IFF’s TEXSTAR delivers clean label, texture for fresh fermented products

Four flavored yogurt cups
TEXSTAR is added during the fermentation step, “so there is no need for a particular process adjustment,” which serves as “a great benefit for the manufacturer,” and for the consumer seeking a clean label, Karine Dedman, global product marketing manager, food enzymes, IFF, told FoodNavigator-USA. (Getty Images)

The small dosage of IFF’s TEXSTAR enzymatic solution in yogurt enhances cost efficiency, scalability and reduces Scope 3 emissions, according to the company.

TEXSTAR serves as an enzymatic solution produced via fermentation and does not require additional texturizers for fresh fermented products, Karine Dedman global product marketing manager, food enzyme, IFF told FoodNavigator-USA.

As fresh fermented products, like yogurt, veer into snacking and indulgent eating occasions, enzymatic solutions play a key role in enhancing taste and texture, she said.

Typically, fresh fermented (i.e., yogurt) and plant-based dairy products include thickeners made from ingredients like starch and gelatin, which can hit sourcing hurdles.

Traditional texturizers are “crop dependent” and “sourced from crops or raw materials” (such as starch from corn), which are beholden to external volatile factors, such as climate fluctuations, Dedman explained.

As a fermented enzyme, TEXSTAR does not rely on crops and could increase supply security for fresh food manufacturers.

“There is a consistency when you produce enzymatic solutions by fermentation,” versus the fluctuation in crop dependent products, she said.

Less is more for improved texture, costs and Scope 3

In terms of performance, TEXSTAR provides texture and appearance (i.e. a shiny, smooth look) for fresh fermented products. When formulating with these solutions, a little goes a long way, Dedman said.

“We use a lot less in terms of dosage than is needed to achieve the same texture” as traditional thickeners and texturizers, she elaborated.

She added that the dosage also simplifies transportation and reduces storage. Because the dosage is low, TEXSTAR helps reduce Scope 3 emissions by 90%, compared to starch or gelatin, according to Dedman.

Enzymatic solutions can be added to existing processes, reducing formulation challenges

TEXSTAR is added during the fermentation step, “so there is no need for a particular process adjustment,” which is “a great benefit for the manufacturer,” and for the consumer seeking a clean label, Dedman said.

Because TEXSTAR is used as a processing aid, it does “not necessarily require to be listed in the ingredient list” depending on local legislation, and in most cases manufacturers are able to mention it on labels if preferred, she added.