FROM CHIA SEEDS TO XIA POWDER 435
W LM
A natural, functional fber for high-protein and nutritional baking
Chia Ingredients
Benexia Ingredients
Benexia ® is a reference in Chia Seed Ingredients, as food-safe, nutritional, natural and sustainable solutions for the food, beverage and nutraceutical industries. Benexia ofers superior quality, 100% natural, clean label, non-GMO, gluten-free chia ingredients to the industry. All these ingredients are food-safe, nutritional and sustainable solutions. Benexia’s supply chain is fully integrated, with quality control from farm to fnished product assuring traceability. It has its agricultural operations in Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina, and its manufacturing operations in Chile. For further information, visit www.benexia.com
SEED
Benexia® Black Chia is the whole grain from Salvia hispanica L. with black, greyish and some white grains.
• BCS R Benexia® Black Chia Seed Raw.
• BCS O R Benexia® Black Chia Seed Organic Raw.
• BCS LM Benexia® Black Chia Seed Low Moisture, pasteurized, RTE.
• BCS O LM Benexia® Black Chia Seed Organic Low Moisture, pasteurized, RTE.
Benexia® White Chia is the whole grain from Salvia hispanica L. with 100% white seeds.
• WCS R Benexia® White Chia Seed Raw.
• WCS O R Benexia® White Chia Seed Raw.
• WCS LM Benexia® White Chia Seed Low Moisture, pasteurized, RTE.
• WCS O LM Benexia® White Chia Seed Organic Low Moisture, pasteurized, RTE.
Benexia® Xia Oil is chia oil, obtained through a proprietary premium technology, for a natural cold-press extraction of the chia seed (Salvia hispanica L.). It contains 63% of omega-3.
• XIA OIL Benexia® Xia Oil ofers great opportunities to develop products in foods and beverage. We ofer formulations for a broad range of food applications in fats, oils blends, favored oils, vegetable spreads, bakery, dairy, juices, condiments, and specialty retail oils.
• XIA OIL O Benexia® Xia Oil Organic.
• XIA NUTRAPHARM OIL A high in omega-3 nutraceutical quality oil that contains important quantities of bioactive substances: antioxidants (polyphenols, tocopherols) and phytosterols, guaranteeing an oxygen radical absorbance capacity-ORAC outstandingly high and signifcant health benefts. Also available in organic: Xia Nutrapharm Oil O.
• XIA DERMO OIL Provides anti-infammatory and antioxidants properties with proven benefcial efects for relief of infammatory skin diseases, including eczema and psoriasis, among others. Also available in organic: Xia Dermo Oil O.
• XIA SOFT GEL Benexia® Xia Oil encapsulated in soft gel caps.
• ALA POWDER Microencapsulated spray-dried chia oil in a fully dispersible format with 25% of omega-3.
BENEXIA® CHIA
BENEXIA® XIA OIL: FATS INGREDIENTS (OMEGA-3 ALA SOURCE)
BENEXIA® XIA POWDERS: PROTEIN AND FIBER SOURCES
Benexia® Xia Powder 125 LM is a fne and dispersible chia protein powder manufactured from the partially defatted Benexia® chia, obtained through MicroTech® technology. It is chia protein, concentrated up to 42%.
• XIA POWDER 125 LM Xia Powder 125 Black Low Moisture.
• XIA POWDER 125 O LM Xia Powder 125 Black Organic Low Moisture.
• XIA POWDER 125 W LM Xia Powder 125 White Low Moisture.
• XIA POWDER 125 W O LM Xia Powder 125 White Organic Low Moisture.
Benexia® Xia Powder 435 LM is a fne chia fber powder (less than 435 microns) manufactured from the partially defatted Benexia® Chia, obtained through MicroTech® technology. It is chia fber, concentrated up to 56%, with more protein than chia seed.
• XIA POWDER 435 LM Xia Powder 435 Black Low Moisture.
• XIA POWDER 435 O LM Xia Powder 435 Black Organic Low Moisture.
• XIA POWDER 435 W LM Xia Powder 435 White Low Moisture.
• XIA POWDER 435 W O LM Xia Powder 435 White Organic Low Moisture.
BENEXIA®
PREMIXES
This line ofers this amazing nutrition found in chia seed in high-fber, high-protein bakery premixes. This premixes check all the boxes: texture, taste, simplicity and fortifcation. All the premixes include our ingredient Benexia® Xia Powder 435 W LM.
• KETO/LOW CARB
• GLUTEN-FREE
• GLUTEN-FREE AND KETO/LOW CARB
• HIGH FIBER
O Organic: The ingredient is elaborated under agrochemical free production, with Organic Certifcation.
LM Low Moisture: The ingredient is processed through a 100% natural, chemical free, non-ionizing technology, guaranteeing a product free from Salmonella and Listeria (Log-5 reduction in microbial and pathogens) assuring a 100% non-sprouting seed and preserving all the nutritional and sensorial parameters of the product.
