Texture: The Key to Success in Food & Beverage
Why Clean Label Ingredients Make All The Difference
Texture has taken front & center stage in the evolving world of food & beverage formulation. Consumers are actively searching for multi-sensory experiences when indulging, otherwise known as food experiences.
In food and beverage, texture often mimics sensations like pop, crisp, chew, crunch and melt. From the structured bite of a dense protein bar to the creamy consistency of plant based yogurt, texture is undeniably memorable. These textural complexities provide consumers with elevated eating experiences, and in many cases, it’s often what drives a repeat purchase.
Clean Label Solutions: The Era of Reformulation
As regulatory changes and clean label trends continue to drive growth, formulators are faced with ongoing reformulation efforts. Replicating desirable textures without ingredients like gums, fillers and synthetic additives can be challenging.
Plant proteins, native starches, functional sweeteners and plant based lecithin are some of the ingredients capable of replicating the textural complexity of many synthetic agents.
Strategically combining these ingredients with others promotes a shift that isn’t just about substitutions, but about innovating with purpose.
Let’s explore how these Organic & Non-GMO ingredients are helping serve as clean label texture solutions across modern food and beverage formulations.
Plant Proteins: Clean Label Texture Builders
Protein is more than just a nutritional powerhouse—it’s a dynamic texture builder that can contribute mouthfeel, chew and stability to various formulations.
Plant proteins, in particular, deliver specific textural functionality—such as emulsification, structure enhancing and gelling properties—that impact finished product outcomes differently.
Austrade’s variety of Organic & Non-GMO Plant Proteins are free from carriers and additives, and serve as excellent solutions for clean label texture. Our plant proteins deliver strong performance while supporting transparent product labels, making them ideal for modern food and beverage innovation.
- Organic, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free Oat Protein: Adds smooth viscosity with a clean mouthfeel & neutral flavor. A versatile choice for gluten-free baked goods and dairy alternatives!
- Organic & Non-GMO Pea Protein: Known for its high protein content and neutral taste, yellow pea protein offers textural complexity to gluten-free baked goods, beverages, meat alternatives, sauces & extruded snacks. It also serves as an excellent protein source for consumers with food allergies or dietary restrictions given its hypoallergenic nature.
- Organic & Non-GMO Pumpkin Protein: Naturally rich in fiber and nutrients, pumpkin protein is available in Roasted and Unroasted options. It contributes a dense bite and unique flavor profile ideal for bars, beverages and baked goods.
- Organic Heliaflor® Sunflower Protein Range: A standout performer, the proprietary Heliaflor® product line offers exceptional functionality from emulsification to water-binding properties. It enhances creaminess and protein content in dressings & spreads while maintaining a neutral flavor.
- Heliaflor® 55 adds an extra layer of functionality by enhancing additional applications such as dough, baked goods, and meat alternatives.
- Heliaflor® Cereals are an excellent clean label option for crisp inclusions in snack bars, protein balls and trail-mix blends.
- Heliaflor® Haché is a mono-ingredient meat alternative product made from 100% organic sunflower seeds! It replicates meat-like products to create outcomes as good as Grandma’s homemade meatball recipe.
- Organic & Non-GMO Wheat Germ Flakes: Nutritious and delicious, these nutrient-dense flakes add a desirable crunch & texture to a variety of food formulations. Ideal for cereals, granola clusters, and various snack applications.
- Organic & Non-GMO White Rice Protein: Known for improving structure in plant based formulations and gluten-free baked goods, white rice protein is highly digestible! The hypoallergenic nature of this product also makes it suitable for consumers with food allergies or dietary restrictions.
Native Starches: Clean Label Thickeners That Perform
Starches are the basis of many texture systems in the food & beverage industry. Native, minimally processed starches can provide texture that formulations need without compromising a product’s clean label.
Austrade offers a selection of Organic & Non-GMO Native Starches that are gently processed: natural, functional and free from chemical modification.
- Organic Native Potato Starch: From soups to snacks, organic potato starch is an ideal plant based alternative to gelatin and modified starches. Excellent for thickening, binding and as a crisping agent in extruded products, its high clarity and neutral flavor make organic potato starch highly versatile.
- Non-GMO Native Corn Starch: A staple thickener across industries, native corn starch is known for building viscosity, and its strong resistance to heat. Native corn starch is ideal for sauces, puddings, custards, and dairy alternatives where consistent gel strength is necessary.
- Organic & Non-GMO Native Rice Starch: A pure, odorless powder with very fine granularity, native rice starch has low viscosity and is used in various applications from confectionery coatings to ready-to-eat meals. It acts as an excellent stabilizer, excipient and thickener and is often used as a fat replacer across various fat-free formulations.
- Organic & Non-GMO Wheat Starch: This unmodified plant-based starch provides light crispness to snacks and baked goods while contributing a desirable bite to noodles and confectionery applications. Organic Gluten-Free Wheat Starch available by request.
Clean Label Sweeteners: Texture Beyond Sweetness
Sweeteners are known for contributing the obvious (sweetness) to a variety of food and beverage applications. But did you know that they can also take on important functional and structural roles in food & beverage systems?
Dextrose Monohydrate and Crystalline Fructose are both produced to combine easily with other ingredients. They effectively support cleaner formulations without sacrificing texture or performance.
Austrade offers a selection of Organic & Non-GMO Sweeteners that provide functionality far beyond sweetening power.
- Organic & Non-GMO Dextrose Monohydrate: Derived from 100% corn, the fast-dissolving crystalline powder delivers a quick burst of energy with ~20-30% less sweetness than sugar.Humectant properties aid in moisture retention, and crystallization control aids in applications such as baked goods, confectionery, and beverages. Dextrose Monohydrate supports smooth textures and improves shelf life.
- Non-GMO Crystalline Fructose: Derived from 100% beet sugar, this nutritive clean label sweetener offers a low GI-score of around 20. Sweeter than sucrose, this ingredient offers a superior clean taste that is second to none—even table sugar. Crystalline fructose also helps modulate freezing points in frozen desserts and improves mouthfeel in fruit-based products and beverages.
The Winning Formula: Texture & Clean Labels
Texture is where emotion meets science. It’s the crunchy, satisfying bite, and the smooth & creamy mouthfeel. Sensory satisfaction is ultimately what creates memorable eating and drinking experiences. But it requires more than that to drive a repeat consumer purchase in 2025.
The brand differentiator?
Next-gen formulations that optimize texture and functionality with clean label synergy.
At Austrade Inc, we don’t just supply ingredients—we supply clean label texture solutions. Our team of ingredient experts support product formulation with decades of expertise, a reliable supply chain, and a strong commitment to Certified Organic and Non-GMO solutions.
Let’s Build Better Texture, Together
Whether your brand is launching a new innovation, improving an existing one, or reformulating for cleaner labels, Austrade Inc. is ready to support your business goals with functional ingredients that deliver on texture and transparency.
Explore Austrade’s full ingredient portfolio or contact our team to learn more about how we can best support your formulation goals.