USA- The FDA gave Anderson Advanced Ingredients sweetener, FiberSmart a ‘generally recognized as safe’ status, allowing the ingredient to be incorporated into food products more easily.
This sweetener comprises the resistant dextrin made through roasting and drying tapioca starch. It is more than 90% dietary fiber and is 20% as sweet as sugar.
Most of the appeal of this ingredient comes from its low glycemic and wide variety of applications, including baked goods, beverages, cereals, bars, candies, and frozen desserts.
Therefore, FiberSmart could be an excellent substitute for maltodextrin, which has a much higher glycemic index. Maltodextrin is a common ingredient for thickening, texturizing, and preservation in many CPG items.
“We have received so much positive feedback about FiberSMART not only for its versatility and tolerability but also because its tight tolerances around water activity improve on product consistency and production run times,” John Jarmul, vice president of marketing at Anderson Advanced Ingredients, said in a statement.
The ingredient has been available since 2015, and the GRAS recognition by FDA fulfills Anderson Advanced Ingredients’ desire to ensure that the ingredient does not cause digestive issues to consumers, being a starch.
A study by Australia’s Murdoch University Centre for Molecular Medicine found that testers tolerated even a double dose of the recommended amount of the ingredient.
“It’s a great product for lowering sugar content and increasing fiber without sacrificing taste or texture,” Jarmul added.
While FiberSmart could be utilized in various food items, cutting back on the amount of sugar needed for a product, it is unlikely to be used on its own as it has just a fifth of the sweetening power as the same amount of sugar.
As people become more conscious about their diets, ingredients such as FiberSmart become more sought after by manufacturers seeking to make healthy products that are low in sugar.
Meanwhile, the FDA has okayed the consumption of lab-grown chicken produced by GOOD Meat which is already sold in Singapore.
Now, the company must obtain a grant of inspection from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to operate its production facility in Alameda, Calif.
Additionally, the FDA gave the green light to Upside Foods in November 2022.
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