Dietary fiber derived from tapioca and process therefor
AssigneeNational Starch and Chemical Investment Holding Corporation
InventorsNorman L. LaCourse, Karen Chicalo, James P. Zallie, Paul A. Altieri
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Abstract
Dietary fiber are derived from the tapioca pulp fiber that is a by-product of tapioca starch milling operations. The tapioca fiber may be refined through an enzymatic destarching step to provide a fiber comprising at least 70% total dietary fiber, of which at least 12% is soluble dietary fiber. The fiber may be further refined by bleaching. Acceptable foods may be prepared comprising unrefined or refined tapioca fiber.
Claims15
A dietary fiber of tapioca origin, comprising on a dry solids basis, at least 70% total dietary fiber, of which at least 12% is soluble dietary fiber, and less than 15% starch, wherein the dietary fiber has a water-holding capacity of at least 2.5 and a viscosity of at least 100 B.U. in a 5% aqueous solution.
A process for refining tapioca pulp for use as a nutritional ingredient in nutritionally fortified processed foods, comprising the steps:
- a) forming a slurry of 5 to 10%, by weight, ground tapioca pulp in an aqueous media;
- b) enzymatically treating the slurry with a 1,4-alpha-D-glucosidase to depolymerize sufficient starch to yield a tapioca fiber containing less than 15% starch;
- c) separating the tapioca fiber from the slurry;
- and
- d) washing the tapioca fiber to provide a refined tapioca fiber, wherein the refined tapioca fiber contains at least 70% total dietary fiber, of which at least 12% is soluble dietary fiber, and the refined tapioca fiber has a water-holding capacity of at least 2.5 and a viscosity of at least 100 B.U. in a 5% aqueous solution.
A nutritionally-fortified, fiber-containing food comprising about 1 to 43%, by weight, of at least one dietary fiber of tapioca origin selected from the group consisting of unrefined tapioca fiber, refined tapioca fiber, comprising on a dry starch solids basis no more than 15% starch and at least 70%, by weight, total dietary fiber, of which at least 12% is soluble dietary fiber, wherein the refined tapioca fiber has a water-holding capacity of at least 2.5 and a viscosity of at least 100 B.U. in a 5% aqueous solution, and bleached, refined tapioca fiber comprising on a dry solids basis no more than 15% starch and at least 70%, by weight, total dietary fiber, of which at least 12% is soluble dietary fiber, wherein the bleached refined tapioca fiber has a water-holding capacity of at least 2.5 and a viscosity of at least 100 B.U. in a 5% aqueous solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.