How Agave is Processed

Having just returned from the Natural Products Expo East in Boston, couldn’t help but notice that there are a lot of questions about how the different Agaves are processed, referring to both Agave Salmiana or White Agave and Agave Tequiliana or Blue Agave.  Just saying “agave” is not misleading, rather it is not specific enough when comparing the two types of agave that can be made into nectar since the term refers to the genre (or genus), not the species.

 

Agave Tequilana, commonly referred to as Blue Agave is processed by first removing the pina, which is the root or bulb of the plant.  This pina is then ground down and water is run through it (hydrolisis) which pulls the fiberous inulin out of the ground down bulb.  This is the fiber that is blended with white agave to create Xagave.  Blue Agave is a bit like honey in that when cooked with it certainly imparts a distinct flavor when compared to its flavor neutral cousin Agave Salmiana. 

 

Agave Salmiana, or White Agave is processed much differently than it’s genre cousin Agave Tequilana.  Agave Salmiana at gestation grows a large flower from the center of the plant called the Quiote.  This Quiote is cut off before it fully grows (when the plants is 7-8 years old) creating a hole or pool of liquid in the center of the plant, called “Aguamiel.”  The plant is then milked twice daily as the Aguamiel collects.  It is important to note that the Aguamiel is not the sap of the leaves as some have noted (the sap from the Agave Salmiana leaves contain saponins, raphides and calcium oxalate rendering it inedible).  Aguamiel is the juice that the plant prepares to feed the Quiote.  It is full of nutrients as it contains large amounts of carbohydrates, fructans, vitamins and aminoacids.   This juice, if left to ferment, turns into a mild alcholic drink, but the removal of the water in the juice by evaporation leaves us the White Agave nectar.

 

When making Xagave, the Aguamiel is passed through a tank under double osmosis to remove impurities, then arrives to a reactor where the enzymatic hyrdolysis takes place (using natural enzymes) to hydrolyze fructans into fructose/dextrose.  The Aguamiel is then evaporated in a vacuum container at <105º F) to reduce it to the right viscosity.  This makes our product very clear, sweet and mild flavored (almost flavor neutral).  We of course don’t stop there but then blend Inulin fiber extracted from the pre-processed Agave Tequilana plant (or Blue Agave) leaving a truly unique sweetener with the best taste and the best profile, and the only sweetener on the market with added health benefits of fiber (12% by volume or 2.5 g per tablespoon) and a high Calcium content (17% of your daily requirement per tablespoon).

We encourage everyone to taste Xagave and see for him or herself why it truly is the complete sugar replacement!

Xagave Lab Analysis PDF

References:
http://www.paleobioticslab.com/agave_yields.htm
http://newfarm.rodaleinstitute.org/international/panam_don/sept04/pulque.shtml