Process Engineering Consultancy
De-flavoured Sugar Beet Fibre for Bakery and Sausage Production
Project Overview
This project focuses on the production of de-flavoured sugar beet fibre for bakery and burger meat applications, offering a cost-effective alternative to oat bran, wheat fibre, and corn fibre.
De-flavoured Sugar Beet Fibre Production Method
Using wet sugar beet pulp as raw material, the production process involves multiple mechanical and heat treatments, including drying, grinding, mixing with water, repeated drying, etc. These steps do not need external flavour-masking agents while reducing the undesirable earthy taste. The resulting sugar beet fibre exhibits high water-holding capacity and serves as a more affordable replacement for existing fibre ingredients in bread, sausage, and health-oriented food products.
Comparison with Wheat Fibre and Corn Fibre
The table below highlights the advantages of sugar beet fibre over wheat and corn fibre in terms of production cost and water-holding capacity:
Sugar beet fibre offers significantly higher water-holding capacity, potentially enhancing the texture and moisture retention in bakery and sausage products when used in equivalent amounts.
Comparison with Existing Sugar Beet Fibre Products
Current sugar beet fibre products in the food ingredient market often have a strong earthy flavour that limits their use to less than 3% in formulations for bread and sausages. The newly developed sugar beet fibre, however, undergoes a specialized processing method that effectively removes this undesirable flavour while maintaining the same water-holding capacity as conventional sugar beet fibre.
Market Potential
The global dietary fibre market was valued at approximately $7.8 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9%, reaching $14-16 billion by 2030. This growth is driven by increasing consumer demand for functional foods, heightened health consciousness, and innovations in fibre-enriched products.
If sugar beet fibre replaces 1-5% of total fibre ingredients in food production, its estimated market value could range from $0.078 to $0.39 billion per year.
This project aims to position de-flavoured sugar beet fibre as a valuable and sustainable ingredient for the food industry, contributing to the evolving landscape of functional and high-fibre food products.
Background Information
Sugar beet pulp is a byproduct of sugar beet processing, commonly used as fodder for horses and livestock. It consists of fibrous material left after sugar extraction, characterized by low sugar content but high fibre and energy levels. Nutritionally, sugar beet pulp contains 10% protein, 0.8% calcium, and 0.5% phosphorus.
