In recent years, intestinal health has become one of the world’s most important health concerns, and the intestinal health market has become a must-contend place for companies, and has directly led to a steady growth in the number of new product launches with fiber-related claims in the global market.

Data shows that the compound annual growth rate of new food and beverage products with fiber-related claims has been tracked at a CAGR of 9% globally from 2015-2019.

There is a growing number of new products in the market that include fiber ingredients as the main selling point of the product, and the perceived acceptance of fiber (prebiotics) is growing among consumers.

According to a survey, 68% of consumers said they consume fiber to promote digestive health.

As a significant portion of dietary fiber can also be used as a sweetener to replace sugar, dietary fiber + “sugar reduction” for the development of functional sweeteners provides a new direction.

Luo Han Guo Sweet Fiber

Luo Han Guo is a traditional food for dual-use, with the functions of clearing heat and detoxification, resolving phlegm and relieving cough, clearing the lungs and moistening the intestines, and generating fluids and quenching thirst.

At the same time, Luo Han Guo contains the sweet substance Luo Han Guo Sweet Glycoside, which is strong in sweetness, calorie-free, pure and natural, with good taste, and in recent years it has been widely accepted by the food and beverage industry as an ideal natural and healthy sugar-substitute sweetener.

In the U.S. market, the annual growth rate of Luo Han Guo is faster than that of stevia because of its advantages of clean label, pure and natural source and good taste.

And the potential of rooibos goes far beyond that. A U.S. company has introduced a functional sweetened fiber from the pomace of the tamarind fruit. which contains more than 70% of the total daily recommended dietary fiber, while being sweeter than sugar.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), only 3% of consumers are able to meet the recommended daily fiber intake through their regular diet, so there is a large demand for products that fill the nutritional gap.

As a functional fiber, the product can be used as a sweetener and dietary supplement in food and beverage formulations, as well as adapted to different applications, such as protein powders, fiber blends and powdered beverage formulations.

Stevia Fiber Sweeteners

Stevioside, the main ingredient in stevia, is a low-calorie, high sweetness natural sweetener that has become a major natural sweetener. Research has also found that the stevia plant contains high levels of protein, soluble fiber and antioxidants.

Recently, Spectrum, a producer and supplier of high-purity steviol glycosides, announced that it will begin commercial production and sales of a new stevia sweetener, which, in addition to its original sweetening effect, will effectively utilize other beneficial components in stevia, allowing it to serve as a sweetener while providing a range of new functions such as antioxidant, intestinal protection, digestive support, and more nutrients.

Commenting on the commercialization of stevia’s protein, fiber and antioxidant properties, Maga Malsagov, CEO of Spectrum Sciences, said, “There is a high demand for protein, dietary fiber and antioxidants from food and beverage companies.”

Other dietary fibers that can substitute for sugar

In many applications, dietary fiber can act as a low-calorie food filler, reduce the amount of fat added, lower freezing points, and add sweetness to foods.

As a low-sweetness sugar substitute, inulin can be used in milkshakes with its creamy properties, while its good water solubility allows it to be added to all types of soft drinks; when used in ice cream, it can be compounded with sweeteners to play a synergistic role in masking the undesirable aftertaste of some sweeteners.

Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) is a kind of natural active substance, the sweetness is 0.3-0.6 times of sucrose, and it is a new type of sugar substitute with the functions of regulating intestinal flora, promoting calcium absorption and other health care functions. Many FOS sugar substitute ingredients have already appeared on the market, as well as the technology of converting sugar enzymes into FOS.

An Israeli company recently launched a sugar substitute fiber GOFOS. GOFOS is extracted from beet oligofructose, containing 95% FOS fiber, can increase the amount of fiber in the formula and reduce the amount of sugar used.

Oligogalactose has a relatively pure sweetness, low calorific value, 20-40% of the sweetness of sucrose, excellent moisturizing properties, and high thermal stability at pH-neutral conditions.

Oligogalactose can be used in the processing of bread and pastries because of the Melad reaction that occurs when it is co-heated with protein.

Oligogalactose is a kind of water-soluble dietary fiber, with low viscosity, strong moisturizing property, refreshing taste, low calorific value, no adverse texture and flavor, and it is an excellent nutritional source and effective proliferating factor for bifidobacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and other beneficial bacteria in the human intestinal tract, and it can improve the digestive and absorptive functions of the human intestinal tract.

With the use of oligogalactose, food manufacturers can adjust the sugar, fiber and lactose content in dairy products to meet different nutritional requirements.