Develop Free From Foods with Tapioca Starch
As consumers become more mindful of what they eat and how it impacts their overall well-being, the demand for healthier food choices is accelerating. Reflecting this momentum, the global health and wellness food market is projected to reach $1.6 trillion by 2030 (Grand View Research). This shift toward “purposeful eating” highlights the growing appetite for foods that deliver functional benefits beyond indulgence. Interest in probiotics, prebiotics, plant-based nutrition, low-sugar formulations, gut health support, and nutrient-enriched products continues to expand.
At the same time, consumers increasingly favor clean label options made with simple ingredients and free from artificial additives, along with free-from solutions such as gluten, dairy, and egg-free alternatives—making products more inclusive and accessible to a wider audience.
How SMS Tapioca Starch Supports Free-From Formulation
At SMS, we understand these challenges and turn them into a wide range of tapioca starch portfolios to replace unwanted ingredients that deliver exceptional texture, stability, eating quality and meet today’s health conscious trend.
Egg
Egg provides emulsification, aeration, binding, and moisture retention in many food products. Removing eggs may result in unstable emulsions, poor volume, and dry textures.
SMS starches help compensate by improving viscosity, moisture retention, and texture, enabling manufacturers to develop egg-free formulations with a creamy mouthfeel and consistent performance while catering to customers with sustainability concerns and dietary lifestyle.
Recommended product:
- Egg-free mayonnaise → EMULTEC® Series : emulsifier, mouthfeel
- Egg-less cake → S-TEX® V1: structure, viscosity, emulsifier
- Egg-free Bread Glaze → VERITY 809 : glossy appearance.
Gluten
Gluten is responsible for the structure, elasticity, and gas retention that give baked products their volume and soft texture. Without gluten, products often become dense, crumbly, dry, or lack volume, making it difficult to achieve the texture consumers expect.
SMS starch helps build structure, improve moisture retention, and enhance softness while contributing to better dough handling and eating quality. The result is gluten-free products with better texture, improved shelf life, and a more enjoyable eating experience.
Recommended product:
- Gluten-free bread → KREATION® D8 : moisture retention, soft and elastic, prolonged shelf life
- Gluten-free Batter → PREMIO WF: prolong crunchiness, reduce oil uptake
- Gluten-free pasta → GENIGEL® 52: binding ability | S-TEX® Series: firm & elastic texture
Gelatin
Gelatin is widely used for its gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties. Removing gelatin can result in weak gel strength, poor elasticity, syneresis, and undesirable texture, particularly in confectionery applications.
SMS Starche provides viscosity, gel formation that help improve texture, stability. It enables manufacturers to develop gelatin-free products with a pleasant mouthfeel and consistent quality.
Recommended product:
- Gelatin-free Gummies & Jelly dessert → KREATION® A115: gelatin structure, firm & elastic texture
Phostephates
Phosphates are commonly used in processed meat and seafood to improve water retention, texture, yield, and processing stability. Removing phosphates can lead to increased cooking loss, reduced juiciness, weaker texture, and lower product yield.
SMS Starch enhances water-binding capacity, improves texture, and helps maintain product yield during processing. It supports phosphate-free formulations by delivering tenderness, and a juicy texture throughout processing
Recommended product:
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Phosphatase-free Marinated meat → KREATION® 1202, Natura® WT600 (clean label): water retention, reduced cooking loss, enhanced cooking yield, juicier & tender bite
Casein
Casein contributes to creaminess, emulsification, viscosity, and protein stability in many dairy products. As manufacturers explore dairy-free alternatives or seek to reduce formulation costs, removing casein may lead to thinner textures, poor stability, phase separation, and reduced sensory appeal.
SMS starch enhances viscosity, improves stability, and creates a rich, creamy mouthfeel. It supports dairy-free formulations with excellent texture, sliceability, and processing stability.
Recommended product:
- Non-dairy creamer → KREAM DF: emulsion stable
- Plant-base yogurt → KREATION® YD: thickener >viscosity, syneresis, glossy
- Vegan cheese → EMULTEC® 280: emulsifier, prevent oil leak | KREAMERY® PK 19: firmness, sliceability | KREAMERY® 755: elastic texture
Fat Reduction
Fat contributes richness, lubrication, creaminess, and flavor release. Lowering fat content often results in thin textures, watery, or lacking the indulgent mouthfeel consumers expect.
SMS starch helps mimic the body and creaminess of fat by improving viscosity and texture. It enables reduced-fat formulations to maintain a rich sensory experience while supporting cleaner labels and more cost-effective formulations.
Recommended product:
- Fat-free Butter cream → KREAM 35: smooth texture, indulgent mouthfeel
- Fat-free yogurt → LYTETEC®: smooth texture, indulgent mouthfeel
Sugar Reduction
Sugar contributes much more than sweetness. It contributes bulk, moisture retention, viscosity, browning, and mouthfeel. Reducing sugar can negatively affect texture, stability, and overall sensory quality.
Functional starch helps restore the body, improve mouthfeel, and maintain product stability to meet the demand for health-conscious customers. It contributes to a satisfying eating experience without relying solely on sugar for functionality.
Recommended product:
- Sugar-free syrup in coated nuts → KREATION® FM: balanced viscosity