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Understanding the Growing Acacia Soluble Fiber Market

Liz Lalor | Global Marketing Manager - Emulsifiers, Texturants and Acacia
24 October, 2022

The recent FDA determination that gum acacia can be considered a 'fiber' is just one factor influencing the ingredient's positive growth


KerryDigest Fast Facts:

  • Digestive health is a top consumer priority, and soluble dietary fiber is the most recognized digestive health ingredient. 

  • Acacia fiber, gum acacia, gum arabic and acacia are all different names for the soluble dietary fiber produced from natural acacia tree resin.

  • The benefits of using soluble acacia fiber in food and beverage products include improved gut health and low incidence of GI discomfort for consumers and - for manufacturers - an increased ability to reduce sugar and fat in final formulations.

KerryDigest Full Scoop:

The link between digestive health and overall wellbeing is widely accepted amongst consumers and the food and beverage industry. The global digestive support food market is estimated to be valued at $US81 billion by 2025, according to Euromonitor Passport, and fiber is the ingredient consumers most associate with good digestive health, according to a recent Kerry digestive health consumer survey. 

However, the average American consumes just 16 grams of fiber per day, compared to the recommended daily intake of 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, according to the FDA.

Adding acacia fiber to products is one way manufactures can increase soluble fiber content. Because acacia fiber can express a similar texture/mouthfeel as sugar and also mimics the behavior of fats and oils, its also beneficial for reducing sugar and fat in final formulations. 

To take a closer look at the soluble fiber market, we sat down with Tim Cottrell, the director of business development for emulsifiers and texturants at Kerry.  

 

Kerry Digest: What exactly is acacia?

Tim Cottrell:  The terms 'acacia fiber,' 'gum acacia,' 'gum arabic' and 'acacia' all refer to the same ingredient. Acacia fiber is a form of soluble dietary fiber produced using natural resin from the acacia tree, which is native to the Sahel region of Africa. Local farmers harvest the gum by hand every season, then the gum is then dried and sorted. The gum is processed in a way that maintains its natural attributes. 

Acacia fiber works as a prebiotic in the human digestive system and can significantly increase levels of good bacteria in the gut. Prebiotics are used as food by probiotics to grow and flourish in the gut. 

 

Launches of products containing acacia fiber grew at a 36% CAGR globally between 2017 and 2021, according to Innova Insights.

More consumers are turning to acacia due to the importance they’re placing on nutritious, sustainable and naturally derived ingredients. Launches of products containing acacia fiber grew at a 36% CAGR globally between the years 2017 and 2021, according to Innova Insights. 

Our acacia fiber ingredient, Emulgold™, delivers a high concentration of soluble dietary fiber – the product shows a  minimum 85% fiber content when tested – which enables a “High in Fiber” claim in the U.S.

KerryDigest: Why is soluble acacia fiber becoming a preferred ingredient for digestive health?

Tim Cottrell:  Acacia fiber can ease digestion, and it may play a role in weight management. When incorporated into food and beverages, acacia fiber was linked to decreased hunger and improved fullness. In clinical studies, just 5 grams of our product significantly improved satiety and reduced how much people ate later in the day. 

Acacia fiber does not cause GI discomfort like other prebiotic fibers. A major complaint with many consumers is that, despite their role in health, fibers like inulin and fructooligosaccharides can cause negative side effects like excess gas production and bloating, even in doses as small as 5 to 10 grams per day. Clinical studies carried out on our acacia product show doses of up to 40 grams per day were well-tolerated with no significant increase in discomfort. 

For manufacturers, acacia fiber is unique in that it can help build mouthfeel and improve texture and support the overall reduction of sugar in final application. While other fibers such as inulin, polydextrose, FOS or GOS can support sugar reduction by bringing sweetness, they don’t improve texture and mouthfeel – aspects that may be negatively affected when sugar is reduced in applications such as nutritional beverages and cereal bars. 

KerryDigest: Does acacia fiber play a role in the health of the gut microbiome?

Tim Cottrell: Acacia fiber promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in the human digestive system. In a clinical trial, doses of 10 grams of Emulgold™ per day led to a significant increase in Bifidobacterial and Lactobacilli, and the prebiotic effect was more effective than the same dose of inulin. A similar prebiotic effect was shown in another study by Cherbut et al., which was also linked to a greater stool weight, indicating a link to positive digestive health benefits.

These types of bacteria are thought to be beneficial to human health, possibly by preventing growth of harmful bacteria in our gut. Although a ‘healthy microbiome’ is still not fully defined scientifically, many studies use the prominence of these types of bacteria to reflect positive changes in the microbiome. 

