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The development of high-quality texturants and bulking agents is proving essential, as frozen dessert manufacturers look for ways to reduce the caloric content of their products.

FMC BioPolymer Corporation

FMC BioPolymer is one of the world’s leading producers of alginate, carrageenan and microcrystalline cellulose. These products are used as ingredients for a number of food products, including low-fat and low-carbohydrate frozen desserts, milkshakes, candy, fruit fillings and salad dressings. One of the most important uses of these ingredients is in the formulation and manufacture of soft-serve, low-fat and low-carbohydrate ice cream, frozen yoghurt and frozen desserts.

FMC BioPolymer also provides a range of other services to the food manufacturing industry. When a food company approaches FMC BioPolymer with a concept for a new product, it can rely on comprehensive feasibility and development studies, formulation and prototype production, and finally, processing and manufacturing services that will meet its specific needs.

Aaron (Chip) Venables, application specialist at FMC BioPolymer, says, ‘We provide a full technical service, and might make up as many as six or seven ice cream batches for a customer, when trying to solve specific issues such as heat shock, or creating a formulation facing high altitude abuse. We give each formulation the full gamut of tests, and go back to the customer with one or two successful formulations. Typically this will lead to plant trials, which we also like to be involved in.’

Viscous gels

Avicel and Avicel-Plus are unique microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) ingredients. In water, MCC forms a 3D matrix comprising of millions of insoluble microcrystals that form a very stable thixotropic gel. MCC is derived from naturally occurring cellulose material, which is similar to fruit and vegetable cellulose. Using various co-processing techniques, which involve the combination of MCC with hydrocolloids, FMC BioPolymer customises Avicel products to satisfy customer requirements. The products are designed to meet specific viscosity, gelling, suspension and stabilising properties. Avicel MCC can function at any temperature and provides excellent freeze/thaw and heat stability properties to finished products. The product has been used for more than 35 years, in both the food and pharmaceutical industries.

After all this time, MCC is still one of the best products for food ingredient application. It has developed and improved in line with new technology and customer requirements. In the manufacture of ice cream products, Avicel increases the body of the product, controls the size of the ice crystals and confers heat shock protection – as well as maintaining excellent mouth-feel and taste quality.

Avicel aids processing through manufacturing equipment by maintaining a fixed thin consistency (low viscosity) while inside conduit pipes, but on standing and freezing it takes on a final body consistency that can be sustained during transportation of the product. Bruce Poulterer, dairy development manager for FMC BioPolymer, comments, ‘The body created with Avicel colloidal MCC readily breaks down with shear. When the shear is removed, the consistency reforms: this is called thixotropy.’

Fuller body

Gelstar is a stabiliser that can be used in a wide range of ice cream and frozen dessert formulations. Gelstar stabilises both the oil and water phases when used in low-carbohydrate products, and provides the eating qualities and superior stabilisation normally only seen in low-fat and regular ice creams. In addition, Gelstar can:

  • Replace 1–2 per cent butterfat or milk solids
  • Provide homogenous melt
  • Maintain the stability of a mix over time and after thawing
  • Provide excellent support and firmness to ice cream by forming an insoluble matrix around the air cells
  • Interact strongly with protein to further strengthen or enhance the structure supporting the air cells
  • Manage water in the product to give added creaminess
  • Impart ‘solid-like’ properties, giving a fuller body which results in a less crumbly texture

FMC BioPolymer is a forward-thinking company. It has the knowledge and experience to develop new products, which meet both customer and consumer requirements. The company can take a product concept from initial planning through to final production in a short space of time. With the ever-increasing popularity of both low-fat and low-carbohydrate foodstuffs, it is clear that companies such as FMC BioPolymer are satisfying market demands for better quality in the texture and taste of reduced-calorie products.

Further information

FMC BioPolymer Corporation

Tel: +32 2 775 8311
Fax: +32 2 775 8300

Website: www.fmcbiopolymer.com

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