Citrus Fiber Supplier
The Ettlinger Corporation is a citrus fiber supplier, providing a natural fiber that helps formulators raise stability and texture while controlling cost.
Made from citrus pulp using only physical processing, Citrus fiber provides clean-label and plant-based products with functional performance, without synthetic additives.
What Is Citrus Fiber?
Citrus fiber is a natural fiber produced from the pulp left after citrus juicing. The process uses physical methods without chemical modification, which opens the fiber so it can hold water and stabilize emulsions.
That makes citrus fiber useful across formulations where texture and stability matter, and it places citrus fiber among the best natural food emulsifiers for replacing synthetic stabilizers on an ingredient label.
The Functional Benefits of Citrus Fiber
Citrus fiber can perform several jobs at the same time in your formulation. Its fiber structure holds water and stabilizes emulsions, which lets it stand in for ingredients that brands increasingly want off the label. The main properties formulators rely on include:
- High water holding capacity, which improves moisture retention and lifts finished yield
- Emulsification that keeps oil and water systems stable in sauces and dairy
- Heat and pH stability that holds performance through cooking and low-pH conditions
- Freeze and thaw stability that protects texture in frozen and refrigerated products
- Natural mouthfeel and body, often without the added gums a formula would otherwise need
- A plant-based way to reduce synthetic stabilizers, phosphates, and fats
Because these functions overlap, a single citrus fiber grade can often replace two or more conventional additives, which simplifies both the ingredient label and the supply list.
How Citrus Fiber Performs in Formulation
For R&D teams, citrus fiber addresses specific reformulation goals. In processed meats, it supports phosphate reduction and higher cooked yields. In bakery and dairy, it lowers fat and egg use while holding viscosity and mouthfeel. For plant-based and vegan products, it controls syneresis, helping meat and dairy alternatives resist weeping and hold structure across a longer shelf life.
Because citrus fiber carries clean-label declarations, brand teams can remove synthetic E-numbers without sacrificing performance.
Applications and Markets
Citrus fiber works across the food and beverage industry because its functions are essential to so many different products. Ettlinger supplies it for a broad set of markets, including:
- Meat and Poultry: Phosphate reduction and higher cooked yields
- Dairy: Syneresis control and creamy mouthfeel in cultured products
- Bakery: Moisture retention and fat reduction in breads and cakes
- Snacks: Added strength and structure in chips and crackers
- Sauces: Emulsion stability and added viscosity in pourable and spoonable sauces
- Pet Snacks: Moisture retention and structure in treats and biscuits
- Industrial Frozen Desserts: Freeze and thaw stability and fat reduction in ice cream
- Dessert Jellies: Gelling support and pectin extension in jellies and fillings
- Confectionery: Heat and low-pH stability with pectin extension in gummies
- Health Products: Oil binding and added viscosity in bars and supplements
If your product is not on this list, the same water-holding and emulsification properties usually carry over, and our team can advise on the grade and usage level for a new application.
Clean Label and Certifications
Citrus fiber is the best choice for clean-label programs as it can be declared simply on packaging as 'citrus fiber,' with USDA-recognized options of citrus flour or dried citrus pulp.
It is Non-GMO Project Verified and made in the USA under GMP standards. Kosher- and Halal-certified grades are available, along with USDA Organic options. Citrus fiber is derived from a non-allergen source and presents essentially no allergenic risk to consumers.
Our staff can provide current specification sheets and certification documentation for the grade you are sourcing.
Citrus Fiber Grades and Specifications
Citrus fiber is available in a range of grades and mesh sizes, from coarse fibers to fine powders, as well as blends with guar or xanthan gum for added viscosity.
| Attribute | Citrus Fiber 100FG |
|---|---|
| Ingredient | Citrus fiber |
| Appearance | Fine, free-flowing beige powder |
| Water Holding Capacity | 6.0 to 10.0 g water per g dry material |
| Particle Size | 95% (plus or minus 4%) through a 100 mesh (150 µm) sieve |
| Moisture | 10% maximum |
| Packaging | 20 kg kraft bag, 50 bags per pallet |
| Storage | Clean, dry environment at ambient temperature |
| Shelf Life | 36 months from manufacture |
Frequently Asked Questions About Natural Food Emulsifiers
Citrus fiber is a white fiber isolated from citrus pulp — unlike gelatin or gums, which are animal- or plant-derived gelling agents. Its water holding and emulsification come from the fiber's physical structure, not chemical modification. It can reduce or remove gums while keeping a plant-based, vegan-friendly label.
Proper hydration matters to performance. Common methods include pre-blending it with dry ingredients at about ten times its weight or dispersing it into oil. It can also go directly into water when added slowly with strong agitation to avoid clumping. Shear opens the fiber and increases viscosity, so the mixing method can be tuned to the target texture.
Usage depends on the application and grade. Many food and beverage applications fall between roughly 0.1% and 1.0%, while texturized grades used for meat extension run higher. Our technical staff can recommend a starting level for your specific product.
Yes. The Citrus Fiber 400 series is USDA Certified Organic and can be used in place of the flagship 100-series grades. Contact our team to confirm availability for your formulation.
Yes. Citrus fiber performs in low-pH systems, with a functional range of about 3.5 to 6.0 for the 100FG grade, which is why it works in uses such as fruit and tomato products and acidified protein drinks.
Choose Ettlinger
serving you since the beginning of the 20th centuryAs a citrus fiber supplier, Ettlinger pairs citrus fiber with technical support and a supply chain structured for wholesale volume. Our staff match the right grade to your application and keep documentation current for your compliance needs. Tell us about your formulation, and we will help you make it work.
Contact Our Experts
Tell us your ideas and we’ll create the best product for you. Show us your application and we’ll find the product to make it work.