FibRefine PD™ Polydextrose by Icon Foods: The Quiet Workhorse of Better-for-You Formulation
Summary
FibRefine PD™ is Icon Foods’ clean-label polydextrose designed for today’s better-for-you formulations. This low-calorie, soluble fiber delivers critical functionality across a wide range of applications—from keto nutrition bars and sugar-free confections to RTD beverages and baked goods—without compromising on taste, texture, or gut tolerance. With 90%+ fiber content, low sweetness, and high heat stability, FibRefine PD™ supports sugar reduction, adds bulk, and enhances mouthfeel. Unlike some prebiotic fibers, it’s typically well tolerated at up to 15g per serving, making it ideal for digestive wellness and GLP-1-friendly formulations. Whether you’re building body, binding ingredients, or optimizing glycemic response, FibRefine PD™ is the quiet workhorse that makes your clean label claims stick.
Authored by: Thom King, Icon Foods
Chief Innovations Officer/Food Scientist
Let’s face it — if you’re formulating for today’s health-conscious consumer, you’re walking a tightrope between mouthfeel, functionality, and label appeal. That’s where Icon’s FibRefine PD™ comes in. FibRefine PD™ is Icon Foods’ clean-label gradepolydextrose, a multi-functional, low-calorie, soluble fiber that brings serious utility to the table. FibRefine PD™ isn’t flashy — but it is ridiculously effective. Whether you’re creating a high-protein RTD, a sugar-free confection, or a keto-friendly bar that won’t crumble like sawdust, FibRefine PD™ earns its spot in the stack.
The Science Behind the Sweet
FibRefine PD™ is a randomly bonded glucose polymer synthesized through controlled polymerization of glucose, with trace amounts of sorbitol and citric acid used as stabilizers. The result is a highly branched structure that resists enzymatic digestion in the small intestine.
- Calories: ~1 kcal/g (FDA-approved)
- Sweetness: ~5-10% of sucrose
- Fiber Content: 90%+ soluble dietary fiber
- Glycemic Index: Very low (often reported <10)
- Labeling (U.S.): Soluble Fiber or Polydextrose
Below is a comparative graph showing the key nutritional attributes of: FibRefine PD™ (Polydextrose) Inulin and Digestive Resistant Maltodextrin
The graph above highlights differences in calories, sweetness, fiber content, and glycemic index — useful for selecting the right fiber based on your formulation goals.
Features and Functional Benefits
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Low Calorie | Ideal for sugar reduction and keto alignment |
| Soluble Fiber | Adds functional fiber without sensory penalties |
| Low Sweetness | Plays well with high-intensity sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia, and allulose |
| Bulking Agent | Mimics the mouthfeel of sugar and fat |
| Heat Stable | Survives retort, baking, and extrusion |
| Highly Tolerable | Typically well tolerated up to 15g per serving |
Why Formulators Love It
Formulators often struggle with one of two problems: how to reduce sugar without wrecking texture, or how to boost fiber without punishing the gut. FibRefine PD™ addresses both.
- In beverages, it contributes body and light sweetness while functioning as a carrier for flavors and acidulants.
- In bars and baked goods, it provides hygroscopicity and cohesion, helping to bind the matrix and reduce cracking or crumbling.
- In confections, it’s a go-to bulking agent that plays well with isomalt, allulose, or erythritol, giving you control over crystallization and freeze point.
Why the Microbiome Loves It
FibRefine PD™ (Polydextrose) delivers a powerful gut health advantage without the digestive baggage often associated with high-dose fibers. As a soluble, non-digestible carbohydrate, FibRefine PD™ resists enzymatic breakdown in the small intestine and instead reaches the colon, where it undergoes partial fermentation by beneficial gut microbiota. This fermentation process supports the growth of key probiotic strains—especially Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli — while also producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, propionate, and acetate, all of which play critical roles in maintaining gut barrier integrity, regulating inflammation, and supporting metabolic health.
What sets FibRefine PD™ apart from other prebiotic fibers is its low fermentability and high tolerance. Unlike inulin or IMO, which can cause bloating or gas at moderate dosages, FibRefine PD™ is typically well tolerated up to 15 grams per serving. This makes it ideal for daily-use functional foods targeting digestive wellness, without triggering gastrointestinal distress. Additionally, its low glycemic response and mild further support metabolic flexibility and gut comfort—making it a stealth ally for GLP-1-aligned and gut-conscious formulations.
Best Practice Tips
- Hydrate First: Pre-dissolve FibRefine PD™ in water before blending into dry mixes for even dispersion.
- Stack with Other Fibers: Works beautifully with soluble tapioca fiber, inulin, or IMO to create tailored fiber matrices (e.g., in keto bars).
- Pair with High Intensity Sweeteners: Low sweetness gives you precision—combine with stevia, monk fruit, or Icon’s MonkSweet™ LS4 for optimized sensory performance.
- Mind the Load: While well tolerated, total dietary fiber load per serving should stay under 20g to keep GI comfort high.
- Use in Emulsions: Acts as a carrier and stabilizer in oil-in-water beverage emulsions and encapsulated flavor systems.
Application Highlights
| Application | Use Level | Functional Role |
|---|---|---|
| RTD Protein Beverages | 2–5% | Improves mouthfeel, stabilizes proteins, adds soluble fiber |
| Keto Nutrition Bars | 5–12% | Adds chewiness, binds ingredients, increases fiber without GI distress |
| Sugar-Free Confections | 10–20% | Provides bulk, controls water activity, replaces sugar mass |
| Baked Goods | 3–10% | Maintains moistness, enhances tenderness, acts as humectant |
| Frozen Desserts | 5–10% | Contributes body, reduces ice crystal formation, lowers freezing point |
Let’s be honest—polydextrose isn’t new. But what sets FibRefine PD™ apart is traceability, consistency, and clean-label assurance. At Icon Foods, we’re committed to clean label sugar reduction—so we ensure that FibRefine PD™:
- Is non-GMO and GRAS-certified
- Comes with full documentation and regulatory support
- Performs consistently across manufacturing environments
- Integrates seamlessly into your clean-label narrative
Icon’s FibRefine PD™ may not be a headline-grabber like monk fruit or allulose—but in many formulations, it’s the glue holding the whole thing together (sometimes literally). Whether you’re formulating a GLP-1-friendly product, a keto bar with real fiber claims, or a sugar-free chocolate that doesn’t taste like punishment, FibRefine PD™ has your back.
If you haven’t stacked it into your matrix yet, it’s time to give this unsung hero a proper audition.
Reach out to your Icon Foods representative FibRefine PD™ polydextrose samples, documentation and usage guidance.
Since 1999 Icon Foods has been your reliable supply chain partner for sweeteners, fibers, sweetening systems, inclusions and sweetness modulators.
Taste the Icon difference.