BENEXIA CHIA SEEDS
From Seed to Ingredient
An Ancient Superfood for the 21st Century
The seeds of change may start small, but in the right environment, they grow mighty. That can certainly be said of the chia plant, whose minuscule seed grains nourished ancient civilizations for centuries - and has, in recent decades, experienced a revitalization as a superfood ideal for meeting the needs of modern consumers.
Most of us refer to chia as a seed, though it’s technically a grain. Regardless of how consumers categorize it, the tiny black or white orbs far surpass their seed or grain counterparts when it comes to nutrition: Chia brings together protein, omega-3 fatty acids, fber, antioxidants, and an array of minerals, all in a package no bigger than a pinhead. In fact, it’s the richest source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids you can fnd in nature.
An Ancient Food with the highest Omega-3 content found in Nature: with unsuspected health benefts, Chia is an amazing sustainable source of essential nutrients.
This unique nutritional profle has made it possible for chia to sustain advanced civilizations such as the Aztecs and the Mayans. And today, a mounting body of evidence shows that the grain has the potential to aid in addressing some of our most pressing health concerns, including heart disease, diabetes, infammation, and neurocognitive and neurodegenerative conditions. Chia’s nutritional components have also proven integral to fetal and child development, positioning it to support the health of coming generations through pre- and postnatal nutrition.
Chia, too, is a food that supports the health of the planet. Requiring few resources to thrive in its native environment, the crop supports humanity’s need for increased sustainability, reduced water usage, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions in our global food supply. It also contributes little to no waste in terms of unusable byproducts. The versatile grains can be enjoyed whole (both raw or soaked) or cold-pressed into a nutrient-dense oil, while the leftover matter can be ground in a fber- and protein-rich four.
Altogether, chia’s nutrition, sustainability, and versatility make it a highly appealing option for consumers and food manufacturers. Discover Chia!
40 % of Dietary Fiber
22 % of Proteins
20 % of Omega-3
6 % of Omega-6
Chia’s History in a Nut (or Seed) Shell
Chia, or Salvia Hispánica L, is a native plant of the Central American sub-tropical region. A dietary staple of Aztec and Mayan societies, chia was consumed as a nourishing, high-energy grain and employed in tribal and religious ceremonies. It was so valuable, in fact, that the Aztecs used the crop as a form of currency.
Records indicate that chia sustained these advanced civilizations from as early as 3,500 B.C. The crop was banned and replaced with European food crops like wheat and barley when the Spaniards invaded South America in the 1500’s. Chia production largely lay dormant for several hundred years thereafter, until unexpectedly and enthusiastically reemerging in the late 20th century.
The banned crop …. Revived!
In the early 1990s, chia’s exceptional nutritional benefts and strong food industry potential earned it a spot in the Northwestern Argentina Regional Project (NWARP), a joint project of the University of Arizona and the Argentinean government aimed at identifying and producing alternative crops at industrial scale. Chia earned the heart—and trust—of a number of growers who provided the project with a formal business structure to support the seed's expansion. This cooperative eventually evolved into Benexia ®, the Chilean-based world’s foremost chia ingredient specialist company.
Today, chia has leapt from a little-known alternative crop to an industrial one, with between 60,000 and 100,000 tons produced annually. It has earned recognition from scientists and nutrition experts alike as a novel food ofering many of the nutritional properties currently lacking in human diets, such as omega-3 fatty acids, fber, protein, and a suite of potent phytochemicals.
The fact that chia is plant-based, free of gluten, zero net carbs, and high in protein has also made it popular among multiple dietary patterns, including vegan, low-carb/keto, and gluten-free diets.
That’s especially true due to the fact that chia is highly accessible, relatively afordable, and easy for consumers to use at home. At the same time, it can be incorporated into a wide range of functional foods to enhance their nutrition, improve palatability and textural performance, and strengthen a brand’s position as a supporter of sustainability.
A Highly Sustainable Food Source
Chia is, by its very nature, a highly sustainable crop. Grown in its native South America, where it evolved to thrive—it’s the right plant for the right place—and can be grown with minimal additional resources. Benexia, a fully integrated company specializing in the production, processing, and commercialization of chia and chia-based ingredients, has built on these inherent qualities to yield an eco-friendly farming production process that gives back the local environment, local communities, and the planet at large. Ultimately, chia is a food people can feel good about.
REGENERATIVE GROWING PRACTICES AND HARVESTING METHODS
From planting to harvesting, Benexia practices regenerative agriculture to achieve lower carbon and water footprints. These practices are incorporated by the brand's farming partners in Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay.
It starts with sustaining and facilitating 30 to 40-meter-wide natural barriers between chia felds. These barriers, consisting of a biodiverse network of native forest, allow chia plants to grow and thrive while supporting the wellbeing and reproduction of the local fora and fauna - from the kapok or silk-cotton tree and the Brazilian fern tree to the brown capuchin, the collared anteater, and the scarlet-headed blackbird. Once the chia seeds are planted, it's up to Mother Nature to turn on the water works: Benexia's farms rely solely on rainfall as a watering source, foregoing additional irrigation inputs and preserving the region's natural water reserves. This, of course, is made possible by the fact that chia has evolved to thrive in Benexia's hyperlocal growing regions. When you put a plant in the right climate, it doesn't need much beyond simple human stewardship to thrive.
