Company: BENEO

Website: www.beneo.com

Ingredient Spotlight: BENEO has announced the expansion of its chicory root fiber and rice starch ingredient portfolio with two new organic solutions. The launch of the new additions, comprising an organic waxy rice starch, Remyline O AX DR, and organic chicory root fiber, Orafti Organic, paves the way for BENEO to strengthen its market leading position.

Consumers worldwide are increasingly seeking out organic products, with figures showing they have become more important to 1 in 4 consumers in the last year[i] and many willing to pay a premium price for them[ii]. This rising demand has been driven by the growing consumer perception of organic products as healthy and natural, and therefore an intrinsic part of a healthier lifestyle. Organic products and ingredients are also considered a vital element for ethical and sustainable purchasing behavior, a key trend being seen within the food and beverage industry. Around the world, there are high expectations for organic products, with a compound annual growth rate of 2 percent and 2.6 percent in value predicted between 2019 and 2022 in Europe and the U.S. respectively[iii], the two largest organic markets.

The addition of BENEO’s new organic waxy rice starch, Remyline O AX DR, completes BENEO’s existing portfolio of rice starches with the availability of organic solutions for both regular and waxy rice starch. Launching globally from July onwards, Remyline O AX DR is the first of its kind to be brought to market, opening up new possibilities for product development. As a waxy rice starch, it contains no amylose and therefore delivers better stability and less syneresis, making it easier to maintain a stable texture throughout a product’s shelf life. Remyline O AX DR is suitable for fruit preparations, as well as meat and poultry applications. Technical trials by experts at the BENEO-Technology Center have shown positive results for these applications, as well as for improving the texture of creamy desserts and yogurts.

Commenting on the launch of Remyline O AX DR, Marc-Etienne Denis, commercial managing director Specialty Rice Ingredients at BENEO stated: “The launch of BENEO’s new organic waxy rice starch is an important milestone for us as it means we can now offer our customers organic variants for both our waxy and regular rice starches. We see great potential for this new solution, especially within meat and poultry, as consumers worldwide place special emphasis on organic products when buying meat.”

BENEO’s new Orafti Organic, is a carefully grown and selected organic variant of its popular chicory root fiber and yet another first to market. It is regionally grown and harvested by certified organic farmers in Belgium. Inulin and oligofructose remain the only proven plant-based prebiotics available, according to ISAPP (International Scientific Association for Pro- and Prebiotics). Available to customers from September onwards, Orafti Organic enables manufacturers to add natural prebiotic fibers that will improve taste and texture, while also allowing for fat and sugar reduction in products across key applications such as dairy, cereals, bakery, and confectionery. 

Regarding the launch of Orafti Organic, Eric Neven, commercial managing director Functional Fibers at BENEO, commented: “Requests for organic chicory root fiber are constantly growing so we are pleased to be able to offer this solution to our customers, and be the first in the market to do so. BENEO is confident this move to expand our overall organic ingredients portfolio will be highly appreciated by the industry and shows particular promise for new product developments in this growing area of the market.”