IFF carob powder portfolio with beige to dark brown shades and fiber for extruded foods

Overview

IFF's carob powder portfolio gives food manufacturers a natural way to achieve a range of brown shades—from beige and light brown to medium reddish brown and dark brown—while also contributing dietary fiber, protein, and a mild sweet taste. The powders are designed for dry blending into extrusion matrices, where they are intended to withstand the temperatures and pressures of extrusion processing.

Because the color is developed through roasting rather than concentrated single-color pigments, the resulting shade is robust and less dependent on a single color source. This makes the portfolio well suited for applications where consistent, heat-stable color is important.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• Available in beige, light brown, medium reddish brown, and dark brown color options
• Contains 41–60 g dietary fiber and 6 g protein per 100 g
• Low fat content of 1%
• Recommended usage level below 3% of the formulation
• Heat stable with an 18+ month shelf life
• Easy to incorporate via dry blending
• Suitable for confectionery, beverages, syrups, bars, and snacks
• In extruded products, the high fiber composition may help enhance texture as well as contribute color

The powders work by dispersing throughout the dry blend before extrusion. Their heat stability helps preserve color during processing, while the fiber content can modify the structure and mouthfeel of the final product.

Technology readiness level

The carob powder portfolio is an established commercial ingredient range with demonstrated use in confectionery, beverage, syrup, bar, and snack applications. For the specific extrusion application described here, the offering is at the proof-of-concept stage.

IFF proposes to validate extrusion performance with a partner using an agreed generic model formula and process conditions. The planned validation will assess color, texture, flavor/aroma, and color stability through accelerated shelf-life testing.