No-till practices are employed when it's time for the chia to be harvested. Foregoing tilling preserves organic matter, allowing the soil to retain more nutrients, reduce CO2 emissions, limits soil erosion, and preserves insect life. It also helps the soil hold onto more moisture, creating additional humidity for future crops to fourish.
It's important to note that this no-till policy doesn't just support the environment. It yields a highly nutritious product that food manufacturers can rely on. Chia's nutrient composition (and indeed, the nutrient composition of all plant foods) is dependent on the health of the soil in which it’s grown. Foregoing tilling allows for the harvest of chia seeds with the highest omega-3 and antioxidant capacity, while ensuring greater nutritional consistency as well as product stability and shelf life. This, in turn, translates to a higher-quality product overall with better favor.
99.95%
the level of purity of chia seeds grown, cleaned and processed by Benexia.
After a couple years of carefully monitored harvests, chia felds are left to rest crop-free for 1-2 years during which grasses are planted and animals can graze. Once the land has been fully replenished and the soil’s inherent nutrient composition is again optimal, a new crop is planted. These crop rotation practices support healthier soil, which in turn yields greater crop resilience as well as more reliable local economic activity.
CLEAN, NO-WASTE PRODUCTION METHODS
Fresh from the feld, Benexia's newly-harvested chia seeds are processed without the use of gas or water. Seeds are cleaned and separated using physical processes such as airfow and density-based separation methods, yielding a fnal seed product that's 99.95% pure.
From there, all parts of the seeds are used to ensure that nothing is lost - and no resources are wasted. After the seeds are cleaned, they are pasteurized with a specialized, organically certifed process that uses no solvents, chemicals, or water, while the omega-3 rich chia oil is extracted from the seeds via a single cold pressing to retain maximum nutrition capacity. The oil is cleaned and purifed through a flter, that, again, requires no chemicals or solvents.
Once the oil is extracted from the seeds, the leftover fbrous matter is dried and milled to separate the fber from the protein. The powdered chia fber and protein, now a fne four, can be incorporated into baked goods, pizza crusts, breads, and more, as a source of zero-waste, functional nutrition.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Considering Benexia's commitment to the planet, it may come as no surprise that, since its founding in 2005, the company is equally dedicated to supporting the welfare of its local communities. Benexia is aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goals and is on track to complete its B Corporation certifcation by 2023.
As a vertically integrated company, 50% of Benexia's partner shareholders are chia seed farmers. This guarantees fair pricing and technical support within the company's supply chain as well as full traceability of their ingredients.
Seeds of
Potential:
Present and Future Applications
Chia's versatility as a whole seed, oil, and four unlocks vast potential for healthier, more satisfying, and more sustainable eating at home. It also provides manufacturers with opportunities to ofer a broad array of food products made with chia ingredients that are delicious, nutritious, and optimized to meet a range of health needs.
Chia at the Consumer Table
Chia seeds are widely available at most large grocery stores as well as online - so they're easy for shoppers to fnd. They're also highly afordable, especially when compared to many other sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such as seafood. And when stored properly (in a dry, cool place), chia seeds also boast a long shelf life.
Most important, though, is the fact that they're simple for consumers to use in meals and snacks. They're an easy way to add protein, fber and healthy fats to smoothies and can be soaked overnight to make satisfying breakfast puddings. Thanks to their binding ability, they're highly efective at replacing eggs or fat in baked goods. Their thickening power even aids in making fruit compotes and jams without the need for much added sugar.
Chia seeds absorb up to 12 times their weight in water. This allows them to add a moist and consistent texture to any recipe or application.
Benexia Chia Low Moisture (LM)
Our Benexia Chia Seed LM benefts from a “in-house” unique and innovative, natural, chemical-free sterilization process (with no additive, and residue free) that ensures a third party validated Log-5 Salmonella reduction in chia seed, and a free from pathogens product, with the lowest-microbial load and lowest-moisture content.
It has been specially designed for the highest and most strict food safety specifcations and applications. The system provides simultaneous pasteurization, disinfestation and enzyme inactivation efects, and is applicable to both conventional and organic product. Benexia® Chia Seed LM fully maintain the nutritional quality of Benexia chia seed, and its sensorial characteristics.
Benexia LM Processing
A 5-log validated kill step to secure the most strict food industry requirements.
The cleanest technology for the purest seed
The lowest moisture content by specifcation <7%
• A water-free heat treatment process, that avoid chia mucilage release during the treatment process, compared to other sterilizations methods (dry steam pasteurization system).
• An increased and secured product’s shelf life stability thanks to the reduced seed water activity.
A 100% naturally disinfected and disinfested chia seed
• Reducing and eliminating potential hazard of larvae and moth contamination.
The only 100% “non-sprout” chia
• Exclusive for food and nutraceutical industry.
• With zero risk of environmental impact by sprouting chia (wildlife biodiversity).
• With zero risk of chia sprouting and fermenting in liquid applications.
100% food safety, with 5 Log reduction in key pathogens
• Minimizing any risk of pathogen contamination.
