Cargill claims that the launch of the Unipectine OF 805 coulis not only provides a means of adding additional functional quality, but can also cut down on research costs related to new product development.
According to the company, formulations using raw ingredients such as milk or cream are generally an unstable combination of a fat-in-water emulsion and an aqueous protein, mineral and sugar solution.
Cargill says that it is this mixture that results in product creaming over time as well as a heightened sensitivity to PH changes, which makes the addition of fruit flavours, colours or even cocoa difficult, without reducing stability.
In an attempt to offset these formulation concerns, Lorna Macfadyen, manager of texturising solutions for the company in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said that the coulis can react smoothly with milk and provide the desired texture potentially in minutes or even seconds.
Functional additions
Aside from the product’s properties as a stabiliser, Macfadyen claims that the structure of the coulis also enables the inclusion of functional ingredients in products.
“Our application experts recognised that while the fruit coulis is an excellent product, its benefit could be magnified if we could supply accompanying recipes,” she told DairyReporter.com. “Particularly in today’s climate, being able to reduce the expense of research and development is invaluable for our customers.”
Cargill says that it already offers a number of fortification options for the product such as omega-3, in an attempt to provide more health-focused product solutions. Vitamins are another example of functional additives that can be added to the coulis, the company said.
Unipectine OF 805
The Unipectine-fortified coulis combines the range of properties of citrus and apple pectins that can be used in fruit toppings for ice creams, fruit smoothies or even flans, at differing ratios, according to the company.
“As both types have excellent but slightly differing qualities, between them they can meet the needs of our customers,” Macfadyen said. “We offer citrus pectins, as they are typically very pure with a high galacturonic acid content, providing a transparent, bright, quick setting and tender gel.”
By comparison, Macfadyen claimed that the apple pectin provides a more varied amount of natural sugars. While this can help ensure greater viscosity in a final product, it is not as flexible in its suitability for applications.
Availability
Cargill says that the Unipectine OF 805 coulis is available worldwide and can be supplied either in the form of powder for direct inclusion in fruit coulis manufacture, or in a compound made available by one of its sister-companies.
The company claims that in addition to pectin-based solutions, it also provides starches and derivatives like maltodextrose for formulation of fruit dairy products.