Top Editors ... Focus on weight reduction

Title: Focus on weight reduction
Date: 03/04/2007
Autor: By Maureen Byrne

Hi Europe in Frankfurt played host to over 9,000 visitors, 440 exhibitors, and a wealth of new healthy and functional ingredients as well as those developed specifically to help consumers control their weight

Weight management was very much on the agenda at this year's exhibition, where many new appetite suppressants and fat & sugar replacers vied for attention alongside the innovations in vitamins, minerals, Omega-3s, and a hugh variety of other healthy ingredients.
All three of this year's Hi Europe Awards were given to products that make a contribution to the food industry's efforts lo tackle obesity. Cargill picked up the coveted Gold Award for the best innovation in health ingredients for its Xtend Isomaltulose, a slow digestible sugar that results in a low blood glucose and insulin response. The award recognised the research conducted by Cargill into the role Xtend plays in providing 'sustained energy supplies', 'blunted glycaemic response' and 'prolonged satiety'. "Our research gives a good initial indication that Xtend Isomaltulose triggers the body's satiety regulating mechanisms, which potentially helps make a person feel more full and reduces hunger pangs," said Dr Fred Brouns, Cargill's manager of nutritional sciences Europe. "In addition, Isomaltulose, through its low blood glucose and insulin response, helps the body to burn more fat as a source of energy, compared to when consuming normal sugar."
Lipid Nutrition scooped the Silver Award for its PinnoThin, 100% vegetable-derived appetite suppressant, which works by stimulating the hunger-suppressing peptide hormones and generales a feeling of fullness. It is extractad from pine seeds and is available in an oil format for easy incorporation into dairy products, beverages, spreads, bakery, cereals or nutrition bars. The Bronze Award went to Berkem for its Svetol, decaffeinated green coffee bean extract. Standardised in chlorogenic acids and 5-caffeoylguinic acid, Svetol is said to regulate the blood sugar concentration thereby inducing weight loss.
On the show floor, BioSerae was highlighting its NeOptunia ingredient, a complex of insoluble and soluble dietary fibres, which won the Hi Europe Silver Award in 2004. The latest clinical studies have shown that as well as its lipophilic properties, the ingredient, produced from prickly pear cactus, also contributes to the balance of blood lipid levels, which 'should induce lower cardiovascular risk', according to Catherine Thimonier, marketing manager of BioSerae.

Weight regulation was a key theme for Rousselot, which had teamed up with Diana Naturals to demonstrate the breadth of functionality of its hydrolysed collagens combined with the health benefits of Diana Natural's Phytonutriance range of functional ingredients in an 'all-in-one' meal on a stick.
"Hydrolysed collagens have such a wide range of different properties and benefits," explained Sophie Lenoir, communication manager, Rousselot. "They are suitable as a protein source in products for weight control or high-protein sports nutrition, and can also improve the texture, mouthfeel and shelf life of the product."
A further application on the stand was Fruit Pulp Gummies, which contained Rousselot's gelatine and hydrolysed collagen in which 9% of the standard content of sugar and glucose syrup had been replaced with 4% fruit pulp and 5% protein from hydrolysed collagen.

