With numerous health benefits validated through clinical studies, resistant starch is poised to emerge as the next superfood. Its easy availability presents manufacturers with an opportunity to enhance their products’ health benefits, provided they can effectively raise consumer awareness. A significant challenge for these manufacturers will be convincing consumers about the advantages of a product labeled as resistant starch, despite its proven health properties. According to Food Navigator, various ingredient companies are actively producing and promoting resistant starch products. For instance, IAG offers NuBana green banana flour, while Ingredion produces Hi-maize high amylose corn starch. Additionally, there are options like PenFibe modified resistant potato starch, Cargill’s Cerestar high amylose resistant corn starch, ActiStar resistant tapioca starch, and MGP Ingredients’ Fibersym chemically modified wheat starch. Roquette also provides Nutriose resistant corn dextrin. However, product names such as modified resistant tapioca starch and chemically modified wheat starch may deter customers who prefer straightforward, clean labels. As one expert noted to Food Navigator, it is often easier to promote green banana flour than to present resistant corn starch as an appealing health ingredient.
There are four categories of resistant starch, which can be found in some processed foods as well as in natural sources like whole grains, beans, green bananas, and raw potatoes. Other excellent sources include high amylose grains like oats, cooked and cooled rice, legumes, raw potato starch, cooked and cooled potatoes, and Hi-maize flour. A more effective approach may be to emphasize the health attributes of resistant starch, which includes prebiotic benefits for the microbiome. One advocate suggests classifying fiber into three types: bulking fibers such as oat bran, viscous fibers like oat or barley beta-glucan, and fermentable fibers like resistant starch. While people need all three types, modern processed food diets typically provide only 5 or 6 grams of fiber daily, whereas the norm used to be between 30 to 50 grams.
If marketed effectively, consumers might show greater interest in incorporating resistant starch into their diets and actively seek out products that list it on their labels. The ingredient’s versatility—being suitable for natural consumption or as an addition to smoothies or yogurts—along with its potential health benefits, could be what resistant starch needs to improve its relatively low visibility in the market. Moreover, as consumers become more health-conscious, they may also look for supplements such as calcium citrate 1000 mg tablets to support their dietary needs alongside resistant starch. By integrating these health-focused ingredients into their offerings, manufacturers can cater to the growing demand for nutritious options that enhance overall well-being.