RIVER FALLS, Wis. — Fiberstar, an ingredient manufacturer serving the food processing industry, offers a range of plant-based, clean-label functional fiber products derived from citrus fruit for use in a variety of pet food and treat applications. The emulsifier line, under the Citri-Fi brand, can improve product texture and offers high-water holding and emulsification properties.

Citri-Fi 100, 125 and 150 can be used for binding, texturizing, reducing stickiness, strengthening products, retaining moisture, reducing crumbling and improving flowability.  

Specifically, Citri-Fi can enhance meat-like texture and retain moisture in semi-moist treats. For canned or chub-rolled pet foods, it emulsifies to bind the oil and water and mops up water that purges out of the meat base in refrigeration. It strengthens and improves the yield of baked biscuit treats and reduces crumbling; and. it improves flowability, reduces stickiness during moulding and enhances the strength of injection-molded pet bones to increase chew times.

“We are excited to provide our global customer base with a detailed road map in how to create high quality foods requiring a clean label emulsifier,” said John Haen, president and CEO of Fiberstar. “Emulsification is one of Citri-Fi’s many functional benefits that is unique to this natural fiber’s composition.”

Studies conducted by Fiberstar concluded that Citri-Fi is a low-energy emulsifier, using very little shear compared to other emulsification solutions in the pet food and treat market. This was tested on multiple products using different oils, concentrations and ratios.

Citri-Fi is compatible with a wide variety of oils and remains shelf stable for three years.

The product line is non-GMO, non-allergenic and gluten-free, and can be labeled as citrus fiber, dried citrus pulp or citrus flour. It is also Kosher and Halal.

Read more about product development, ingredients and formulation.