KerryDigest: The FDA intends to propose that acacia be included as part of the FDA's definition of dietary fiber. How might this impact food and beverage manufacturers in the U.S. and globally? 

Tim Cottrell: The FDA established a definition for dietary fiber in its 2016 Nutrition Facts label final rule. The purpose of this change was to make sure that the increasing amount of synthetic or isolated fibers being used in the food supply were truly delivering the intended health benefits of fiber. Thus, the FDA defines a fiber not just by its chemical composition but also by whether it has been 'determined by FDA to have physiological effects that are beneficial to human health.' 

These health benefits include: 

  • Lowering blood glucose

  • Lowering cholesterol levels 

  • Lowering blood pressure

  • Increase in frequency of bowel movements (improved laxation)

  • Increased mineral absorption in the intestinal tract

  • Reduced energy intake (for example, due to the fiber promoting a feeling of fullness) 

 

The FDA has determined that gum acacia has strong enough scientific evidence to be considered a fiber under its new definition.

The FDA has determined that gum acacia has strong enough scientific evidence to be considered a fiber under this new definition, specifically due to studies done on gum acacia’s ability to help reduce blood glucose and insulin levels when eaten with a meal containing a carbohydrate that typically raises blood glucose levels.  

This news propels acacia fiber as a key solution to increase the uptake of dietary fiber, which is low in most parts of the world. The average intake of dietary fiber in the U.S. is only around half of the daily requirement, according to the USDA. 

When used in an adequate dosage, global food and beverage manufacturers will be able to promote in the U.S. high fiber products that use acacia fiber while also delivering some of the functional benefits in food or beverage applications highlighted above.

KerryDigest: How familiar or accepting are consumers of acacia fiber on labels? 

Tim Cottrell: Right now, consumers are familiar with the benefits of fiber, in general. Their awareness around particular types of fiber is low, and many do not know ingredients such as polydextrose, acacia, FOS or GOS by name. 

However, there is an opportunity to continue to educate consumers about the types of fiber available to them. Acacia, in particular, has a lot of room to rise in popularity, owing to its clean label, natural, sustainable attributes along with excellent nutritional benefits.

KerryDigest: How does acacia fiber meet consumer demands for sustainability?

Tim Cottrell: We know that consumers want to shop sustainably. In 2021, our research found that around 68% of global consumers are influenced by sustainability when purchasing food and beverages at a store.  

Acacia has noteworthy sustainability benefits. Local farmers harvest acacia gum by hand every season in a sustainable manner that does not damage the acacia tree, allowing them to repeatedly generate income for themselves and their often vulnerable communities. 

The acacia tree is a powerhouse plant in the Sahel region of Africa. It is a nitrogen-fixing legume that balances soil nutrients and enhances soil fertility. Acacia trees also improve water filtration and lower evaporation by reducing wind speed, leading to more efficient use of water and fertilizer and improving yield for food crops such as sorghum and maize by intercropping with acacia trees.

KerryDigest: In which applications do you see the greatest opportunity for acacia fiber?

Tim Cottrell: The surest way to help consumers meet their fiber needs is by adding it to the everyday foods they love and trust. 

For example, white bread is the most popular bread, globally, however, its low fiber content gives it a poor mark on the nutrition scale. Adding our acacia fiber to one white bread product increased its fiber content by 300% – to around what you’d find in wheat bread – while retaining the taste and texture consumers want. 

Nutritional bars and cereals are other priority applications showing strong growth. Adding acacia can boost soluble dietary fiber content and reduce dryness and, because acacia can work as a binder in final applications, it can be used to partially replace sugar syrups. This is important for food manufacturers to note since 40% of nutritional bars launched last year had both reduced sugar and high/source of fiber claims, accoriding to Innova Insights.

Acacia can also increase the satiety benefits in functional beverages in a palatable way. Manufacturers favor acacia fiber in beverages, due to its dispersibility, high stability in low pH and its being void of negative influences such as gelling, swelling or thickening. Moreover, with greater than one in five consumers globally choosing products that positively boost their nutrition or have health benefits, acacia is the perfect solution, allowing for fiber fortification while improving mouthfeel and taste in sugar reduced beverages. 

To learn more about the benefits of gum acacia and soluble dietary fiber, get a copy of our report, 'The Rise of Acacia Soluble Fiber; Market Opportunities and Application Concepts.' To see how our Emulgold Fiber soluble acacia ingredients could improve your food and beverage products, contact us.  

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