At Sosa Ingredients we are pleased to present the Texture Wheel for Gastronomy, an innovative visual scheme in wheel format, designed to classify and select technical ingredients. This tool offers a clear and accessible vision of the wide range of products available today, highlighting their versatility and contribution to the development of high gastronomy.
The development of this project has been the result of a constant effort by our R&D department, committed to making the broad family of texturisers more accessible and understandable.
These ingredients represent a key pillar in the innovation philosophy of Sosa Ingredients, which seeks to offer practical and creative solutions to explore new flavours and enrich modern gastronomic experiences.
The main purpose of this map is to act as a ‘toolbox’ that allows professionals to push the boundaries of their creativity and precision in formulation. This guidance map helps to solve key questions, such as naturalness of ingredients, purity of flavours, reduction of sugars and fats, use of plant-based ingredients or adaptation to specific production and service needs.
What is a technical ingredient?
The term ‘technical ingredient’ refers to those components whose function within a recipe is primarily functional rather than palatable.
Classification and functions:
The technical ingredients starring in this scheme include:
- Emulsifiers.
- Whipping proteins.
- Gelling agents.
- Stabilisers and thickeners.
- Technical fibers.
- Bulking agents.
Each of these ingredients responds to specific technical needs such as thickening, gelling, stabilising, emulsifying, aerating or providing a fatty sensation. However, their versatility allows them to take on complementary functions, multiplying the creative possibilities in any preparation.
Understanding the texture wheel for gastronomy
- Identify the technical need (gelling, stabilising, areating, etc.) – internal rings.
- Consult the core to find out the main function of the ingredient.
- Explore the outer rings to discover complementary uses and ideal conditions.
The wheel excludes primitive ingredients such as flours or ancient starches. As a result, elements such as acids, bases or sugars, which have more flavour-related functions, are left out.
The core of the wheel is based on regulatory standards such as those of EFSA, combined with the experience and knowledge of Sosa Ingredients, as well as the collaboration of renowned chefs. The outer layers of the scheme provide information on key aspects such as:
- Sourcing of the ingredient.
- Classification as additive or ingredient.
- Medium required for activation (aqueous or fatty).
- Resistance to freezing and ideal temperature conditions.
This graphical presentation allows to visualise the complementarity of specific functions and characteristics, such as reaction speed, viscosity or activation temperature, helping to optimise the formulation and comparison of ingredients.
The important thing to understand in this graphic is the constant crossover between the main condition of an ingredient, located at the centre of the wheel, and the complementary functions it can assume, represented by the outer rings.
Thanks to these specific nuances and the interaction between functions, this wheel becomes a direct invitation to reimagine and evolve traditional recipes, offering endless opportunities for innovation in the kitchen.
Continuously evolving innovation
This wheel is a snapshot of the current state of knowledge on texturising, designed to facilitate access to technical information and encourage culinary innovation. Its development reinforces Sosa Ingredients’ commitment to excellence and continuous evolution in the field of technical ingredients.
In the coming years, we foresee significant growth in the technical fiber and whipping protein family, along with a trend towards less processed ingredients.
At Sosa Ingredients, we are proud to offer this tool to inspire new possibilities in gastronomic creation.