Pectcof (NL) secures a positive EFSA scientific opinion for Dutch Gum as a novel food ingredient
Venlo (the Netherlands), January 27th, 2026 – Pectcof, a Dutch innovator in plant-based functional ingredients, today announced that it has received a positive scientific opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), concluding that its novel food ingredient Dutch Gum is safe under the proposed conditions of use.
Dutch Gum is Pectcof’s flagship ingredient: a highly purified functional dietary fiber with excellent emulsifying and stabilizing properties, designed to support clean-label formulations across a wide range of food and beverage applications. Dutch Gum offers a natural solution to improve texture, stability and mouthfeel, while contributing to fiber enrichment and overall nutritional quality.
In EFSA’s scientific opinion, the authority concluded that the information provided on the production process, composition, specifications and stability of Dutch Gum was sufficient and raised no safety concerns. EFSA also indicated that there were no concerns related to toxicity. The novel food ingredient has been tested positively on functionality and cost-in-use in several applications in a variety of commercial food products, including beverages, bakery, dairy alternatives, ice cream, sauces and confectionary.
Pectcof already secured self-affirmed Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status in the USA in 2024. The positive EFSA opinion represents a major milestone for Pectcof and is a key step toward the authorization of Dutch Gum by the European Commission and its inclusion on the Union list of novel foods. Once authorized (in 4 to 7 months), Dutch Gum can be commercialized across the European Union, enabling food manufacturers to adopt a new, safe and sustainable functional ingredient.
“We are very pleased with this important milestone for Pectcof and for innovation in the European food ingredient sector,” says Rudi Dieleman, Co-Founder at Pectcof. “The EFSA opinion confirms the robustness of our scientific dossier and the safety of Dutch Gum under its intended uses. We see this milestone as strong validation of our technology. We also want to take the opportunity to thank all of our investors, including Brightlands Venture Partners and Future Food Fund, in funding all activities related to the approval.”
Aligned with Pectcof’s mission to accelerate the transition toward healthier and more sustainable food formulations, and creating additional income for coffee farmers, the company sees significant market potential for Dutch Gum. Demand for clean-label, fiber-rich and functional ingredients continues to grow as food producers respond to changing consumer expectations around health, transparency and sustainability. “By combining functionality with nutritional benefits, low environmental footprint and low in cost-in-use at competitive prices, Dutch Gum fits perfectly with current and future food innovation trends in Europe and beyond.” adds Rudi Dieleman.
Pectcof is also actively progressing regulatory pathways in other key markets and is engaging with international partners to support Pectcof in the global rollout of Dutch Gum following EU authorization.
For further information:
- Pectcof
- Rudi Dieleman, T: +31 (0) 620218712
- E: rudi.dieleman@pectcof.com
- W: https://www.pectcof.com
Dutch Gum® achieves Self-Affirmed GRAS
Status for North American Market
PectCof would hereby like to announce the approval for the Self-Affirmed GRAS status for Dutch Gum®. PectCof has developed Dutch Gum®, a pectin-rich ingredient extracted from coffee fruit pulp. Dutch Gum® has functionalities in food as an emulsifier, stabilizer, texturizer and binder.
The Self-Affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status for Dutch Gum® enables PectCof to expand into the North-American food market, marking a milestone in our company’s ambition to expand into global markets.
The Self-Affirmed GRAS status was received on 02/01/2024, PectCof is exerting considerable effort to utilize this newly obtained ingredient status and to be found in products on American supermarket shelves in the near future.
The approval marks a milestone in PectCof company history by entering an extensive market, granting PectCof countless business opportunities and previously untapped possibilities for Dutch Gum®. As our Co-Founder Rudi put it: “It is amazing to see Dutch Gum® being verified with the Self GRAS status in the US. With every kilogram of Dutch Gum® sold, we save 10kg of coffee pulp going otherwise to waste. While also helping in the strive to solve supply chain stability in the Food & Beverages industry caused by the growing demand for hydrocolloids that is not matched by supply. Hydrocolloids or functional food ingredients are fundamental in providing the technical functionalities vitally important in the development of plant-based products.”
