French-
toast sticks, snack and cereal bars. As
such, it will deliver all the whole-grain
nutrition fiber, B vitamins, minerals
and phytonutrients as any 100%
whole-wheat product. As a replace-
ment for refined white flour, many
foodservice and food manufacturers
have begun using Ultragrain in a mix
with white flour to deliver a taste as
close as possible to what consumers
have come to expect from the products
they have grown to love.
Sara Lees Soft & Smooth Made
With Whole Grain white bread uti-
lizes 30% white whole-grain flour in
place of traditional white flour. A tor-
tilla used for whole-grain burritos re-
places 50% of the regular flour with
this ingredient. In a line of whole-grain
pizzas dubbed The Max, white whole-
wheat flour replaces 50% of the white
flour. Kids cant tell a difference,
Neuffer says. Each slice of pizza con-
tains at least one serving of whole
grain. More than 2,600 U.S. school
districts are serving these pizzas.
Eventually, Neuffer sees white
whole-wheat flour completely replac-
ing refined white flour: This may
well evolve over time as consumers
grow accustomed to Ultragrain, which
has a taste and texture similar to refined
white flour but does have its own dis-
cernable character. When used as a
replacement for whole-wheat flour or
in new products, we expect more man-
ufacturers will use Ultragrain closer
to the 100% level to get the full benefit
Rather than add fiber-rich whole grains,
product designers can add fiber itself.
of its whole-grain goodness. The flour
is available in hard white wheat (12%
minimum protein) and soft white wheat
(9% minimum protein).
Just switching to whole grains will
make a dent in our fiber deficit, but it
wont take us all the way there. Whole
grains make an important contribution
to our fiber needs, but its important to
remember they cant carry the entire
fiber load for our diets, says Harriman.
Most adults are advised by the new
guidelines to eat about six ounce-equi-
valents of grain daily. This means an
ounce of finished product, containing
on average 16 grams of grain ingredi-
ents. If someone ate the minimum 3
servings of whole grains 3 times
16 equals 48 grams he or she would
get 5.9 grams of fiber if the products
were made with whole-wheat flour.
If someone ate all six grain servings
as whole grains rather than half
and half refined and whole grain
ELEMENTS
he or she would get almost 12 grams
of fiber from these whole grains.
Weaving in fiber
Rather than add fiber-rich whole
grains, product designers can add fiber
itself and they have many reasons
to do so. You might be using fiber
to give a higher fiber content so you
can label it as a good source or an
excellent source of fiber, says Ang.
For any fiber claim, a food must be
low in fat or it must state total fat con-
tent in conjunction with the fiber claim.
A good source of fiber must contain
at least 10% of the RDI per reference
amount; 25 grams is the RDI for fiber
in a 2,000-calorie diet. An excellent
source of fiber must contain at least
20% of the reference amount.
Besides health reasons, designers
might add fibers to food products in
order to garner a reduced- or low-calo-
rie claim. Fibers take up bulk but dont
contribute any calories, Ang says.
The legal caloric content of a fiber is
dependent on its insoluble-fiber con-
tent. Insoluble fiber is considered to be
zero calories while soluble fiber is
considered to contribute 4 kcal per
gram. Cellulose, cottonseed, wheat and
bamboo fibers contribute zero calo-
ries. Sugar-beet fiber provides 0.6
kcal per gram.
Special processing can create func-
tional fibers that might add to the nutri-
Food Product Design

Photo: Kerry Ingredients
tional profile of the finished product, but
they probably wont bring the level up to
a health claim. We produce a whole
line of products that deliver specific
functions when used in a food product,
but the amount that is used in a food
product is relatively small, which means
that although you are adding fiber in
your formulation, you really can get no
fiber claim from it, Ang says. A fiber
might be used as a fat mimetic to replace
some of the functions of fats, or a
product designer might used a func-
tional fiber in a muffin or a cake-type
product to improve texture, shrink con-
trol, volume or color. Typically, 1% of
the functional fiber is used in bakery
applications. Cakes, muffins, donuts
and other similar food products tend to
use functional fibers to give them a cer-
tain advantage that would improve a cer-
tain property in the final food product,
he continues. That has nothing to do
with fiber fortification.
When seeking fibers to add nutri-
tional impact to baked goods, Ang
suggests thinking first about the mar-
keting parameters. If you only care
about having the fiber claim, then you
have more choices to work with, includ-
ing cellulose, he suggests. Normally,
cellulose is the most-economical source
of fiber. However, marketing might
dictate the inclusion of a certain fiber
to attract purchase interest for exam-
ple, wheat fiber.
Its also important to consider com-
patibility. If making a cake, cookie or
muffin, try to pair it with a fiber that
has the right particle size, Ang advises.
