The launch follows the 2017 debut of Cargill’s Seabrid products for gelled dairy desserts. Caroline Delabrousse, dairy application specialist for Cargill Starches, Sweeteners & Texturizers, said, “From our recent global proprietary consumer research, we found that texture is a strong deciding factor in consumer food preferences.​ “In line with current trends, consumers look for full-bodied products with a creamy texture. Our research also revealed that over 70% of consumers look at creaminess and a smooth texture as the main criteria to determine whether they will purchase a dairy dessert again.” ​ She said that by employing a new technology, Cargill can now replicate the functionality of wild seaweed using cultivated seaweed, offering food developers a reliable solution to achieve an appealing creamy texture. Euromonitor 2018 forecasts that the demand for dairy desserts will continue to increase steadily, with the Middle East and Africa as well as Eastern Europe being the fastest growing regions. Xavier Martin, global seaweed product manager for Cargill Starches, Sweeteners & Texturizers, said that as demand for dairy grows, consumers are searching for premium dairy desserts at affordable prices. “Seabrid’s hybrid-like functionality provides the premium textures consumers seek, including outstanding creaminess, body and mouthfeel in any type of crème dessert, custard, or multi-layered desserts, while also enabling an attractive price,”​ Martin said. The Seabrid range of texturizers is part of Cargill’s broad portfolio of texturizing solutions, which includes complete texture choices from plant sources such as extracts from major crops (starches, soy proteins and lecithins), seaweeds (carrageenans), fruits (pectins) and sugar fermentation (xanthan gum). The company said it will continue to explore the functionality of Seabrid for future development across a range of applications.
Cargill has developed an additive made from cultivated seaweed that gives dairy desserts a creamy texture. Satiagel Seabrid is seen as a sustainable alternative to carrageenan extracted from wild seaweed and is part of a range of Cargill texturisers sourced from plants including crops, fruits and sugar fermentation. Demand for dairy desserts is forecast to continue rising, particularly in the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe, the fastest-growing regions for the products, according to Euromonitor 2018.