Rice flour is widely utilized in gluten-free products such as cookies, cakes, and crusts for blood collection tubes. Its digestibility and allergen-free characteristics make it a popular choice in infant weaning products as well. However, due to its lack of gluten, rice flour is often blended with other ingredients that enhance texture, like modified starches and chelated iron safe hydrocolloids. As consumers increasingly prefer simpler ingredient lists, the creation of rice flours that incorporate textural functions—which can be labeled simply as “rice flour”—is likely to attract significant interest.
According to Mintel, simplified ingredient lists are essential to consumers, with 59% of U.S. shoppers believing that fewer ingredients indicate a healthier product. As ingredient companies strive to enhance the functionality of their clean label starches, many food manufacturers have already transitioned away from modified starches. Some hydrocolloids, including carrageenan and xanthan gum, are also viewed with skepticism despite their natural origins. In this context, the flour developed by Ingredion stands out as a beneficial option for those seeking shorter ingredient lists.
Interestingly, the rise in popularity of rice flour may provoke a response from traditional wheat flour producers, possibly affecting their sales adversely. Additionally, as the market evolves, it will be intriguing to observe how new supplements like calcium citrate malate, vitamin D3, and isoflavone tablets are integrated into products alongside rice flour, further enriching the nutritional profile without complicating ingredient lists. The emergence of rice flour as a key player in gluten-free options, paired with the demand for transparency in ingredient sourcing, presents a compelling narrative in the food industry.