May 2012/Prepared Foods -- North Americans try to consume more fiber. In fact, 72% of the 1,000+ people surveyed in 2011’s International Food Information Council’s (IFIC) “Food and Health Survey” say so. The reasons include acceptance by the healthcare community regarding the established health benefits of fiber and label regulations that allow positive health statements related to fiber content. Both the U.S. and Health Canada recommend the consumption of approximately 25-38g of dietary fiber per day (U.S. Institute of Medicine, 2002). However, dietary assessments estimate, on average, people are only consuming about 15-19g per day.   

At Food Ingredients Europe (FIE), Paris, new brand name Nexira (a synergistic merger of CNI Colloides Internationale, Bio Serae Laboratories and NutriProcess Co.) introduced Fibregum Crystal Pure, a highly purified acacia gum which provides exceptional transparency with reduced turbidity. The unique functional attributes of this ingredient have been achieved through a proprietary process developed to protect the natural characteristics of the gum. Crystal Pure can be used to create cost-effective functional beverages with high-fiber and low-calorie content.

Fibregum provides food manufacturers solutions for extending brand labels and/or developing new food products containing fiber. And, Fibregum is the first and only acacia gum approved as a fiber source by Health Canada. The Fibregum product line offers an all-natural, GMO-free source of 90% soluble fiber (on a dry-weight basis) that also is available in organic grades. Fibregum has been successfully formulated in a wide selection of food applications where it can enhance mouthfeel and flavor release. It is a non-digestible, high-molecular-weight polysaccharide, purified through technology that involves no chemical processing or enzymatic modification. Among its technical advantages, it is odorless, colorless and flavorless. It is a free-flowing powder with high and instant solubility in water (at room temperature).

Fibregum has low viscosity and hygroscopicity, enabling high-fiber claims, and possesses enhanced stability through extreme processes (pH, heat, yeast fermentation) and storage conditions. It can improve moisture stabilization, thus improving shelflife, and can act as a bulking agent to replace digestible carbohydrates. And, it offers the ability to formulate low-calorie products, as its energy value has been scientifically estimated between 1.3 and 1.8 kcal/g.

Numerous health and nutrition benefits are associated with Fibregum. Its fermentation in the large bowel increases levels of beneficial bacteria, which stimulates the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that have such properties as lowering serum cholesterol. Fibregum is a strong prebiotic at 6, 10 and 15g, helping to balance the intestinal microbial ecosystem in the distal colon. It also exhibits digestive tolerance at dosages up to 50g/day, due to a progressive colonic fermentation pattern. As a non-digestible carbohydrate, Fibregum has a Glycemic Index of virtually zero, making it an ideal ingredient for use in products for diabetics. Fibregum resists hydrolysis by salivary enzymes and local flora, making it non-cariogenic.

In Europe and Canada, Fibregum is a traditional food ingredient (not a food additive) and has GRAS status in the U.S.