frequently asked questions
1. What is Fibersol®-2? What is it not?
2. Is Fibersol-2 “organic”?
3. Is FS2 non-GMO?
4. In what sense, scientific, technical and regulatory basis, is FS2 truly “dietary fiber” for nutrition labeling purposes?
5. Help me understand the AOAC 2001.03 method. For which dietary fibers will or will not the method test? How do I get this analysis done? How do I use the results? Do I need to test every lot of ingredient; every lot of finished product?
6. Typical use rates? See notes related to this above.
7. Any limitations of use?
8. Labeling?
9. Typical dietary fiber content vs actual manufacturing certificates of analysis (COA’s)?
10. Any concerns about stability in finished foods?
11. Does it have any influence on flavor of finished foods?
12. What’s the difference between soluble and insoluble dietary fiber? Can they be labeled differently?
13. How does FS2 differ from other low viscosity water soluble dietary fibers?
1. What is FS2? What it is not?
Scientifically, Fibersol-2 is a “resistant maltodextrin” or alternatively a “digestion resistant maltodextrin” fully 90+% resistant to digestion by the human digestive system. Fibersol-2 is sold as “digestion resistant maltodextrin” to clearly define that is it resistant to digestion and that it is not a digestible carbohydrate.
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2. Is FS2 “organic”?
Fibersol-2 is not “organic”.
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3. Is FS2 non-GMO?
When Fibersol-2 is made in the U.S. it is made from both genetically modified and non-genetically modified corn. The corn processing supply chain simply does not allow for segregation of these types of corn. However, non-GM Fibersol-2 is available upon request. Check with Matsutani America for availability and pricing.
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4. In what sense, scientific, technical and regulatory basis, is FS2 truly “dietary fiber” for nutrition labeling purposes?
For years, scientific and technical definitions for “dietary fiber” have been proposed. There is currently several groups continuing this effort to harmonize definitions so to be scientifically correct and meaningful from a regulatory perspective. In the U.S, “dietary fiber” for nutrition labeling purposes is defined by analytical methods used to measure it. Official methods of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) are preferred as they have been proven to be both accurate (measure what they are supposed to measure) and precise (repeatable).
In 2001, the AOAC approved for use method #2001.03 “Determination of Total Dietary Fiber in Foods Containing Resistant Maltodextrin”. This method is applicable to foods that contain “resistant maltodextrin”. Because of AOAC approval and the methods internal definition of indigestible carbohydrates, the dietary fiber content of Fibersol-2 and foods containing Fibersol-2 can be determined. These results can be used for nutrition labeling purposes.
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5. Help me understand the AOAC 2001.03 method. For which dietary fibers will or will not the method test? How do I get this analysis done? How do I use the results? Do I need to test every lot of ingredient; every lot of finished product?
Fibersol-2 contains 90+% dietary fiber in the form of water soluble dietary fiber. It does not contain insoluble dietary fiber. Further, the soluble dietary fiber in Fibersol-2 is both of high molecular weight (alcohol insoluble) and low molecular weight (alcohol soluble) indigestible carbohydrates. Until AOAC 2001.03 low molecular weight indigestibles could not be captured accurately or precisely. AOAC 2001.03 now captures ALL dietary fibers… insoluble, high molecular weight soluble and low molecular weight soluble fractions. The method is only approved for use in foods, however, containing resistant maltodextrin.
If you require Fibersol-2 or any food containing Fibersol-2 to be tested using the AOAC method, only a few analytical labs are set up to do the test on an ongoing basis. Sample preparation and testing takes a long time relative to other dietary fiber tests. The net result is that testing may not be done on an ongoing basis and cost per sample could be prohibitively expensive.
The good news is that ADM quality control tests fiber on all production lots of Fibersol-2 and reports results on all certificates of analysis issued. No lot of Fibersol-2 is released for sale without satisfying product specification guarantees. As of the date this information was prepared no lot of Fibersol-2 has ever been rejected by any customer due to low dietary fiber.
