According to Innova Market Insights*, consumers are increasingly recognizing the influence of texture on food and beverages, allowing a heightened sensory experience and often a greater feeling of indulgence.
Seventy-three percent of consumers say that texture adds interests to eating experiences, whereas 60% say that it influences their purchasing. When asked about their knowledge of specific textural ingredients, almost three-quarters knew about starch. Starch has the most natural and positive image among consumers.
While ingredients in this category are traditionally based on cereal or tuber starches, Roquette has enlarged our product portfolio of low moisture starches with a newcomer based on pea starch. “This new native pure pea starch is produced from pea with a proprietary technology,” says Didier Videau, Head of Marketing, Pulses, Starches and Derivatives. “It is a clean, non-GMO and non-allergen ingredient with neutral taste and odor.”
Native pure pea starch has specific rheology and visco-elastic behaviors, compared to cereal or tuber starches, such as a low swelling temperature and a low hot viscosity; which makes it an easy-to-cook ingredient. Roquette pea starch 6% is a native pea starch with an extra dehydration step to decrease its moisture content from 12% to 6%.
“When added in recipes of moisture sensitive composition like dehydrated soups or sauces, pea starch 6% limits the moisture pick up of the formulas during the storage, improves the shelf life, and does not impair neither the cooking convenience nor the taste of the composition,” explains Videau.
Pea starch 6% is also an anti-caking agent for powdered recipes likes spices and grated cheese. For the latter, in addition to lump prevention, it also avoids rancidity development.
This new plant-based ingredient strengthens our existing range of overdried starches, with different dry moisture contents to meet every need of the food and nutrition markets. As a global leader and supplier of native and specialty starches, Roquette is the only starch manufacturer to offer a range of modified starches and functional, clean label starches produced from seven different raw materials: three types of maize (corn) together with wheat, potato, pea, and tapioca. All are part of an exceptionally wide range of quality food starches aimed at meeting every need and taste.
*Innova Market Insights, consumer insider: Texture & The Consumer, 2020