How is Pectin Pushing the Way the Food Industry Talks About Sustainability?

The demand for fiber has never been higher than it is at the moment. Fiber is constantly being added to various end applications, but it has a negative impact on the texture of food products. As a result, Pectin, a naturally occurring hydrocolloid found in fruits (apples and citrus peels), is used to enhance the sensory impact of a product. The ingredient provides gelation, desired texture, viscosity, and protein stability, as well as a significant soluble fiber effect.

Pectin was traditionally used in high-sugar foods such as jam. The shift, however, is clearly moving towards a broad range of applications in order to meet changing consumer trends and needs.

Cargill introduced Unipectine LMCplus, a line of LM conventional (LMC) pectins, earlier this month. The product adds a distinct texture to low-sugar fruit-filled foods like jam and baked fruit fillings. Cargill also plans to expand the line to include dairy and fruit yogurt categories by early 2024. A new plant is also established to push the initiative a bit more extensively, which will run at 50% additional capacity than the other Cargill plants.

CP Kelco also added GENU® Pectin YM-SAL 200 to its natural ingredient portfolio two years ago. They claimed it was a better-stabilizing solution, giving buttermilk a longer shelf life and the saltier flavor that consumers prefer. The ingredient prevents protein aggregation and a gritty texture caused by buttermilk’s high salt content.

Pectin is now no longer only found in traditional foods. It has already entered the low-sugar market and has the potential to get the attention of other players around the world for more such initiatives. It will be interesting to see how similar ingredients such as polydextrose, gum acacia, and others will position themselves in the competitive market alongside pectin in the future.