Fiber

What is dietary fiber?
Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate found in plant foods such as grains, fruits and vegetables. Unlike other carbohydrates (sugars and starches), dietary fiber cannot be digested and does not supply glucose to the body.

Are there different types of fiber?
Dietary fibers are classified as either soluble or insoluble, and come from many sources including oat bran, beans, barley, whole wheat breads, wheat bran, rye and most grains.

Why is fiber more popular than ever?
The increasing popularity of fiber is attributed to many factors, including the low-carbohydrate craze, the proposed Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and a consumer shift in bread preferences.

What do low-carbohydrate diets have to do with the popularity of fiber?
The influx of low-carbohydrate diets prompted bakeries to flood the marketplace with low-carbohydrate bakery foods. Many of these products highlighted their net carbohydrate counts, which measure the total carbohydrates minus dietary fiber and sugar alcohol. As a result, many bakery foods boosted their fiber contents as a means to lower their net carbohydrate counts.

But isn't the low-carbohydrate craze fading out?
Yes, but this diet fad resulted in a more health-conscious consumer. After being bombarded with "bakery foods are bad" messages for so long, consumers are once again realizing that bakery foods are essential to the American diet. However, instead of returning to their traditional bakery foods, consumers are seeking products with added health benefits. This is a main reason why fiber has become a popular ingredient again.

Top 10 food sources of dietary fiber as consumed by Americans	% of total fiber
Yeast bread	14.0%
Dried beans/lentils	9.2%
Potatoes (white)	7.5%
Ready-to-eat cereal	6.9%
Tomatoes	4.9%
Pasta	3.7%
Potato/corn chips, popcorn	3.6%
Cakes/cookies/quick breads/donuts	3.2%
Apples/applesauce	2.7%
Bananas	2.7%
Source: Proposed Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Table D1-11b

Will the focus on fiber be long term, or will it be another short-lived fad?
Although impossible to predict, all signs point to fiber becoming a mainstay on consumers' nutrient wish lists. This year, the DGA will be revised, and the proposed revisions place a significant importance on the role of fiber in the diet.

What do the proposed DGA say about fiber?
For starters, the proposed DGA say that Americans are not eating enough of it. In fact, fiber was named one of the seven nutrients that Americans did not consume enough of, along with vitamins A, C and E; calcium; magnesium; and potassium.

How much fiber should the average American consume?
According to the 2000 DGA, Americans should consume 25 grams of fiber per 2,000 calories. However, the proposed DGA ups this amount to 28 grams per 2,000 calories.

Why is it so important to include fiber in your diet?
Fiber is a multi-purpose nutrient that performs a variety of healthful functions. In the digestive system, fiber maintains the health of the digestive tract and supports proper bowel functioning. Dietary fiber also assists in reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends consuming fiber as part of its American Heart Association Eating Plan. As research progresses, many food scientists believe that increased fiber intake will be linked to the reduction of a variety of diseases, including cancer.

How can I promote the fiber in my bakery foods?
Foods can be labeled "good source of, contains, or provides fiber" if they contain 10% to 19% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of fiber per serving. Those that deliver 20% or more of the RDI may be labeled as "high, rich in, or an excellent source of fiber."
In order to make the claim "Foods containing dietary fiber may decrease risk of some cancers," the product must be a good source of fiber. In order the make the claim "Foods high in fiber may decrease risk of coronary heart disease (CHD)," the product must deliver at least 0.6 grams of soluble fiber per serving.

Are any bakeries introducing products with increased fiber content?
Yes. Both Flowers Foods and Sara Lee Bakery Group recently have launched new breads that contain increased levels of fiber. Flowers Foods, Thomasville, Ga., manufactures a double fiber bread that contains five grams of fiber per 28-gram slice. St. Louis-based Sara Lee Bakery Group's Earth Grains Extra Fiber bread contains nine grams of fiber (35% of the daily value) per two slices.

I'm sold. How can I boost the fiber content of my bakery foods?
Advancements in ingredient technology have allowed bakers to produce high-fiber breads with an acceptable taste profile. For more information on formulating and manufacturing these products, turn to page 32. *

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Citri-Fi(TM) performs multitude of tasks in bakery foods What is Fiberstar and what role is it playing in the development of enhanced functional fibers? Fiberstar is a company focused solely on developing new technologies regarding food fibers. In 1998, Fiberstar gave funding to the University of Minnesota to commence an extensive study of raw materials to determine what fibers had the greatest capacity for holding and binding water. As a result of the study, researchers developed a unique process that substantially increases both the surface area and the water binding capability of plant fibers. The University of Minnesota patented this process and Fiberstar holds an exclusive license to use this technology. What is Citri-Fi(TM)? Citri-Fi(TM) is a uniquely processed food fiber that has a functional performance exceeding all other fibers, according to studies conducted at the University of Minnesota. It is all natural, made from citrus plants and is protected by issued and pending patents. What are the unique functional attributes of Citri-Fi(TM)? Citri-Fi(TM) has been proven to manage moisture migration while contributing softness, and add fiber content to a variety of finished products. The functional properties of Citri-Fi(TM) allow it to be used as a partial shortening and oil replacement. In doing so, Citri-Fi(TM) reduces fat and trans-fatty acids by at least 50% in bakery foods without sacrificing taste, volume, texture and cost. At a 50% reduction of fat in cakes, muffins, and breads and rolls, Fiberstar's customers report no difference between Fiberstar's reduced-fat products and their own full-fat versions. What are the properties of Citri-Fi(TM)? Citri-Fi(TM) is tan in color, odorless and free of flavor. Citri-Fi(TM) contains about 50% soluble fiber and 50% insoluble fiber with a total dietary fiber content of about 75%. What formula and process changes are necessary to realize a 50% reduction of fat in a product when using Citri-Fi(TM)? The amount of fat is reduced by 50% in the formula and replaced by a combination of Citri-Fi(TM) and additional water. Typically, processing changes are unnecessary. Can Fiberstar customize formulas for specific products/applications? Yes. Fiberstar's qualified technicians can customize formulas for specific requirements. Additionally, they can assist customers in the installation of these formulas at the plant level. Does Fiberstar have other products? Fiberstar also manufactures Forti-Fi(TM) 25 and Forti-Fi(TM) 50, which are designed to provide the maximum benefit of having fiber in a product. Depending on the level of their usage, finished products qualify as "Good" or "Excellent" sources of fiber while maintaining identical taste and texture properties as compared to a standard product. Is Citri-Fi(TM) Kosher/Parve and how is it packed? Yes, Citri-Fi(TM) is Kosher/Parve and comes in 42# and 50# cartons. Ronald Collins Ex. Vice President/COO Fiberstar, Inc. 817-448-6308 RCFiberstar@aol.com