Earlier this year, we highlighted the TikTok “fibremaxxing” trend as an example of how the health benefits of fibre are starting to gain mainstream awareness and the opportunities that are opening up for food and beverage producers to respond with dietary fibre additives.
A recent article in Bakery & Snacks magazine argues that this runs a lot deeper than social media buzz. It points out that online searches for high fibre foods and gut health have risen 5,000% in the last five years. Moreover, just under half (47.5%) of UK consumers say they are actively trying to increase the amount of fibre they get in their diet. But 52% say they have never even heard of ‘fibremaxxing’ and just 7% say social media is an influence in their desire to increase fibre in their diet.
This is good news for food and beverage manufacturers. Social media hype ebbs and flows. What’s trending one week is forgotten the next. What the above figures suggest is that interest in fibre runs much deeper. The messages that dieticians and health professionals have been pushing about fibre, gut health and general well-being for many years have finally worked their way into the public consciousness. That suggests not just a trend, but a permanent shift in behaviour.
That behaviour, of course, includes making purchase decisions for food goods based on fibre content. This creates significant opportunities for food and drink manufacturers across categories. As demand for high-fibre products grows, we’ll see them move out of the health aisle and specialist retailers and into general grocery merchandising.
Most significantly of all, high-fibre products need no longer be limited to traditional wholegrain foods, fruit and vegetables. With functional fibre additives like GOFOS, which Norkem exclusively distributes in the UK and Ireland, food goods across many categories can become high fibre.
GOFOS is a short-chain fructo-oligosaccharide, or sc-FOS, a soluble prebiotic fibre derived from sugar beet. Like other prebiotic fibres, it is not digested in the human gut. Instead, it is fermented by beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacteria, helping to support a balanced gut microbiota and healthy microbiome. Its targeted fermentation in the colon produces short-chain fatty acids, which are linked to improved gut function, metabolic health, and immune support
There is now a huge body of evidence supporting this and that our gut microbiota plays a central role in general health and well-being, influencing everything from digestion and metabolism to how well our immune system works, and even our mental health. Conversely, poor gut health is linked to conditions including Type 2 diabetes and heart, bowel and liver disease. This combination of stability, selectivity and proven physiological benefits makes it an effective and versatile ingredient for functional food and beverage applications.
GOFOS also has an important formulation benefit. Because it is built from fructose chains, it has a naturally sweet taste. That means it can be used to boost fibre content while contributing to a sweet flavour profile. And because it isn’t digested, it adds few calories.
This makes GOFOS particularly attractive for adding fibre to products that are primarily chosen for taste. Snack bars, cereals, baked goods, dairy products, desserts and even chocolate and ice cream might not be high on people’s list when they think about fibre or foods with health benefits. But GOFOS can turn these types of goods and more into rich fibre sources, without changing the flavour profile.
The opportunity here is that many consumers still struggle to achieve recommended daily fibre intakes, often because of their food preferences. Dietary fibre additives like GOFOS help people increase their fibre intake with the types of food they like to eat. As awareness of fibre and gut health continues to grow, brands that can turn popular goods into convenient high-fibre options will gain an increasing competitive advantage.
Norkem stocks GOFOS in powder and liquid formats, with powder grade available in 25kg bags and liquid grade available in drums, IBCs or bulk road tankers. To find out more about GOFOS and discuss supply options, please contact our food and drink sales team.