Fat reduction

Limagrain was at Hi Europe to promote its healthy ingredients, including Westhove Wheat Wl, 'the world's first waxy wheat ingredient', which can help to reduce fat in sauces, whilst maintaining a creamy indulgent texture; and 'the first zero salt snack pellet'.
"Using Westhove Wheat Wl means that you can cut butter or cream by over half, with doses of less than 2% of this new flour," said David Pearson, marketing director. "As a result, the ingredient cost is cut by up to 25%, depending on the recipe."
Danisco is taking advantage of the popularity of soy-based dairy alternatives, which are growing at 17% annually (according to Euromonitor). It was showing its new YO-MIX Vegetal range of culture blends, which also fit in well with the consumer trend towards a diet low in saturated fats, as well as the growing awareness of the cholesterol-lowering benefits of soy. The culture blends have been developed for dairy free soy yoghurts, and are kosher pareve, which guarantees that they do not contain any meat or dairy products and have not come in contact with either, making them suitable for 'dairy-free' claims on final products.
"In addition to being dairy-free, YO-MIX Vegetal cultures provide a clean and fresh taste that masks the characteristic beany flavour of soy," said Catherine Duong, fresh fermented business development manager.
Fat reduction in chocolate without affecting the melting behaviour and mouthfeel of the finished product was the focus on Gelita's stand. Its new product, Instant Gel Schoko picked up the Silver Award for most innovative ingredient at the Fi South America show in Brazil earlier this year. In comparative sensory tests on chocolate, with and without Instant Gel Schoko, tasters were unable to distinguish which samples contained the ingredient, according to Gelita.
Instant Gel Schoko is a patent-pending collagen hydrolysate, produced using an enzymatic process to obtain a special molecular weight profile. It dissolves easily in cocoa butter without impacting on its colour, crystal formation or melting point, and can be used to replace cocoa butter by up to 39%, resulting in a 25% lower overall fat content in the chocolate. Salurated fat is reduced by 28%, cholesterol by 15% and calories by 8%, according to Gelila, while Ihe protein content of a product is increased by 75% through the use of Instant Gel Schoko.
Healthier chocolates were also being enjoyed on Roquette's stand where no-added sugar chocolates containing Roquette's Maltisorb crystalline maltitol, were enticing visitors.
"The difficulty in finding an arternative to sugar that has the same flavour and reacts in the same way is considerable," said Olivier Simón, master chocolate-maker at Meert in France, which has recently launched a no-added sugar range of quality chocolates. "Maltitol was the answer. It is easy to use and I treat it just like sugar. I don't change my way of working the chocolate and the end result is just the same."
Roquette also highlighted that Maltisorb can be effectively combined with its Nutriose soluble fibre to create healthy products that not only have reduced sugar content but also contain fibre and help lo extend energy release.
"Using Nutriose in chocolates provides manufacturers with the possibility lo substitute sugar by up lo 30% and to produce a product that is rich in fibre," said Emily Lauwert, marketing, Roquette. "We are now working with the use of Nutriose to develop fibre enriched, low fat and sugar-reduced dairy products, with prebiotic effects and providing extended energy release."

Diversity
Many of the innovative ingredients on the stands provide a bewildering array of differenlt benefits and for manufacturers, selecting the optimum message for a specific product, rather than drawing on all of the possible health benefits of the ingredient, is key.
Such will be the case for Dow's new Fortefiber soluble dietary fibre that was launched at Ithe show. The cellulose-based ingredient has been used in the past as a functional additive to bind, thicken, retain water, form films or lubricate among other things, and Dow has now overcome certain analytical hurdles lo ensure that Fortefiber can also be known as a soluble fibre. It is both non-fermentable and non-allergenic, which overcomes some of the problems often associated with fibre enrichment.
"We have extensive clinical studies available for manufacturers thaltconfirm that Fortefiber can also be used to help maintain normal cholesterol, blood glucose and insulin levels," explained Don Coffey, global commercial leader for Dow's Food Ingredients business, who explained that the company has only just started to develop the full potential of the product. "We will be conducting further trials in Europe during 2007," he said.
Fortefiber is available in a variefy of grades and can be cuslom-designed to address specific texture needs or formulations - ranging from liquids lo hard snacks.
"Samples of the high viscosity product in the range will be available in the new year," said Stephanie Lynch, markel development manager - Europe, Melhocel - Food Business, Dow.
The latest product in Volaclive's extensive armoury of ingredients that provide a natural protein boost to sports, health, and satiety products was unveiled at the show. Ultrawhey Procrisps are crunchy pieces of natural whey protein, which Volactive developed in conjunction with an extrusion specialist in The Netherlands. They contain 50% protein and contribute a great texture and crunch, without any flavour impact, to a wide range of applications such as protein bars, snack foods (sweel or savoury) and breakfast cereals.
"This is the culmination of a year's research," said Julian Price, group technical manager - processing & technology. "Essentially, the rice flour carrier is twin screw extruded with whey through a 2mm hole lo create the crunchy whey protein-packed pellets. We can cuslom-produce them in different sizes and shapes."
New studies into whey proteins have shown that they can help in the battle against obesily, according to Volactive. They operate by increasing the satiety level, thus reducing hunger and caloric value.
Judging by the wealth of innovation at the show, there will be further developments in the area of satiety and hunger control in future. FBI will be covering them and many more issues on this topic in Ihe February issue in which the lead feature is The Obesity Challenge. Also, see the February issue for news of the developments in vitamins, minerals, and Omega-3s al Hi Europe.
This article was reproduced with permission from Food & Beverage
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