London, 21 May 2013 – Tate Lyle, a global provider of food ingredients and solutions, announces the expansion of its instant starch production capacity at its European flagship manufacturing facility in Koog aan de Zaan, The Netherlands.

This investment will enable Tate Lyle to meet the growing demand for speciality starches, including its MERIGEL™ range of pre-gelatinised starches, which are used as a thickener or stabiliser in a wide range of applications including instant puddings, pie fillings, soups, sauces, salad dressings, mayonnaise and snack products.

James Blunt, Senior Vice President Product Management Speciality Food Ingredients, said: “Two key factors are driving the growth of our MERIGEL™ range: firstly product innovation, such as fat reduction or exciting new developments in recipes, and secondly, the need for non-GM ingredients in a number of markets is also a key driver in Europe as well as in some other markets around the world.

Luis Fernandez, Vice President of Global Applications said, “The MERIGEL™ range is perfect for manufacturers who are committed to functional food innovation. Our global innovation network helps manufacturers undertake new product development with functional food starches and our increased production capacity lets us better meet the growing demand for this versatile and innovative range.”

Clotilde Feuillade, Texturants Product Manager at Tate Lyle said, “Consumers are placing more emphasis than ever before on a balanced diet and with ingredients like MERIGEL™ 300 and MERIGEL™ 301 we can help manufacturers of snack products reduce fat content while maintaining a full, indulgent taste and a crunchy texture at no extra cost. Another example of the versatility of MERIGEL™ is in mayonnaise production where our instant modified starches, such as the MERIGEL™ 34X series, help overcome manufacturers’ challenges to produce excellent dispersion, fast hydration and superior shear resistance.”