Typically, if youre going for fiber
fortification, a relatively fine powder
or a relatively fine, small-particle-size
fiber works well, he says. A fine boo, the amount of chalkiness or grit-
particle size is typically between 20 to
40 microns in fiber length.
Color might affect the fiber choice,
such as when making a white sandwich
bread. Some fibers are creamy-col-
ored, some are yellowish and some
are real white, says Ang. Wheat, oat
and soy fibers typically have a yellow
ELEMENTS
Some fibers serve multiple purposes.
For example, some soy-fiber ingredients
can absorb and bind water, as well
as help designers meet targeted fiber
levels all without negatively
affecting flavor.
cast. Cellulose is the whitest, followed
by bamboo and cottonseed.
It may also be important to take
into account the water-retention prop-
erties of the fiber. If youre trying to
make a crunchy product, you definitely
want a fiber that doesnt hold onto as
much liquid as, say, if you are trying
to make a soft, moist, chewy cookie,
says Ang. With insoluble fibers that
are cellulosic in nature, longer fibers
tend to hold onto more water than short-
er ones. Most fibers hold at least three
times their weight, though longer fibers
might retain as high as 10 times their
weight in water. A gram of wheat fiber
with an average length of 35 microns
will retain 3.5 grams of water. If that
same fiber is processed to a length of
400 microns, it will retain 10 grams
of water.
Bamboo, a relatively new fiber
ingredient, functions much the same
as other fibers in bakery applications,
but it is unique in that it works well in
frostings or icings. Due to its flexi-
ble nature, the bamboo fiber tends to
give you a creamier mouthfeel, says
Ang. Most other fibers give you a
chalky, gritty mouthfeel. But with bam-
tiness is reduced significantly.
Consumer perception can be a fac-
tor. Consumers are becoming more
accepting of labels that list cellulose
as an ingredient, suggests Ang. More
and more consumers are getting edu-
cated, he says. They are beginning
to understand that there is really no
Food Product Design
 ELEMENTS
difference between cellulose and some
other fibers, except in what you call
the ingredients. Cottonseed is some-
times labeled vegetable fiber. Cotton-
seed fiber is very commonly used in
bakery products.
If the ability to label a product nat-
ural is important, then sugar-beet fiber
is recommended. Ang says that many
fibers may be labeled as fiber from a
natural source, but most of these have
come into contact with chemicals. For
those who want to have a natural and
organic claim, an organic version of
sugar-beet fiber is available. What fur-
ther differentiates sugar-beet fiber is
Usually, inulin and FOS are added
to baked goods at a level needed to
achieve a fiber claim.
its high content of soluble fiber. When
you look at the composition of wheat,
bamboo or cottonseed, they are most-
ly insoluble, he says. The sugar-beet
fiber is made of two different kinds
of fiber. It contains an insoluble-fiber
fraction, as well as a soluble fiber.
Usage levels of fiber will vary based
on labeling requirement, application
and finished-product attributes. But,
as a general rule, insoluble fibers can
make up from 4% to 9% of the formu-
la. If you add multiple types of fibers,
you can probably, in some cases, app-
roach 15% to 20%, Ang says. It is
really dependent on the product you
are trying to make. My advice is, if
you can, use more than one source of
Food Product Design
fiber in your product. Typically, if you
go very high with one kind of fiber,
chances are, you can get to where you
want. But you can get a better product
if you dont just concentrate all the
fiber in one source.
Prebiotic options
Adding prebiotic fiber to baked
goods can provide both nutritional and
functional benefits. From a health stand-
point, these fibers increase beneficial
microflora. Additionally, they offer
the health benefits of soluble fiber.
Inulin is a naturally occurring car-
bohydrate fructooligosaccharides
(FOS) typically derived from chico-
ry root. Inulin is a general term used
to describe chains of fructose molecules
with anywhere from 2 to 60 units con-
nected with beta 2-1 bonds, explains
Hilary Hursh, food and nutrition sci-
entist, Orafti Active Food Ingredients,
Malvern, PA. FOS or oligofructose
is a more-specific term to describe
short chains of fructose with 2 to 10
units. All FOS is technically inulin,
but not all inulin is technically FOS.
Both inulin and FOS can be added
to baked goods. These fibers can be
used for sugar replacement or for re-
placing a portion of flour to boost fiber
content, Hursh continues. Inulin is
best suited for yeast-raised applications,
while both ingredients work well with
chemical-leavened systems. Usually,
inulin and FOS are added to baked
goods at a level needed to achieve a
fiber claim. Inulin is commonly added
to whole-grain breads at a level of 2%
to 6% of flour weight to increase rise
and improve texture, she notes. Inulin
and oligofructose contribute nutritional
benefits without a negative impact on
texture or flavor. These fibers work
very well in conjunction with high-
intensity sweeteners and polyols and
even contribute to Maillard browning,
which is often lost in reduced-sugar
or sugar-free products. Additionally,
inulin and oligofructose do not absorb
water like other fibers, making it possi-
ble to achieve a crisp cookie with an
excellent source of fiber.
