High acyl gellan gum as stabiliser in milk- and plant-based food products
At the beginning of 2021, Jungbunzlauer launched high acyl gellan gum under the brand name TayaGel®. The name TayaGel is a tribute to the production location of our gellan gum and xanthan gum in Austria. For almost four decades, Jungbunzlauer has specialised in the production of high-quality xanthan gum in Austria and is supporting customers worldwide to stabilise their products with a wide range of highly functional special grades. Building on this vast experience, we have developed the capacities and capabilities for the production of gellan gum at our plant in Pernhofen, Austria.
Gellan gum is a highly functional hydrocolloid that is produced through controlled non-GMO fermentation using renewable feedstock. It is widely permitted as food additive and is being used in a growing variety of both food and non-food products. Most notably, it is used in dairy, dairy-alternatives and other beverages. The biggest growth drivers are plant-based dairy alternative drinks, which have evolved from niche to mainstream and are expected to grow further in the coming years as well as new and innovative dairy products.
Plant-based products as replacement of their animal derived counterparts, gain more and more market share and products such as plant-based drinks, ice cream and yoghurts are no longer found exclusively in the shopping baskets of people with vegetarian and vegan diets. Development and manufacturing of plant-based products pose a challenge for the food industry. The arising challenges include phase separation or sedimentation of particles in milk and plant-based drinks, which are not appealing for customers. Application of the right stabiliser contributes to a reliable and easy solution.
Jungbunzlauer offers two types of TayaGel®: TayaGel® HA, as high acyl food grade developed for all non-dairy applications and TayaGel® HA-D, specifically developed for the use in dairy products. TayaGel® creates a smooth fluid gel structure that helps stabilise suspended particles or droplets, while having a minimal impact on the mouthfeel. In general, the use of stabilisers in beverages is a challenging task as with stabilisation there often comes viscosity. However, the use of TayaGel® enables a stabilisation already at very low concentrations by a fluid network, but do not impair the actual mouthfeel of the beverage. It is therefore ideally suitable for use in beverages that are prone to show some form of sedimentation. Besides its suspension property in drinks, TayaGel® offers high stability in plant-based coffee creamer and shows excellent functionality in (high protein) ice cream. A combination of xanthan gum and TayaGel® HA leads to a pleasant, creamy texture with a flavour release that is superior to other hydrocolloids. The melting rate of ice cream can be significantly reduced by the use of TayaGel® HA, whereas xanthan gum adds creaminess to the texture.
At a glance, TayaGel® is a highly functional hydrocolloid with multipurpose properties:
- Suspending agent - Already concentrations as low as 0.03% are sufficient to suspend particles such as cocoa powder and minerals in milk- and plant-based drinks or fruit pulp in beverages without influencing mouthfeel.
- Thickening agent – Concentrations of 0.04-0.05% create a pleasant, creamy mouthfeel for example in a chocolate milk
- Gelling agent – At concentration > 0.1%,TayaGel® forms a soft, elastic gel, with low tendency to syneresis useful for manifold applications
- Excellent flavour release – Superior to many other hydrocolloids