• Ensuring food safety for any raw fnished product application.
• A sterilized material for infant and senior products, where food safety and security must be guaranteed.
100% natural, organic, chemical-free process, and dry process
• Certifed Organic.
• Keeping all the valuable nutritional content of the chia seed, guaranteeing no residues in the fnal product.
• Our technology is a NON-IONIZING process, a convectional centric heating (high volumetric thermal), validated by USA FDA Chap 21 and EU Regulation EC 258/97.
The safest specifcations
• Chia seed food ingredients: compared nutritional contents
The most demanding certifcations
• Benexia’s processes are all certifed under GFSI / FSSC 22000 standards, which treatment process is continuously monitored, achieving the correct temperature and time in each seed in order to reach Log-5 reduction under the specifc and exclusive parameters that were tested by a recognized 3rd party pathogen kill research laboratory in USA.
• With Organic, Halal, and Kosher certifcations.
9.0 %
500,000 CFU/g
1,000 CFU/g Yeast
Moulds
Coliforms
Enterobacteriaceae
Staphylococcus aureus
Bacillus cereus
10,000 CFU/g
10,000 CFU/g
10,000 MPN/g
5,000 CFU/g
100 CFU/g
100 CFU/g
100 CFU/g
100 CFU/g
10 MPN/g
10 CFU/g
10 CFU/g
10 CFU/g
E. Coli - Absence
Salmonella
Absence (0/375g)
Chia as Functional Food Ingredients
Chia seeds can be pressed into a highly nutritious oil or pulverized to make similarly potent fours. A fber-rich four for baking, called Xia Powder 435 W LM, or a protein-rich four for beverages, called Xia Powder 125 W LM. All of these ingredients boast high functionality and versatility, making them useful tools for functional food manufacturers to create products that meet the favor and nutrition needs of health-minded consumers while delivering on palatability and stability.
CHIA FIBER FLOUR
A byproduct of the chia oil production process, chia fber has high potential as an ingredient for food manufacturers while diverting highly nutritious food matter away from landflls. Made from pure, pulverized chia seeds, Benexia chia fber is produced through our Microtech® technology. The result is a functional, alternative four ideal for the clean snack and baking category.
From a nutrition perspective, chia fber four consists of 56% fber and 25% protein and is an excellent source of omega-3 fats.
And since it’s milled from pure white, it yields a pale, golden-colored four that won’t negatively impact the appearance of baked products with a traditional ‘whole grain’ color. These attributes make it a wholesome and visually acceptable choice that can stand in partially or fully for wheat four in a variety of better-for-you baked applications including: bread, tortillas, pizza dough, cookies, mufns, brownies, cakes, wafes, pancakes, crepes, bagels, fatbreads, pie crusts, and more.
XIA POWDER 435 W LM
56% of Dietary Fiber
25% of Proteins
5% of Omega-3
Microtechnology
Benexia ® Xia Powder 435 W LM is processed by Microtech®, an exclusive and proprietary technology designed by Benexia. Microtech® is a natural and organic micro-milling process that turns the chia into a clean and pure ingredient at low temperature without needing additives, processing aid ingredients, solvents, or enzymes. Microtech® provides an ingredient with a standardized particle size that ofers application versatility. This pasteurized product has a unique nutritional content, great favor, and exceptional shelf life.
In addition to delivering added nutrition, chia fber is highly functional - it can make healthy baked goods taste better and last longer.
With a high viscosity, the four can be used to replace eggs, gums and thickeners (such as xanthan gum and guar gum), and oils. Its impressive absorption rate (up to 20 its own weight) means that the four can also be utilized to help baked goods retain moisture, maintain shelf life, and achieve a more palatable texture and crumb. Benexia has pioneered the development of bakery applications with the use of chia fber. Collaborating with industry baking partners, these partners have paved the way for innovation in the feld of keto- and low carb-friendly baked goods such as cookies, mufns, breads, and more.
Indeed, chia fber contains <1 g net carbs, making it a shoe-in potential in the ketogenic/low-carb baking space.
Removing key baked good ingredients such as wheat four, sugar, or starches doesn’t just pose favor challenges, it can also have a signifcant efect on texture. Chia fber is a keto-friendly four that can solve these problems. Its thickening and emulsifying properties enhance the texture and crumb of low-carb baked goods without the need for traditional fours or added sweeteners.
Important to point out, too, is the fact that chia fber is naturally gluten-free. This makes it an appealing alternative to lower-nutrition ingredients often found in the gluten-free sphere, such as white rice four, potato starch, and tapioca starch. Not only does it deliver added nutrition, it performs on key functions such as binding, emulsifying, and raising. In fact, replacing 10% of any starch source in the bakery with chia fber provides an additional 3.2 g fber, 1.3 g of protein, and 300 mg omega-3s without a reduction in baking functionality.
More than 20% Protein in Chia Fiber Flour
Here’s how the ingredient stacks up against other high-protein plant fours 50 .
A versatile, natural, functional, clean-label fber for high protein and nutritional baking.
