| abstract |
A wetting agent which does not present an overall sweet taste, and processes for making and using it. The wetting agent comprises i) at least 40 wt. % or higher of solids, based on total solids in the binder, of one or more fibrous ingredient and ii) at least 1 wt. % of a compound which includes glycerol and/or fatty acid moieties. In a preferred embodiment, the fibrous compound comprises dextrin, most preferably wheat dextrin. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the wetting agent includes one or more fibrous ingredients having fewer than 70% glucosidic 1,4 linkages, more than 15% glucosidic 1,6 linkages, especially from 25% to 50%, at least 5% each of glucosidic 1,2 linkages and glucosidic 1,3 linkages and less than 5 wt. % mono- and disaccharides. The wetting agent is useful particularly for savory food bars. The invention is also directed to a process of using the wetting agent by applying it to dried food ingredients to rehydrate the foods and to the rehydrated food ingredients per se. |