ADM COA’s may be used to support dietary fiber guarantees and thus nutrition labeling needs; however, customers assume all final responsibility for the nutritional labeling support of their product. .
For testing of finished foods, contact your local Fibersol-2 sales rep for testing labs and options.
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6. Typical use rates?
See notes related to this above.
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7. Any limitations of use?
In general there are no limitations to use. In some applications (e.g., specific baked goods, processed meats) careful consideration(s) on how Fibersol-2 is applied may be necessary. At no time does Fibersol®-2 interfere with the sensory properties of foods to which it is added.
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8. Labeling?
Fibersol-2 is sold and packaged as “digestion resistant maltodextrin”. This is not the only option available. See current web site for labeling options used by those using Fibersol-2.
For those with interest, Matsutani America offers fee-free use of the Fibersol-2 trademark. See your Fibersol-2 sales rep for details. Remember only Fibersol-2 contains the word “fiber” in its tradename. Thus, properly using Fibersol offers consumer friendly way to communicate which ingredient in any give formula is the source of dietary fiber.
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9. Typical dietary fiber content vs actual manufacturing certificates of analysis (COA’s)?
The dietary fiber content of Fibersol-2 is guaranteed to be 90+% minimum dry solids basis. Actual COA’s typically report 94-96% dietary fiber using a modified AOAC 2001.03 method for QA purposes.
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10. Any concerns about stability in finished foods?
No. Because Fibersol-2 is made using both heat and acid, it is inherently stable to both. Thus, it is compatible to ALL processing conditions, distribution conditions, and shelf-life expectations.
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11. Does it have any influence on flavor of finished foods?
Remember, flavor is due to a complex combination of appearance, aroma, taste (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, unami or savory) and texture. Fibersol-2 adds no inherent flavor, taste or color to foods to which it is added. However, it may, depending on the application, positively influence taste and texture so to positively influence flavor. Fibersol-2 does not really affect appearance of foods nor does it affect aroma (it is totally non-aromatic and does not affect aromatic fine chemicals) in foods.
In some instances (e.g., use of high intensity sweeteners, whole grain ingredients, etc), it can “round off” bitter/harsh aftertastes in very significant and positive way. For example, with high intensity sweeteners ultra-low levels of Fibersol-2 can add more sugar-like sweetness to foods.
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12. What’s the difference between soluble and insoluble dietary fiber? Can they be labeled differently?
Soluble and insoluble dietary fiber differ in terms of solubility in water.
Soluble fibers dissolve or swell when placed in water. There are several examples of soluble fiber such as pectins, gums, mucilages, rice bran, psyllium, and soy fiber. These fibers are present in numerous food products including salad dressings, jams, and jellies.
Insoluble fibers generally do not dissolve in water, these include cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignins which are structural components of plants. Bran fiber is rich in hemicelluloses. Insoluble fibers are part of whole grain foods.
For ingredient labeling, the common and usual name of the specific ingredient must be used. For nutrition labeling, voluntary differentiation between soluble and insoluble dietary fiber is allowed.
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13. How does FS2 differ from other low viscosity water soluble dietary fibers?
Fibersol-2 is typically 90+% dietary fiber as manufactured and few other ingredients come close to near 100% dietary fiber on a dry basis. As such, the “sugar” level in Fibersol-2 is ~ 2% which makes Fibersol-2 perfect for sugar-modified foods including true sugar-free foods (< 0.5 g total “sugars” per serving) and still deliver a high dietary fiber content.
Functionally, Fibersol-2 adds virtually no sweetness to foods and is fully stable to acid, heat and all processing conditions. Unlike water soluble dietary fibers that are extracts, Fibersol-2 does not lose it dietary fiber content. Therefore, it also does not “release” or increase the simple sugar content in foods. When dietary fiber is hydrolyzed by process or naturally, foods can fall short of dietary fiber and sugar claims.
Nutritionally Fibersol-2 is not totally fermented in the colon thus allowing for slow development and dissipation of developed acid and gas.
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