Gums and starches have long been used by bakers and snack manufacturers as thickening agents. Now, food producers are seeking out new formulations of these ingredient staples to help reduce their costs, produce clean labels, boost sales and more.
“The main driving factor for new gums and starches in baked goods relates to market trends, pricing and availability,” says Janae Kuc, senior research and development scientist, Gum Technology Corp., Tucson. “Guar gum has seen a spike in use in the oil industry for fracking, which in turn, affects the food industry. Xanthan gum is now a focus, due to the anti-dumping litigation. Based on the findings in the litigation, the prices of xanthan gum will be increasing due to increased tariffs on importing xanthan gum.