Soy fibre increases yield, lowers cost in processed meats, says Solae

09-May-2010 - Last updated on 10-May-2010 at 10:52 GMT

Solae has introduced a new soy fibre ingredient intended to increase the yield and fluid retention of processed meat products, such as ground and kebab meat, while reducing cooking time, the company has said.

Solae said its Cenergy FMS ingredient contains a mixture of protein, soluble and insoluble fibre from the soybean cotyledon – the part of a seed embryo that becomes the first leaves of a seedling. According to the company, the combination of these components results in the ingredient’s ability to control purge, increase water retention and improve cooking yields in ground meat applications.

Vice president of Solae Europe Reinhart Schmitt said: “We believe our soy fiber provides additional advantages to current ingredient solutions being used with meat manufacturers today. One of those benefits being that Cenergy FMS can produce significant overall formulation cost savings when added to standard ground meat products.”

The ingredient is said to increase moisture retention with fast hydration and integration into manufacturers’ formulations.

The company’s global technical director of meat solutions Felix Johnson told FoodNavigator.com that Cenergy FMS is being marketed to the meat sector on its processability, yield improvement and cost reductions of up to 12 per cent, but it is also a source of fibre and may have some prebiotic effects.

He said: “Cooking times are reduced as thermal conduction through the mix is improved…Typically, in terms of water retention it is broadly similar [to other fibre products on the market].”

Johnson said the ingredient could hold up to seven or eight times its weight in water.

Other fibres for meat

There are a number of other fibre ingredients for meat products available for manufacturers, including AHD International’s LuraLean fibre derived from glucomannan, from the roots of the konjac plant. The company markets the fibre as a way to lengthen the shelf life of meat products while boosting their nutritional profile.

And US-based company Z Trim Holdings offers a range of fibres for meat, including a corn fibre ingredient introduced last year, said to hold up to 30 times its weight in water and therefore able to keep meat juicy, improve cook yields and lower costs, while also reducing sodium content and cutting calories, according to the company.

Interest in dietary fibre has also been growing with scientific studies linking increased intake to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Soluble fibre in particular has been researched for its benefits to digestive health, as well as weight management since it can boost satiety.

A 2008 International Food Information Council survey found 77 per cent of people are proactively trying to consume additional fibre.