Dietary Fibre

for a Healthy Diet

Herbacel Classic
Herbacel Classic Plus
Herbacel AQ Plus
Herbapekt LV
Herbapekt APE
 Before the industrial revolution the main
function of food was to serve as man’s
primary source of energy. It was at this time
that the term “dietary fibre” was coined,
to denote the indigestible plant material
that does not contribute to the supply of
nutrients and is therefore regarded as
superfluous.

As eating habits change to favour foods that

contain little or no dietary fibre and as people
get less and less exercise, dietary fibres are
more important than ever. Nowadays, these
plant components, which would have been
scorned in the past, would probably be
referred to as “slimming agents” or “active
agents”, as both epidemiological and scien-
tific studies have confirmed that dietary
fibres contribute significantly to our health.
Today it is known that dietary fibre is re-
quired to maintain a functioning digestive
system, it can help to control cholesterol
and glucose in the blood and help to control
body weight. Hence, if taken regularly in line
with the recommendations of doctors and
dieticians, dietary fibres can reduce the risk
factors for diseases such as colon cancer or
coronary heart disease.
The importance of dietary fibres is under-
lined by the fact that they are included in
the nutritional labelling of food.

Benefits of Dietary Fibres

■ Regulation of appetite

■ Calorie reduction in foods

■ Improved digestive health

■ Blood cholesterol attenuation

■ Influence on rheological properties

(viscosity, food texture)

■ Colouring or flavour enhancement

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Dietary Fibres:
Success factors in the area of wellness

Most health organisations recommend a What makes a successful product

daily intake of dietary fibres of between 30
and 40 grams. Although it has been scien- Consumer:
tifically demonstrated that there is a corre- A product must be tasty, healthy, easily
lation between the occurrence of certain digestible and quick and easy to prepare.
diseases and a low dietary fibre intake, the Manufacturer:
average dietary fibre consumption is still All ingredients should be easy to handle, the
only 15 - 20 grams a day. quality should be consistent and they should
The fact that foods rich in dietary fibres had be able to guarantee a stable manufacturing
more of a negative image in the past was process. Furthermore, promotion of the
almost certainly due to the fact that they did physiological benefits should enhance sales
not please the senses. But nowadays, the or increase the market volume.
food industry can choose from a wealth of Herbafood:
dietary fibres produced from a variety of We supply a wide range of dietary fibres,
different sources to fulfil the manifold needs we know their nutritional benefits and have
of consumers and manufacturers alike. the know-how to apply this knowledge to
By selecting the most appropriate fibre or your products to assist you right through
customised blend of fibres, it is now possible from formula development up to labelling.
to develop fibre-enhanced or fibre-rich pro-
ducts that are really tasty. And the “right”
choice of fibre can offer technological and
economical benefits, too.

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 What are Dietary Fibres?

Dietary fibres, unlike fat, proteins or carbo- the cell walls of plants, which determine
hydrates, are defined according to their the integrity and the rigidity of plant tissue.
physiological characteristics: they consist of Most of our daily dietary fibre intake comes
material of plant origin that is completely from cereals, fruit and vegetables.
resistant to the digestive enzymes in the
stomach and small intestine. Hence, dietary Three factors, the kind of plant, the specific
fibres are not absorbed in the small intestine plant tissue as well as the manufacturing
and do not act as a primary source of energy. process used, strongly influence the physical
However, the conditions present in the large and chemical properties of dietary fibre pro-
intestine can lead to a complete or partial ducts: water and ion binding, solubility and
breakdown of certain dietary fibres by fer- swelling. These properties then determine
mentation. As a result, some catabolites the nutritional and technological aspects of
such as butyrate can be utilised by the body our dietary fibres.
after all.
herbafood knows how to utilise fibre-rich
Chemically speaking, most dietary fibres, material, originating for example from juice
such as cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin and production, as a high quality raw material.
beta glucan, belong to the carbohydrate We are happy to advise you on the dietary
complex. They are particularly prevalent in fibre or fibre blend that is ideally suited to
your needs.

Dietary fibres portions of Herbafood-products in %

100
insoluble
90
soluble
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
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Herbacel
Classic Fibres

Herbacel Classic dietary fibres are made

from the fibre-rich fruit components that
remain after juice extraction. The carefully
selected cell wall material is mechanically
purified and ground to the desired particle
size. herbafood offers a wide range of fruit
fibres in different particle sizes – from fine
powder to coarse granules. The Classic
fibres are characterised by the typical flavour
of the source fruit. This is due to the high
amounts of secondary plant substances as
well as the remaining plant sugars. The
proportion of soluble fibres, of which pectin
is the main component, is about one third,
thus providing a balanced spectrum of
soluble and insoluble dietary fibres.

■ balanced ratio of soluble and insoluble

dietary fibre

■ available in various particle sizes –

from fine powder to coarse granules

■ real fruit flavour

■ natural colouring

■ high content of secondary plant substances

■ medium water binding and swelling

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Herbacel Classic Plus
Fibres

Herbacel Classic Plus dietary fibres are made

of cell wall material that is particularly fibre-
rich, such as pea hulls of carefully selected
varieties. Thanks to their extremely high
fibre content, they are practically neutral in
taste and texture. Due to their key role in
supporting the cell walls’ outer tissues, they
contain a particularly high proportion of
cellulose and insoluble hemicellulose. As
a result, they are ideal for adding fibre to
products that are generally low in fibre, such
as parenteral nutrition and fibre drinks.
Here the neutral properties are of particular
importance for acceptance on the market.