Benexia ® Xia Powder 435 W LM is a multifunctional, highprotein fber concentrate extracted from the chia seed with a total dietary fber content of up to 56%, 25% plant protein with high biological value, and 5% omega-3.
The perfect solution to enrich your bakery products in fber, protein, and omega-3 with a single ingredient.
Benexia brings an innovative, functional, and clean-label fber solution with great nutrition. 6 g (2 tablespoons) of Benexia Xia Powder 435 W LM per serving will provide to the fnished baked good the following claims:
• Source of fber (3 g per 100 g of bread),
• 1.5 g of proteins, and
• Source of omega-3 (300 mg per 100 g of bread).
A perfectly balanced dietary fber Compared analysis of the total dietary fber composition of diferent fber ingredients:
TOTAL DIETARY FIBER (TDF)
Unsoluble fber
Soluble fber
Xia Powder 435 W LM for baking applications
Benexia® Xia Powder 435 W LM is the perfect solution to enrich your bakery products in fber, protein, and omega-3 with a single ingredient. Replace additives, improve your yield and the shelf life of your product.
WATER ABSORPTION CAPABILITY/ YIELD IMPROVEMENT
Soluble + insoluble fiber + protein = water absorption capability of 20 times its weight.
• It improves yield by adding more water to the formula.
• It supports a low water activity and ensures a longer shelf life with more water added than its original formulation.
• It shows a direct beneft on the cost of the fnished products.
TEXTURE IMPROVER
Brings texture and consistency to the dough formation.
TEXTURE RESILIENCE
The soluble fber (chia mucilage) has a pseudo-plasticity characteristic similar to emulsifers and gums, which helps increase dough elasticity and keep a sponge and fexible texture of the crumb.
CLEAN LABEL AND REDUCTION ON FOOD ADDITIVES
Xia Powder 435 W LM helps reduce the usage of food and baking additives, such as eggs, stabilizers, and emulsifers, allowing developing products with fewer ingredients: simpler, cleaner, more natural ingredients listed per customers' expectations.
A GREAT SENSORIAL QUALITY
Xia Powder 435 W LM provides a sensorial "whole food" profle in favor and color, aligning with consumers' expectations.
We know that adding dietary fber to bakery formulation can result in dry texture, low volume, and shorter shelf life for the fnal product. Nevertheless, a sensory evaluation with 15 expert panelists on a fber bread elaborated with Xia Powder 435 W LM has provided excellent results. When compared with a currently marketed standard whole wheat bread, the sensory evaluation data indicated the consumers' preference for the crumb and the color of the chia bread.
Bakery Concepts Applications
Add health and nutrition to your fnished product with Benexia® Xia Powder 435 W LM
Xia powder 435 W LM contains more than 50% fber, both soluble and insoluble.
Ideal to help to close the fber gap, with exceptional beneft in gut health.
6 g of Xia Powder 435 W LM per portion is equivalent to a 3 g/serving source of fber.
Nutritional claim "high in or source of dietary fber."
Xia Powder 435 W LM contains more than 20% protein, more than any cereal four.
6 g of Xia Powder 435 W LM per portion is equivalent to a 1.5 g/serving of protein of high biological value.
Xia Powder 435 W LM contains more than 5% of omega-3 ALA.
6 g of Xia Powder 435 W LM per portion is equivalent to 320 mg/serving of omega-3 ALA, 20% of the daily requirement.
Follow the Trend!
Benexia ® Xia Powder 435 W LM is an excellent ingredient to reach modern consumer trends:
• Protein plus
• Fiber plus
• Nutrition booster
• Better-for-you food
• Clean label
• Natural
• Keto
• Low carb
• Allergen-free
• Gluten-free
• Non-GMO
• Simplicity
• Social and environmental responsibility
• Kosher
• Halal
High in fber (56%), protein (25%), and healthy fats (10%), this ingredient is ideal for value-added products: gluten-free, low-carb, keto, plant-based, Kosher and Halal.
CLAIMS TO CONSUMER
Whole food: chia is considered a healthy ingredient.
Clean labeling: non-GMO, 100% natural manufacturing process.
Allergen-free: chia does not fall in any of the +20 allergen categories.
Gluten-free.
Keto-friendly.
Sustainable and environmental friendly.
Regulatory status of Benexia® Xia Powder 435 W LM in Europe
Benexia® Xia Powder 435 W LM is a naturally occurring dietary fber approved as Novel Food by EFSA
In April 2020, the ingredient “Xia powder 435 LM” [Partially defatted chia seed (Salvia hispanica) powder with a high fber content] was authorized, under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283, as a Novel Food in diferents food categories The following uses were authorized for the Novel Food (Union list, Regulation (EU) 2017/2470):
Food supplements excluding food supplements for infants and young children 12 g/day
Food Categories are defned in Annex II Part D of Regulation (EC) Nº 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and Council of December 16th , 2008 on food additives (OJ354, 31.12.2008, p.16-33).
