Today’s R&D teams are not simply searching for plant-based options — they require ingredients that deliver targeted functional performance, scalability, and traceability.
A major advancement in this area is the development of plant-derived hydrocolloids, such as citrus fiber and oat beta-glucans. These functional additives provide enhanced water-binding capacity, viscosity, and stability across a wide range of temperatures — making them highly attractive in both food and pharmaceutical applications.
A study published in Food Hydrocolloids demonstrated that citrus fiber offers equivalent viscosity to traditional synthetic thickeners at 20–30% lower inclusion rates, improving cost-efficiency in high-volume production.
Additionally, fermentation-based processing of plant extracts now makes it possible to produce bioactive peptides with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties — opening new opportunities in health-oriented product development.
This new generation of plant-based functional additives allows formulators to improve technical performance while simultaneously aligning with consumer expectations and ESG prioritie
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Interesting post
I’d like to see more on this topic!