New mochi textures from Ingredion

Ingredion has announced the launch of N-DULGE ® 320 starch, adding to the company’s extensive portfolio of starch-based texturisers. The timely launch enables manufacturers to take advantage of the rapidly growing market for mochi products in Asia Pacific. A recent consumer study conducted by Ingredion Japan found over 90% of Japanese consumers, across all demographic groups, expressing their fondness for mochi texture due to its fun eating experience. Consumers also savour the chewing effort, as it makes them feel satisfied and makes the taste in food last longer.¹ Outside of Japan, consumers are falling in love with mochi texture too, seeing a 13% year-on-year growth in new mochi products launched between 2016 to 2018 in APAC.²  

Mochi texture -- soft and glutinous - has become a big selling point for food manufacturers using the front-of-pack claims to highlight its texture features.

Mochi texture has been a mainstay in the Japanese bakery industry for many years. Mochi traditionally refers to a glutinous rice cake, and consumers identify mochi texture when they chew food and feel some softness, stickiness as well as some elasticity. Mochi texture has become a big selling point for food manufacturers using the front-of-pack claims to highlight its texture features.

To meet such complex texture needs from consumers, the availability of a broad selection of texturisers is necessary. N-DULGE ® 320 starch is the latest addition to Ingredion’s toolbox of mochi-creating starches.

“Other than creating the varieties of mochi texture that keep consumers excited, manufacturers often face the challenges of maintaining that soft and elastic texture, which is associated with fresh mochi, in shelf-stable food products. Mochi bread, for example, often loses that chewy bite within three days. The bread also loses its nice puffy shape after baking. With N-DULGE ® 320 starch, the chewy mochi texture can be extended up to five days, while maintaining a nice dome shape,” stated Eric Weisser, senior director, growth platforms, Ingredion APAC. “Similarly, in frozen food like dumplings, with the addition of N-DULGE ®  320 starch, the dumpling’s skin can retain its chewy bite when cooked in soup, pan-fried, or even when microwaved. This works perfectly for frozen pizza too!” he added.

With Ingredion’s expanding selection of mochi-creating starches, food manufacturers now have the flexibility to create a myriad of mochi texture options that cater to changing consumer demands while addressing the challenges faced by food manufacturers.

Sources:

¹Ingredion Mochi texture consumer survey (Japan), 2019

²Innova, 2019