HEAT-TREATED FOOD PRODUCTS
For heat-treated product applications, the high-fber Chia Powder, Xia Powder 435 LM, has received an Extension of Use in new food categories that include cakes and pastries, processed fruit and vegetables (including vegetable-based dishes), bread and rolls, pasta-based products, and protein products, with the following maximum level of use:
AUTHORIZED NOVEL FOOD SPECIFIC LABELLING REQUIREMENT
defatted chia seed
Food Categories are defned in Annex II Part D of Regulation (EC) Nº 1333/2008 of the European Parliament and Council of December 16th , 2008 on food additives (OJ354, 31.12.2008, p.16-33).
The EU granted exclusivity for Benexia and this Novel Food extension of use by protecting the scientifc data produced for 5 years (from October 2023). That means only the BENEXIA Xia Powder 435 W LM specifcation is authorized on the market for 5 years.
Please contact us for the full regulatory references at info@benexia.com
CHIA FIBER VERSUS PSYLLIUM HUSK
in Bakery Product
Assessment of the Properties of Chia Fiber Versus Psyllium Husk in Bakery Products
The relationship between food and health has an increasing impact on the food industry due to the importance of a healthy diet on the quality of life. Therefore, nutraceutical components coming from plant sources are good choices for developing new food with special health-enhancing characteristics.
Dietary fber is one of the critical nutraceutical components that can be used in the food industry. Dietary fber is the edible part of plants or analogous carbohydrates resistant to digestion and adsorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine1. Dietary fber can be categorized as insoluble and soluble dietary fber. The main dietary fber components are cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, pectin, gums, and starch. Among these, cellulose and resistant starch are insoluble, but the others are soluble2 .
In recent years, dietary fber has received increasing attention from researchers and from the industry due to its benefcial efects on health: the reduction of coronary heart-related diseases, cholesterol levels, diabetes incidence, and risk of colon cancer3 . In addition to health benefts, dietary fber is also an essential constituent due to its functional properties. It can modify fber-supplemented food products' consistency, texture, and sensory characteristics 4 . Also, it can enhance food stability during production and storage5
Several studies have shown the efect of fber addition on bread quality. Increased consumption of whole grains and fber are two of the main dietary actions that could most efectively reduce people’s mortality 6,7. However, consumption of whole grains is low, mainly due to their lower sensory quality and a lack of knowledge on processing them 8,9 .
Hydrocolloid addition has been proposed to improve the production of wholegrain bread10. Hydrocolloids (gums) have excellent functional characteristics such as emulsifying, gelling, solubility, and textural improvement. In bakery products, hydrocolloids improved dough performance, bread and cake features, sensory quality, and shelf-life extension.
Several studies reported the potential use of hydrocolloids in bread, biscuits, cakes, and pasta formulation. The most common and new hydrocolloids xanthan, guar, arabic, carrageenan, karaya, alginate, acacia, methylcellulose, carboxy methyl cellulose, hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose, locust bean, balangu seed, wild sage seed, and the mucilage from psyllsium husk and chia fber, provides diferent rheological, physicochemical, textural, and quality characteristics of bakery products11,12,13
Psyllium and chia fbers are natural products with a high-water absorption capacity and have a similar efect to xanthan gum when combined with starchy substances14 .
Psyllium and chia fber mucilage is a hydrocolloid found in the husk of seeds with a high-water absorption capacity. Psyllium husk and chia seed are mainly composed of fber, particularly an excellent mix of soluble and insoluble fber (table 1). The benefcial health efects of this kind of fber consumption have been widely studied. They include preventing constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), infammatory bowel disease-ulcerative colitis, colon cancer, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. These topics have been addressed in excellent literature reviews15,16
In addition to the health benefts, psyllium and chia fber mucilage present water-binding, gelling, and structurebuilding properties that can increase the dough viscosity, strengthen the boundaries of the expanding cells, increase gas retention during baking, and improve the volume, in addition to reducing the loss of crumb moisture, softness, cohesiveness, and springiness during storage, thus improving the structure, texture, appearance, acceptance, and shelf life17,18 , along with fber enrichment, which decreases the glycemic index17. It is important to note that chia fber contains protein, healthy fatty acids, and minerals in a greater quantity than psyllium fber (table 1).
NUTRIENTS
Benexia® Xia Powder 435 W LM concentrates the fber fraction of chia seed up to 56% and is widely used as a fber ingredient in the bakery and snack industry. It is very appreciated for its functional properties, and its nutritional characterics (low carb, keto, gluten free, high protein, high fber, and omega-3).
Table 1.
Nutritional content aspects of Psyllium husk19 and Chia fber20, 21 compared.
PSYLLIUM HUSK CHIA FIBER (Benexia ® Xia Powder 435 W LM)
Chia fber and psyllium husk as binders in bakery products
EFFECT OF CHIA ADDITION ON DOUGH MIXING/OVERMIXING PROPERTIES
Dough absorption increases as the amount of psyllium increases (Table 2); it increases by 67% when 10% of psyllium is incorporated, a result that is in accordance with psyllium’s high water absorption capacity22 . When chia fber was included, the water absorption increased to values between 58.5 and 59.5 %, despite the reduction in gluten content, in agreement with fndings reported for fbers from various sources and hydrocolloids 23,24 . This was mainly due to the high water-binding capacity of mucilage from fber fractions.
