SunOpta expands oat fiber to meet low-carb demand
for its US oat fiber production facility. With more than 50 per
cent of Americans now believed to be following Atkins-style diets,
the ingredient is becoming increasingly popular in dietary foods.
Oat fiber, which is an ingredient low in available carbohydrates, absorbs up to seven times its weight in water making it useful for the bakery and snacks, dairy and meat industries. When added to bakery products, oat fiber allows for the production of low carbohydrate breads, pastries, muffins, bagels, tacos and tortillas.
The total sale of low-carb products and services in 2003 is expected to surpass $15 billion at year end. New low-carb products are therefore entering the market at more than three a day, reported LowCarbiz a weekly trade newsletter, recently.
In an attempt to meet demand,SunOpta has announced that it has approved a further 35 per cent expansion of its Minnesota facility to be implemented by March 2004. The total cost of the first two phases is estimated at $1.2 million.
SunOpta is assessing further operational capabilities at both its Cambridge and Louisville facilities in an effort to further production and optimize processing capabilities.
