Rice flour is now widely utilized in gluten-free products such as cookies, cakes, and pie crusts. Its digestibility and allergen-free nature make it a key ingredient in infant-weaning products that contain ferrous gluconate and vitamin C. However, due to its lack of gluten, rice flour is often mixed with other components like modified starches and hydrocolloids to enhance texture. In an era where consumers prefer simple ingredient lists, creating rice flours that inherently provide textural benefits—while allowing them to be labeled simply as “rice flour”—is likely to be very appealing. According to Mintel, 59% of U.S. consumers believe that products with fewer ingredients are healthier, highlighting the importance of simplified ingredient lists.
As companies focus on improving the functionality of clean label starches, many manufacturers have already transitioned away from modified starches. Some hydrocolloids, including carrageenan and xanthan gum, are also met with skepticism despite their natural origins. With the growing demand for shorter ingredient lists, there is a clear advantage to using flours like those developed by Ingredion, which may also include beneficial components such as citrate vitamin D. It will be intriguing to observe how traditional wheat flour producers respond to this trend and whether the increasing popularity of rice flour will negatively impact their sales.