The same observations were made by other researchers who conducted farinographic analysis incorporating hydrocolloids, such as xanthan gum, with similar functionality to chia fber20,21 or psyllium14,25 . The need to increase the dough's hydration when the psyllium content is increased has also been observed in gluten-free bread26
BREAD PERFORMANCE
The higher specifc volumes noticed in samples containing chia fber are due to better integration of mucilage into the dough20. Hydrocolloids—as mucilage—could improve loaf volume by forming hydrophilic complexes between their ionic groups and gluten proteins and can establish hydrophobic interactions. These doughs could generally support greater expansion during fermentation, reaching higher loaf volumes.
No signifcant diference has been observed in the specifc volume of the bread or weight loss during baking with the incorporation of psyllium. Therefore, despite adding more water during the kneading process, the volume of the bread is not reduced, and the excess water is not lost in the baking process, so that the fnal bread will be moister and juicier27
QUALITY OF FRESH BREAD
The inclusion of chia fber produces bread with a signifcant increase in specifc volume20. The volume increase could be due to the mucilage network, which interacts with the gluten network 28 . Hydrocolloids give a more porous structure to the gluten network, permitting greater stability and expansion of the dough during fermentation28 . The texture parameters, crumb frmness, cohesiveness, and chewiness did not show signifcant diferences. Chewiness represents the energy required to masticate a solid food product to a state ready for swallowing, and it is related to the primary parameters of frmness, cohesiveness, and elasticity29. In some investigations, a decreasing trend in chewiness was observed with chia ingredients and crumb frmness 21,35 In general, the inclusion of hydrocolloids in bread doughs improves the texture profle of the crumb, reducing its hardness 28
Regarding bread texture, incorporating psyllium reduces bread hardness and chewiness and increases cohesiveness and resilience. The increase in hardness observed during bread storage is also reduced, improving
shelf life. This improvement in shelf life was already observed by Fratelli et al. 30
The reduction in hardness may also be due to lower starch content, as this hardness is partly due to amylopectin retrogradation phenomena and changes in moisture redistribution31. Therefore, it may also indicate better water retention and less drying out of the bread.
This is perhaps an essential diference in baked goods regarding psyllium or chia fber. Chia fber provides functional, technological, or sensory properties and exceptional nutritional content.
Chia and psyllium fber in bread increases water absorption capacity and dough hydration, improves loaf volume, reduces hardness during bread storage, and improves shelf life.
NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
Bread has higher values for moisture and fber and lower values for protein, ash, and non-fber carbohydrates (starch) with increasing psyllium content 27. While the incorporation of chia fber in the formulation signifcantly increased protein, lipid, and ash content and decreased the starch20.
It is not only about soluble or insoluble fber such as psyllium but also high-quality vegetable protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants, essential nutrients in a healthy diet 20. That, together with the contribution of dietary fber, these breads are a real contribution to the prevention of chronic diseases.
Table 2.
and Nutritional contributions of
Chia fber provides not only soluble or insoluble fber such as psyllium but also high-quality vegetable protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants, essential nutrients in the context of a healthy diet.
SENSORY ACCEPTABILITY
Usually, a signifcant problem with healthy bread is its acceptability is often low. The studies show that incorporating chia fber or psyllium husk improved the taste and texture of the bread. Their higher acceptability may also be related to the reduction in the denser crumb texture typical of whole-meal bread27 due to their higher water content. This higher water content gives them a greater juiciness which consumers appreciate in their comments.
Moisture
bread with diferent levels of Psyllium husk 27 and Chia fber20,21
It should also be noted that the tasters were not given any nutritional information about the bread. Providing adequate nutritional details, highlighting the lower calorie values of psyllium bread, their higher fber content, and the advantages of consuming psyllium and wholegrain products could further increase the value of psyllium bread, as has already been demonstrated with beta-glucan bread32
In general, the consumers indicated that the products had a low-salt taste. Salt reduction in manufactured foods is one of the Food Standards Agency aims, and a challenge facing all EU governments and industries is to reduce salt intake, the target salt level for bread being 1.1/100 g 20
Chia fber and psyllium husk as binders for gluten-free baking
Gluten-free sourdough baked goods have the distinct disadvantage of lacking the binding that creates the wheat products we are familiar with. However, there are ways to replace the binding action of gluten with other binders. Many binders are already used in baked goods, such as eggs in wheat-based pancakes and desserts. Therefore, it is important to include a binding agent in many gluten-free baked goods, especially those dependent on gluten for structure, such as yeast bread, pasta, and the like.
Chia fber or psyllium husk improved the taste and texture of the bread. Their higher acceptability may also be related to the reduction in the denser crumb texture typical of whole-meal bread.
