Dive Brief:
-
Ingredion has introduced three functional potato starches for processed cheese products — the first time the ingredient maker has entered the segment, according to FoodBev.
-
The company explained that the three starches, CheeseApp 50, 70 and 80, provide different functions but generally improve "meltability, firmness and gratability" for pizza toppings, processed cheese slices and slices of individually wrapped cheese.
-
Manufacturers in the U.K., Ireland, Turkey, Africa and the Middle East will be able to access the new starches, Ingredion said, and the new products can also be used with vegan and vegetarian cheeses.
Dive Insight:
These new potato starches are said to improve the meltability and texture of cheese. Severine Bensa, Ingredion's Europe, Middle East and Africa senior marketing manager, said in a release that the products can come in handy when manufacturers in emerging markets are looking to replace expensive protein in processed and analogue cheese, but don't want to negatively impact the eating experience.
The company said that potato starch's neutral taste and high-water retention capacity can also improve appearance and mouthfeel of processed cheese.
Adding the starches to vegan or vegetarian cheese products could be a useful application since those types of cheeses, while popular, haven't always performed as well as dairy-based cheeses because they don't have as much protein or calcium.
Besides potato starch, tapioca flour and arrowroot starch have been used to enhance the performance of vegan and vegetarian cheese in melting and other functions. Daiya, a maker of vegan cheese, uses tapioca flour in its mozzarella shreds and medium cheddar-style block cheese, and both potato starch and tapioca starch in its American-style cheese slices.
Ingredion noted that its new potato starches emerged after the company's alliance last year with Lyckeby, a Swedish manufacturer of potato-based starch and fiber products. Depending on the type of potato used, the ingredient can be listed on product labels as "modified starch."
Consumers who prefer vegan and vegetarian cheeses may be more likely to look for transparency and clean labels on the products they buy, so cheese makers focusing on that market may want to limit their ingredient lists to more natural, simple and easily understandable items. It's unclear if potato starch checks these boxes, but the potential to improve vegan cheese — which has struggled as other plant-based categories like milk, ice cream and yogurt thrive — could outweigh potential consumer concern over additives.