Litesse polydextrose from Dani-
sco Sweeteners, Ardsley, NY, is a poly-
saccharide digested as a dietary fiber
that does not impart any sweetness.
This nonglycemic specialty carbohy-
drate yields a wide variety of physio-
logical benefits, such as a sustained
prebiotic action. It is frequently used
in sugar-free and reduced-sugar cakes,
cookies and other sweet baked goods,
says Donna Brooks, product manager,
Danisco Sweeteners. It works well
in combination with other polyols,
such as lactitol, and with high-intensity
sweeteners. Litesse alters the thermal
setting properties of baked goods by
delaying the gelatinization of starch
and, therefore, serves as a very effective
low-calorie replacement for sucrose.
Litesse will undergo Maillard browning
reactions similar to reducing sugars
and, therefore, has potential as a brown-
ing agent in baked goods.
In cake mixes, sugar-replacement
levels above 50% might reduce the
air-holding capacity of the batter and

increase the batter flow tendencies.
Biscuit dough containing this poly-
dextrose will also see some increase
in flow, and the resultant product will
be slightly harder, producing crisp and
light eating characteristics in thin prod-
ucts. It is labeled as polydextrose
in the ingredient statement.
Arabinogalactan, extracted from
larch trees, is a relatively new ingredi-
ent. Its a dietary fiber greater than
90% soluble fiber as measured by
AOAC method, says Lori Siegler, mar-
keting manager, Larex, Inc., White
Bear Lake, MN. For anyone whos
looking at adding fiber to a baked good,
it also can help with moisture reten-
tion. It can be effective in helping to
lower water activity. It has some film-
forming properties that can help to
extend shelf life. It can help with tex-
ture improvement in baked goods, im-
prove dough handling by reducing stick-
iness of the dough and improve external
symmetry.
Designers have used arabinogalac-
tan at 2% to 10% in bakery products,
depending on the product. What dif-
ferentiates our prebiotic fiber from
some of the others on the market is
that it ferments very slowly, so you
dont get some of the negative side
effects that you can get from fibers or
prebiotic fibers, such as gas and bloat-
ing, says Siegler. Some of the FOS
ferment very quickly, and its the fer-
mentation that causes some of the dis-
comfort that you can get from fibers.
Prebiotic fibers have much potential
in baked goods. While all prebiotics add
health benefits, various ingredients
can contribute Maillard browning and
replace some sugar in reduced-
calorie products.
Irresistible resistant starch
In the world of fiber, resistant starch-
es are shaking things up. Though usu-
ally labeled as starch, they are unique.
Resistant starch resists alpha-amy-
lase digestion in the body and passes
to the large intestine where it is broken
down similar to dietary fiber, says
Steve Ham, director of marketing spe-
cialty ingredients, MGP Ingredients,
Inc., Atchison, KS. Resistant starches
fall into the following classes: RS1, a
physically inaccessible starch found in
seeds and legumes; RS2, a granular,
ungelatinized starch found in green ban-
anas, potatoes or high-amylose starch;
RS3, a retrograded starch formed after
gelatinization; and RS4, a chemically
modified starch that resists digestion.
Resistant starch has some charac-
teristics that simplify its use in baked
products. Visually, theres a difference
between a traditional fiber and resistant
starch, says Ham. Resistant starch
is a very fine white powder, whereas
most traditional fibers, like bran or
other plant-based fibers, are more visu-
ally apparent in foods. These visual
ELEMENTS
aspects help make the resistant starch
attractive in applications that may not
be traditional high-fiber products, like
a blueberry muffin or a waffle. Using
resistant starches, a formulator can
convert those products to a high-fiber
version while still maintaining the sen-
sory properties that consumers expect.
We refer to it internally as the invisible
fiber, because it performs like a fiber
but it doesnt have the appearance or
texture of a traditional fiber, which
lends some real benefits to a wide
range of applications. He feels the
most-obvious benefits of these that
resistant starches are sensory quali-
ties: the smooth texture, the very
white color and the neutral taste.
The companys wheat-based resis-
tant starch is 70% dietary fiber, and
its potato-based product has 80% diet-
ary fiber. Compared to some other resis-
tant starches, Ham stresses that these
products have a low water-holding
capacity, making them easier to incor-
porate into some formulas. It helps
in achieving added crispness in snack
foods, baked crackers and applications
Food Product Design
ELEMENTS
where crispness is desired, he says.
