In June 2017, Starch Europe launched a new online Q&A platform “Starch in Food: your questions answered”, inviting visitors – from policymakers to consumers – to learn more about the use of all starch-based ingredients. In the first two weeks after launch the new site received over 1700 visits from 1300 different visitors, and a number of new questions from visitors to the site have been submitted and answered. This represented the EU starch industry’s first concerted attempt to better inform consumers about the starch based ingredients in the food and drinks they consume.
Due to its continuously growing success, the Starch in Food platform was redesigned in 2019, to create a larger knowledge hub for consumer-friendly, clear and science-based information about starch-based ingredients used in food & drink. While the Q&A section has remained the central element of the platform that is updated regularly with new questions, a Spotlight on Ingredients section with detailed information is now also available on each ingredient category – native and modified starches, maltodextrins, starch-based sugars, polyols, as well as proteins & fibres – to explain what they are, why they are used, and their nutritional value. A library of brochures, factsheets and videos is also available, as is a library of some of the most relevant scientific literature on our ingredients.
The Starch in Food platform continues to grow and expand, and today steadily sees over 3000 visitors a month, demonstrating both the clear thirst for knowledge of consumers and the importance of providing clear science-based information about what we produce.