The newly obtained Self-Affirmed GRAS status signals the start of PectCof’s expansion into global markets in the food industry. The company’s vision of reducing waste by using upcycled ingredients has made strides, with a lot more to come in the coming months
For more information or media inquiries, please contact:
- Daniela Ribezzo – daniela.ribezzo@pectcof.com
- Rudi Dieleman – rudi.dieleman@pectcof.com
PectCof raises € 2 million for its innovative coffee pulp-based food ingredients
PectCof (Venlo, the Netherlands) has raised financing from Brightlands Venture Partners, Future Food Fund and its management team. The funds will be used to accelerate technology development, scale-up the production of the company’s first product Dutch Gum and broaden the customer base.
Impact for a better future
PectCof’s technology unlocks the full potential of coffee pulp and provides an enormous positive environmental and societal impact. The coffee pulp, the side stream of the second most traded commodity in the world, is currently dumped or landfilled.
Rudi Dieleman, Co-founder: “We cut CO2 emissions and pollution by recognizing coffee pulp as a valuable resource while we also create an additional revenue stream for coffee farmers.”
PectCof’s Dutch Gum offers superior functionality at best-cost-in use
In the past years, Dutch Gum has been successfully tested as an emulsifier, stabilizer, texturizer amongst others in candies, sauces and soft drinks. The product is offering superior functionality at best cost-in-use and allowing more flexibility in formulation development.
Daniela Ribezzo, CEO: “I am very pleased to join PectCof and eager to bring the company to the next level. We are looking forward to offer our customers the opportunity to co-develop new clean-label formulations, in line with the latest trends in the food and beverages industry.”
Upcycling to novel food ingredient
This is a true example of biomass upcycling to novel functional food ingredients. Driven by consumer’s demand for clean-label ingredients and their consciousness about social-environmental impact, there is a growing need in the food and beverages industry to move towards ‘natural’ ingredients from transparent supply chains in relation to their clean-label brand-positioning.
Kim de Boer of Brightlands Venture Partners: “Contributing to a sustainable use of the earth’s resources in our food production system is a key element of our investment strategy. This investment fits well our portfolio and our focus on innovations in the food value-chain”
Enforced team already fruitful
Brightlands Venture Partners and Future Food Fund played a decisive role in giving a boost to the existing management team by recruiting additional members with a solid track record in the industry.
Jeroen Kimmels of Future Food Fund: “Impressed with the potential of the technology, we have been following PectCof for years. Anticipating a breakthrough, we felt it was time to invest and strengthen the team. This has already been fruitful; the new team has already pushed PectCof further than ever.”
For more information please contact:
Daniela Ribezzo – CEO PectCof
+31 6 22346385
daniela.ribezzo@pectcof.com
www.pectcof.com
Kim de Boer – Partner at Brightlands Venture Partners
+31 6 5758 8442
kdb@brightlandsventurepartners.com
www.brightlandsventurepartners.com
Jeroen Kimmels – Managing Partner Future Food Fund
jeroen@futurefoodfund.com
www.futurefoodfund.com
About PectCof
PectCof, founded in 2012, developed a proprietary technology to transform the side stream of coffee pulp biomass into valuable bio compounds. The coffee pulp (skin and flesh of the cherry) is transformed into valuable functional ingredients. The first product launch will be Dutch Gum, that has shown to be substantially more effective as stabilizer and emulsifier compared to actual incumbents.
About Brightlands Venture Partners
Brightlands Venture Partners (BVP) is the fund manager of the Brightlands Agrifood Fund and is a so-called ecosystem investor. BVP invests in companies benefiting from and contributing to the Brightlands campuses in the south of the Netherlands. Funds under management are BVP Fund IV, Brightlands Agrifood Fund, Chemelot Ventures and Limburg Ventures.
About Future Food Fund
Future Food Fund is a € 12m Seed Capital Fund, founded and funded by 30 successful entrepreneurs. Mainly with a background in Food & Agri and technology, these entrepreneurs wish to actively contribute to the success of the fund, not only with money, but also with experience and network. Future Food Fund is aimed at Dutch companies that want to impact the Food & Agri sector with innovative technology and / or disruptive business models.