The water-holding capacities are very
similar to wheat flour. It can be used at a
1:1 replacement for wheat flour.
Usage levels depend on what the
customer desires in their application. If
theyre trying to achieve, for example, a
good source of fiber or excellent
source of fiber, there are levels that
need to be achieved, Ham says. A
good source would be 2.5 grams and
high source would be 5 grams per serv-
ing. Higher levels can easily be used. At
higher levels, there are opportunities to
add a wheat protein isolate. When re-
placing a high percentage of flour,
which contains protein, its necessary to
add back protein, and a wheat protein
isolate is an excellent way to maintain
strength in the formula and enhance
processing tolerance.
Resistant high-amylose corn starch,
suggests Witwer, is widely applicable to
just about any baked goods, but she
notes the upper limit might depend on
the application. We know that when it
was being used in low-carb foods at
70% flour replacement, she says, we
got a loss of quality.
Gale Gand, executive pastry chef,
Tru, Chicago, and host of the Food
Network show Sweet Dreams, was
recently challenged to create desserts
using National Starchs natural high-
amylose resistant corn starch. It was
surprisingly easy and uneventful, she
says. I found that I could use it in-
stead of flour in my pastries, and it re-
placed wheat flour very easily. I
would replace 20% to 25% of the
flour in the recipe. I used it in some
recipes that I would normally use
corn starch to soften the wheat starch.
When I made shortbread, in order to
make a finer texture, I usually cut my
wheat flour with a little bit of corn
starch. I just used the resistant starch
instead and it functioned exactly the
same.
Food Product Design
In Gands experimentation, she did-
nt find the ingredients use-level
threshold. I used a substantial amount,
like 25%, she says. I didnt actually mented slowly, Witwer says.
find the limit of how much I could
switch out. I kept going higher and
higher with every recipe and I never
found where the ceiling was. She notes Theyre looking for positive benefits
that when making a madeleine (a type
of spongy, shell-shaped cake), she went
to about 35%. I think I could have kept
going, she suggests. It provided a re-
ally nice, fine-textured crumb. A lot of
times you might use cake flour to
achieve that kind of texture, which is
usually made from a softer wheat, but
this way I didnt have to have a special,
different flour to get that texture. I just
added the resistant starch and sort of
created my own. In effect, she used the
resistant starch to cut the gluten level
in the flour, turning an all-purpose flour
to a pastry flour.
A benefit of high-amylose resistant
corn starch, an RS2 starch, is that it has
been widely studied from a health per-
spective. It has more than 120 published
studies supporting the health benefits of
the ingredient, says Witwer. Its unclear
whether other resistant starches would be-
have the same. Until those studies are
completed and published in journals, its a
question, she continues. The resistant
wheat starch would work in applications
where theyre just looking for a fiber-con-
tent claim, but would not be able to make
assertions or benefit statements beyond
that until the works done.
Products containing high-amylose
resistant corn starch might provide five
health benefits. The first centers on
glycemic management. Energy man-
agement is the basis for the second ben-
efit. The third one is on weight manage-
ment. The fourth benefit relates to
digestive health, colonic health. The
fifth benefit focuses on tolerance.
Weve shown in people in numerous
trials, you can eat a lot of natural high-
amylose resistant corn starch without
getting digestive side effects, because
its basically insoluble fiber and it is fer-
Consumers are learning the differ-
ences between the quality of carbohy-
drates in their diet, suggests Witwer.
such as whole grain, such as reduced
glycemic, such as blood-sugar man-
agement and energy management and
digestive health, she says. They can
choose the carbohydrate that will fit in
for their nutritional needs.
From a public-health perspective,
we want to be able to help deliver func-
tional bakery products that people will
want to buy. The answer to that might
not be putting high fiber on the front
banner of that baked good. In a lot of
populations, an energy claim or a
blood-sugar claim might prove more
appealing to consumers. Weve got to
meet consumers where they are in lan-
guage that they understand. If fiber be-
comes the nutritional fact that delivers
the benefit and is the emotional hook
for consumers, then thats where the
greatest opportunity lies.
The answer, according to Witwer,
is the combination: Its the fiber
claim. Its the tolerance. Its the health
benefits. Its the taste impact. Youve
got to have all of it together to really
maximize the opportunity.
Thankfully, the food industry has
available a number of ingredients to meet
the challenge of adding fiber to baked
goods. If the finished products appeal to
consumers, perhaps even satisfy a sweet
tooth, health advocates might no longer
feel the need to encourage consumers to
get enough fiber in their diets.
Cindy Hazen, a 20-year veteran of
the food industry, is a freelance
writer based in Memphis, TN. She
can be reached at
cindyhazen@cs.com.