Ingredients The
Ingredients The ingredient offers clean-label antioxidant functionality. It also helps improve the flavor of foods, while enabling a reduction in added sugars, sodium and synthetic additives. Upcycling was important messaging for many IFT FIRST exhibitors. Food tech company CarobWay GmbH unveiled its carob-derived prebiotic fiber. CarobBiome is loaded with naturally occurring polyphenols that actively nourish the gut microbiota, delivering benefits to the gut without the discomforts often associated with fibers. Its positive prebiotic effects are currently undergoing preclinical assessment. “Not all prebiotics are equal,” said Udi Alroy, CEO and co-founder of CarobWay. “While many fibers on the market can cause some level of stomach discomfort, CarobBiome is specifically designed to ease bloating and maintain a happy tummy. Moreover, it is completely natural, vegan, and allows for a clean, simple ingredients label. It also is highly nutritious.” The fiber is sourced from upcycled carob pulp, taking a zero-waste approach. Carob, one of the most ancient food sources, is a uniquely sustainable and resilient crop that thrives on non-arable, rocky lands where other crops cannot grow. It requires minimal water input and virtually no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. With low labor demands and natural resistance to pests and drought, carob enables cost-effective, regenerative agriculture even in marginal environments, according to Alroy. COMET launched a new grade of prebiotic fiber, Arrabina L. It’s made using a patented extraction process from non-GMO wheat, the sidestream of the plant that is not harvested for flour manufacturing. COMET featured it in ice cream samples. Arrabina is gluten-free wheat fiber extract that contains a natural blend of prebiotics including arabinoxylans, lignin and polyphenols. It has clinically proven metabolic health benefits and exceptional tolerability, even at four or more servings daily, according to research. It was specifically developed to fill the market need for a low-dose prebiotic fiber that can be used in a wide array of formulations due to its exceptional solubility and low viscosity, according to Hannah Ackermann, vice president of marketing and nutrition affairs. The new grade is lighter in flavor and color than the original version. Interestingly, the original version—which has a slight brownish color--is being pursued by bakers to assist with cocoa reduction. Speaking of Color Natural color exhibitors shined at IFT FIRST, as the potential of a national ban of synthetic colors loomed among attendees in the aisles of the exhibition. For California Natural Color, upcycling is part of its process. “There is a lot of conversation today around the colors used in foods and beverages,” said Dana Osborn, marketing manager of California Natural Color. “The U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced its plan to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic food dyes by the end of 2026. Multiple states have written regulations that ban certain dyes or require warning labels. Yet we know that vibrant, appealing colors play an important role in attracting consumer attention and setting product experience expectations. “We are ready to help the industry address the challenge with our cleanlabel colors sourced from nature— grapes, carrots, sweet potatoes and other plant-based sources consumers know and trust—through our proprietary crystal delivery format that provides an exceptionally high color concentration, as much as five to 10 times more than liquid food colors,” said Osborn. Beyond consumer and label appeal, the company’s proprietary crystal color technology delivers manufacturing benefits that make it an ideal alternative to traditional coloring methods. These innovative solutions are completely water soluble, produce less dust in handling and have up to a five-year shelf life. They have a high color intensity and do not require refrigeration, allowing for savings throughout the supply chain. Photo: CarobWay Yoghurt Lycored celebrated its 30-year anniversary at IFT FIRST with the debut of three super-stable, nature-based color emulsions. The new shades are ideal for beverages, including ultra-high temperature dairy and plant-based milks, gummies, sauces and fruit preparations. StellarYellow A shines in juice beverages and concentrates, while StellarYellow C Clear makes a bright addition to clear beverages and gummies. OrangeOvation C Clear provides long shelf life and crystal-clear performance across a variety of beverage and gummy 12 food food Marketing & & Technology • August • June 2025
Ingredients applications. These new offerings build on a well-established portfolio of lycopene-based red color solutions that are an ideal replacement for Red 3 and Red 40, according to Megan Dunn, senior manager-global marketing. Natural blue is the name of the game for FUL Foods, which manufactures spirulina extract that is tasteless, as well as pH- and heat-stable. It is produced in state-of-the-art photobioreactors using a patented extraction process. Don’t Forget the Cocoa Shortage While protein, fiber and colors may have dominated IFT FIRST, suppliers’ solutions to addressing the cocoa shortage were also very visible. Formulators in every food and beverage sector are seeking reformulation strategies to reduce cocoa dependency without sacrificing consumer expectations for taste, quality or clean labels. There are many varied options, including compounds, coatings and concentrates; flavor enhancers and extenders, and even non-cocoa chocolate. AAK showed its cocoa butter substitute for use in coatings and molded products. Based on lauric acid—a medium-chain saturated fatty acid found in coconut and palm kernel oils and some vegetable fats—it requires no tempering and has low viscosity. Parker Food Group sampled its allulose, erythritol, maltitol, stevia or monk fruitsweetened chocolate compounds for use in low-sugar and no-sugar-added concepts. Protein-fortified compounds are also available. The brownie from Butter Buds Food Ingredients featured Cocoa Butter Buds. It is a concentrated powder made with real cocoa fat that provides formulators with a cost-effective alternative to cocoa powder and closely mimics chocolate flavor. The ingredient is made using the company’s proprietary enzyme modification and real cocoa fats from the cocoa bean to create a concentrated ingredient solution that helps manufacturers improve chocolate flavor in their formulations at a fraction of the cost of chocolate, according to the company. Ardent Mills developed a singleingredient replacer made from U.S.- sourced wheat. It is designed to replace 25% of cocoa powder in cakes, brownies, cookies and muffins. With wheat being a core ingredient in most baked goods, this ingredient is a simple solution for bakers, often with minimal to no changes in labeling. It is made from specially processed wheat flour that helps create a color and flavor profile similar to cocoa. Cocoa supply chain challenges are only expected to intensify in coming years. This is fueling chocolate innovations that do not rely on cocoa beans. Compound Foods, for example, showcased its cocoa-free cocoa. It is formulated with upcycled ingredients, including carob, mesquite, spent grain, sunflower lecithin and cascara. The ingredient may fit into existing manufacturing pipelines, relieving the need for reformulation, according to Maricel Saenz, founder. Save the Date: The next IFT FIRST will be held July 12 to 15, 2026, in Chicago. fmt Photo: CarobWay Shake The Author Photo: dsm-firmenich Donna Berry is a food and beverage industry consultant and editor with over 25 years experience in tracking trends and advancements in product development. food Marketing & Technology • August 2025 13
