Indigestible Maltodextrin Syrup for Low Sugar Snack Bars
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Solution Overview
Problem
The food industry faces challenges in creating snack bars with low sugar content and high fiber, as existing sweetener syrups like isomalto-oligosaccharides are no longer considered fiber sources due to FDA regulations, and soluble fiber liquids often result in hard and dry textures over time.
Innovation Solution
A sweetener syrup with at least 80% wt/wt soluble indigestible maltodextrin and a specific distribution of saccharides, including a high percentage of trisaccharides, is developed to provide cohesiveness and softness while meeting low sugar and high fiber requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If soluble fiber liquids are used to bind inclusions in snack bars, then cohesiveness is achieved, but the bars become hard and dry as they age
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the binder syrup by specifying exact ranges of saccharides (glucose, fructose, sucrose, isomaltulose) and fiber components (inulin, oligofructose) to achieve both cohesiveness and texture stability. The specific parameter combination prevents the hardening effect while maintaining binding functionality throughout shelf life.
2Quantity of substance
If isomalto-oligosaccharides are used as fiber source, then low sugar prebiotic fiber benefits are achieved, but FDA regulations now classify them as added sugar
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beneficial fiber and prebiotic properties from isomalto-oligosaccharides and transfers them to inulin and oligofructose, which remain classified as fiber by FDA regulations. This substitution maintains the functional benefits while ensuring regulatory compliance for fiber labeling.
3Quantity of substance
If sugar content is reduced to meet labeling requirements, then low sugar labeling is achieved, but functionality such as adhesion and water bonding is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite binder system combining multiple saccharides (glucose, fructose, sucrose, isomaltulose) with fiber components (inulin, oligofructose) and proteins. This composite material maintains adhesion and water bonding functionality through synergistic interactions among components while keeping total sugar content below regulatory thresholds.
Data Source
AI summary
A sweetener syrup comprising at least 80% wt/wt dissolved solids of an indigestible maltodextrin with the remainder of the dissolved solids comprising saccharides and oligosaccharides and wherein a ratio of trisaccharides to monosaccharides plus disaccharides is at least 1.2 to 1. Excluding the indigestible maltodextrin, trisaccharides are the dominant saccharides in the syrup typically being 30%-42% and the combination of monosaccharides and disaccharides are less than 25%. Such syrups allow the preparation of food products, illustrated by food bars, that have less than 1 g sugar per 60 g serving size. Such food bars also have prolonged shelf life. Other food products exemplified are pudding and ketchup, that can have FDA nutrition label suitable for reduced sugar claims.