■ very high dietary fibre content

■ fine powders with neutral taste

■ creamy white in colour

■ beneficial for colon peristaltic problems

due to the high content of insoluble fibres

■ suitable as inert, low-calorie filler

ingredient

■ low water binding and swelling

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Herbacel AQ Plus
Fibres

Herbacel AQ Plus dietary fibres are made ■ very high dietary fibre content
from fruit components that are rich in fibre.
Non-fibrous compounds like plant sugars ■ fine powders with neutral taste
are carefully removed using several purifi-
cation steps in which the natural cell wall ■ excellent cold swelling properties
structure is kept practically intact. This
leads to products that are neutral in taste ■ regulation of appetite
and texture with high nutritional value.
These highly swelling fruit fibres are very ■ beneficial for colon health
effective in keeping hunger pangs at bay
and are beneficial in improving the gut ■ very high water binding capacity
motility and the bowel function.

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Herbapekt APE
Apple Pectin Extract

Herbapekt APE is made by drum drying liquid

pectin extract from apples. The resultant pro-
ducts have a dietary fibre content of about
25 %. Hence, apple pectin extracts possess
the characteristic gel forming and viscosity-
enhancing properties of high esterified pec-
tin. More important are the physiological
benefits of pectin: it binds bile salts, which
helps to keep the blood cholesterol level in
balance.
Apple pectin extracts also contain fruit
sugars, mainly fructose and glucose, as well
as fruit acids and the characteristic poly-
phenolics of apples. This is what produces
the pleasant fruity apple taste.
Therefore, Herbapekt is well suited for food
supplements, as a single ingredient or in
combination with others.

■ high pectin content

■ light-brown flakes with typical

fruity apple taste

■ high ratio of polyphenolic

substances

■ high ratio of fruit sugars

■ gel-forming and viscosity-enhancing

properties

■ beneficial effect on blood cholesterol

attenuation

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Herbapekt LV
Low Viscosity Pectins

Herbapekt LV is made from apple or citrus LV pectins are ideal for enriching beverages
pectins by reducing their viscous properties. or for nutritional supplements, as the phy-
The dietary fibre content is about 90 %, siologically effective dosage is no longer
mainly in the form of soluble, low molecular subject to the limitations of the high viscous
pectin. pectins. Additionally, the improved cold
solubility of the agglomerated LV-pectins is
ideal for instant products.

■ very high pectin content

■ neutral taste – fine powders or

agglomerates

■ low viscosity in beverages

■ beneficial effect on blood cholesterol

attenuation

■ good solubility, making it ideal for

instant products

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 Dietary Fibres are
Valuable Ingredients

There are many examples to show that And usually high-swelling and viscosity-
the use of dietary fibres as a value-adding enhancing dietary fibres are the basic com-
component has a potential for generating ponents of low-calorie and low-fat foods.
exceptional growth. Consumers rightly Accordingly, they can play an important
regard dietary fibres just as highly as vita- part in the marketing of your products.
mins and minerals. In the interests of vitality, health and well-
being.

Success factors in the food market

Health Taste

Dietary Fibres

Convenience

We help you
find the right
dietary fibres
or fibre blends
for your needs

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Application: Recommended products: Purpose and additional
benefits of dietary fibres:

fibre drinks Herbapekt LV regulation of cholesterol level

Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre regulation of appetite
Hebacel Classic Plus oat fibre stimulation of bowel function
Herbacel Classic black currant fibre enrichment with bioflavonoids

acidified milk drinks Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre calorie reduction, viscosity increase

cream/curd cheese Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre fat and calorie reduction, texture
milk desserts

sausages Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre fat reduction, juiciness, texture

fillings Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre calorie reduction, starch substitute, texture
Herbapekt APE viscosity, flavour enhancement

dressings, sauces Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre fat and calorie reduction, starch substitute,
texture

spreads Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre calorie reduction, fat substitute, creaminess
Herbapekt APE viscosity, flavour enhancement

sponge cakes, muffins Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre fat reduction, fresh-keeping
Herbacel Classic citrus fibre colour and aroma

gluten-free baked products Herbacel AQ Plus apple fibre texture, dough improvement
Herbapekt APE fresh-keeping, dough improvement

bread Herbapekt APE fresh-keeping, flavour enhancement

Herbacel Classic Plus pea fibre calorie reduction
Herbacel Classic apple fibre aroma and colour enhancement

pasta Herbacel Classic Plus oat fibre calorie reduction

Herbacel Classic Plus pea fibre

breakfast cereals Herbacel Classic apple fibre calorie reduction,

Herbacel Classic black currant fibre colour and aroma
Herbacel Classic mandarin fibre enhancement

fruit and muesli bars Herbacel Classic fruit fibres low-calorie ingredient, texture,
typical fruit flavour, aroma
Herbapekt APE binding, flavour enhancement

slimming products Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre lasting appetite regulation

Herbapekt LV stimulation of bowel function
Herbapekt APE fruity taste

dressings Herbacel AQ Plus citrus fibre calorie reduction, texture, fat substitute

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Herbafood
Ingredients GmbH

Phöbener Chaussee 12
14542 Werder (Havel)
Germany

Tel.: +49 (0) 3327 785 221

Fax: +49 (0) 3327 45772
E-Mail: info@herbafood.com
Internet: www.herbafood.com
www.directeam.de

A member of
the H&F Group