In gluten-free baked goods, hydrocolloids are commonly used as thickening agents that increase dough viscosity and bind water to improve texture, volume, and quality. In addition to their advantages for the technological properties of gluten-free products, hydrocolloids may impact the fnal product’s glycemic index16, 20. Particularly, fber increases satiety after eating and reduces food's glycemic index 26 . As a result, hydrocolloids such as psyllium husk and chia fber are crucial materials for gluten-free four30,33,34
DISCLAIMER
Please note that the following information is intended for business-to-business use and should not be interpreted as scientifc or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. For labeling or advertising purposes aimed at end consumers, it is essential to take into account the specifc regulatory information relevant to the country or region in question.
Benexia ® holds no responsibility for any damages that may arise from relying on or using the information provided in this document. Additionally, the content of this document is subject to change without prior notice.
References
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2. Raghavendra, S.N. & Rastogi, Navin & Raghavarao, Ksms & Tharanathan, R.N.. (2004). Dietary fber from coconut residue: Efects of diferent treatments and particle size on the hydration properties. European Food Research and Technology. 218. 563-567.
3. Lairon D, Arnault N, Bertrais S, Planells R, Clero E, Hercberg S, Boutron-Ruault MC. Dietary fber intake and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in French adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Dec;82(6):1185-94.
4. Collar C, Rosell CM, Muguerza B, Moulay L. Breadmaking performance and keeping behavior of cocoa-soluble fber-enriched wheat breads. Food Sci Technol Int. 2009;15:79–87.
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10. Tebben, L, Li, Y. Efect of xanthan gum on dough properties and bread qualities made from whole wheat four. Cereal Chem. 2019; 96: 263– 272.
11. Lazaridou, Athina & Duta, Denisa & Papageorgiou, Maria & Belc, Nastasia & Biliaderis, Costas. (2007). Efects of hydrocolloids on dough rheology and bread quality parameters in gluten-free formulations. Journal of Food Engineering. 79. 1033-1047. 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2006.03.032.
12. Herawati H. Hydrocolloids to the efects of gluten free bakery products. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. 2019;1295(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1295/1/012052
13. Salehi, F. Efect of common and new gums on the quality, physical, and textural properties of bakery products: A review. J Texture Stud. 2020; 51: 361– 370. https://doi.org/10.1111/jtxs.12482
14. Belorio M., Gómez M. Efect of hydration on gluten-free breads made with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in comparison with psyllium and xanthan gum. Foods. 2020;9:1548
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Xia Powder 435 W LM
Nutritional Data Sheet
PRODUCT
Benexia® Xia Powder 435 White LM
REFERENCE CODE
XP435WLM
XP435WOLM
DATE
June 2023
1: As this is a natural product, the values reported as typical may vary.
2: Calorie calculation (common conversion factors): In the US, use the 4-4-9 method, which assumes that each gram of protein contributes 4 calories to the caloric total, each gram of carbohydrates contributes 4 calories (less the amount of non-digestible carbohydrates), and each gram of fat contributes 9 calories (FDA).
3: In Canada and in the European Union, use the 4-4-9 adjusted for fber. A value of 2 calories (8 kJ) per gram should be used for the dietary fber portion of the fber source.
Xia Powder 435 W LM
Technical Data Sheet
PRODUCT
Benexia® Xia Powder 435 White LM
REFERENCE CODE
XP435WLM
DATE
May 2023
DESCRIPTION
Benexia ® Xia Powder 435 White LM is a chia fber powder that boasts a fber content of up to 56 %, featuring particle sizes smaller than 435 microns. This powder is derived from partially defatted Benexia ® White Chia LM through MicroTechTM technology. These seeds undergo a 100% natural and chemical-free pasteurization process for disinfestation and disinfection, guaranteeing a pathogen-free product.
INGREDIENTS
100% partially defatted milled chia
FORMAT AND PACKAGING MATERIAL
20Kg LDPE inner and kraft outer bags.
BEST BEFORE DATE AND STORAGE
36 months, stored in a cool dry place in original unopened package.
Recommended storage conditions: Temperature <25 oC and <60 % of relative humidity.
CERTIFICATIONS
FSSC 22000
Halal and Kosher
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Additives: Free GMO: Free
Allergens: According to allergen assessment.
Contaminants: Comply with regulation.
Suitable diets: Gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, keto, and low carb.
APPLICATIONS
Food, beverage, and nutraceutical ingredient.
REGULATION
Partially defatted milled chia has been approved as Novel Food (Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/500).
Custom Tariff Code: 23.06.9000
Origin: Chile.
Microbiological
aureus2
6888-1 B. cereus2
10 CFU/g
chap. 14 Cl. perfringens2
L. monocytogenes2 Absence
Salmonella spp.2
Contaminants
* Or equivalent method 1: Analysed per lot production 2: Analysed per yearly productions
11290-1
Benexia, a leader in the industry
Benexia ® is since the year 2000 the best quality chia producer worldwide. Benexia is vertically integrated: from agricultural production to fnal ingredients and solutions (plant cultivation, production, extraction, concentration processes, and ingredients development).
Benexia guarantees traceability from the felds and certifed quality (GAP, GMP-HACCP, and FSSC 22000), Halal, and Kosher.
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A group of passionate people fully devoted to our customers, with a great sense of service and love for health and well-being. We ofer support in formulation, nutrition, scientifc and regulatory matters, with the best experts to assist your needs.
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