The new thermal production process is “entirely natural”, says the company, and is the result of an intensive three year research project which uses bespoke industrial equipment while the ingredient, Remypure, provides manufacturers with three key technical benefits: product stability throughout shelf-life, excellent freeze-thaw stability and a delicate texture.
Commercial managing director at Beneo-Remy, Marc-Etienne Denis, told FoodNavigator rice starch has a number of properties that make it attractive for food manufacturers compared to other starch ingredients. The small granule size improves mouthfeel while the ratio of amylose to amylopectin adds texture and stability to the finished product. Rice is not associated with food allergies, is easily digestible and has a neutral taste while its white colour also means it can easily to incorporated into any recipe without impacting the colour of the final product.
“It’s native, natural and clean label but has a level of performance that is comparable with chemically modified starches,” said Denis.
The functional, native starch retails a high stability during processing even under harsh conditions such as low pH levels, high temperatures or high shear, says the functional ingredient supplier, which makes it suitable for retorted sauces, baby food jars, dairy desserts and fruit preparations.
The naturalness of Remypure is an important factor for companies looking to satisfy clean label demands.
"Our research shows, about 60% of European consumers are checking the label before they buy, while other figures highlight that 7 out of 10 consumers are interested in foods that contain only ingredients they recognise. So with increasing consumer expectations for clean label and natural products, the development of such solutions is becoming more and more of a focus across the industry," said Denis.
The ingredient is currently available to customers worldwide.