National Starch creates animal free emulsifier for instant foods
Emulsifiers like sodium caseinate are commonly used to help turn a powder into a soup, sauce, or dessert by just adding water. Their role is to ensure that the reconstituted emulsion is as good as the emulsion that is formulated before spray drying takes place.
National Starch began work on a replacement to sodium caseinate a year ago with the intention of presenting the food market with an ingredient that is more resistant to price fluctuations and is not derived from animals.
Animal free
Capsul FP is the product of that work and is the first alternative to sodium caseinate National Starch has developed that is not derived from animals, and is also entirely dairy and protein free.
The company had developed partial solutions before but wanted to go further and create an entirely vegetal derived option, according to Claudia Fiannaca, business development manager for beverages and flavours.
As well as being marketed as an ingredient that is free from animal derived products, Capsul FP is being presenting as an option that is free of from the price fluctuation problems that have plagued sodium caseinate.
Sodium caseinatemay be more or less at parity with Capsul FP right now but it has been on something of a price rollercoaster in recent years.
Price hikes
Fiannaca said sodium caseinate prices doubled between 2007 and 2008, an increase that sent costs up for medium sized food manufacturers by several million Euros. She said using Capsul FP instead of sodium caseinate protects companies from such a price related risks.
National Starch also claims that Capsul FP matches sodium caseinate on performance. More of the ingredient may need to be used but otherwise the company said it maintains maintaining optimum colour, creaminess and mouthfeel in finished products. Fiannaca said Capsul FP also offers excellent stability compared to alternatives.
“Our goal was to offer manufactures a cost-effective, high performance alternative to sodium caseinate,” said Fiannaca. “With Capsul FP, we have achieved just that.”
