Company News
Danone Withdraws Application for EU Health Claim
|
DSM Launches Ingredient Targeted at Lactose Intolerance
DSM (Basel, Switzerland) has launched an acid lactase enzyme called tolerase that can be used in food supplements to allow individuals with lactose intolerance to consume dairy in their diets. Tolerase is derived from a Japanese fungus, Aspergillus oryzae. It functions by hydrolyzing milk sugar and is being used by increasing numbers of people who report being lactose intolerant. The ingredient could be used in conjunction with other nutrients such as minerals and vitamins to create multifunctional supplements, the company said. DSM Food Specialties product manager of dairy enzymes, Ardy van Erp, said that the ingredient presented supplements makers with the chance to enrich their products at about 1 to 2 cents per capsule or tablet. Tolerase also possesses nonnutritional benefits. "Tolerase is a granulate, not a powder, and that means there are less of the dust problems that can arise when supplements manufacturers work with some lactates," van Erp said. "So there are safety benefits." She said that because of the granular structure of the ingredient, it also increases the ingredients' "glidability," and it could potentially save company costs. |
French dairy giant Danone (Paris) withdrew European Union (EU) health claim applications in April for its probiotic yogurt products Activia and Actimel.
The three withdrawn Article 13.5 claims were related to both products' digestive health and immunity benefits. Danone submitted the claims under the 2006 EU nutrition and health claim regulation. They were due to be assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA; Parma, Italy) before the end of January 2010.
The withdrawn claims are that Activia "improves digestive comfort" and "improves slow transit," and that Actimel "helps to strengthen the body's natural defenses."
Other companies have withdrawn proposed health claims in the past, with some fearing negative publicity. In at least one case, negative opinions by EFSA have put a company and its claims under the microscope, ultimately raising consumer doubt about a product's effectiveness.
Danone is not the first major food or ingredients supplier to pull out of the European claims process. In the Article 14 disease reduction and children's claims list, 10 claims have been withdrawn by the likes of Nestlé (Vevey, Switzerland), Unilever (London), and Valio (Helsinki, Finland).
At the same time, Dannon, the United States arm of Danone, is settling class actions mounted against it for making misleading probiotic health claims.
Dannon spokesperson Michael Neuwirth said, "We stand by our claims and will continue to defend them." However, he did not deny that Dannon was settling out-of-court class actions that sought at least $300 million.
BENEO-Palatinit Reveals Low-Glycemic Carb
BENEO-Palatinit (Morris Plains, NJ) will present its low-glycemic carbohydrate, Palatinosem, during Drinktec 2009's Sweetening Concepts innovations forum in September.
The company says that Palatinosem, derived exclusively from pure beet sugar, is the only known fully digestible but slowly released carbohydrate with a low glycemic effect.
Although Palatinosem provides the same amount of energy as sucrose, it is broken down and absorbed over a longer period of time.
Ecuadorian Rainforest Receives Kosher Certification
Ecuadorian Rainforest (Belleville, NJ) received kosher certification for its maqui berry powder and whole maqui berries by the kosher certification agency Star-K (Baltimore).
"The popularity of maqui berry is steadily growing, so we are very pleased to be able to provide maqui berry as kosher certified," said Steve Siegel, vice president of Ecuadorian Rainforest.
Maqui berry joins the other raw ingredients supplied by Ecuadorian Rainforest that have been certified kosher.
CapsCanada Launches Platinum Caps
CapsCanada (Pompano Beach, FL) has announced the launch of Platinum Caps, two-piece metallic capsules available in gelatin or vegetable hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.
The capsules' metallic look is obtained with a light-reflecting pigment, candurin, which is composed of titanium dioxide and natural mica.
Platinum caps are available in a wide range of metallic colors or color combinations, and can be printed for increased product differentiation.
Platinum caps are free of preservatives, allergens, gluten, and starches.
Enzyme Market Set for Growth, According to Frost & Sullivan
 |
|
Food and beverage sales are worth around $800 million globally, according to Frost & Sullivan. Photos by ISTOCKPHOTO. |
The food and beverage enzyme market looks set to continue growing as food firms look to address issues of cost, safety, and quality, as well as new health and nutrition benefits.
According to two recent studies from The Freedonia Group (Cleveland) and Frost & Sullivan (Palo Alto, CA), food and beverage enzyme sales are worth around $800 million globally, divided between dairy, beverage, and bakery enzymes.
The market is growing at approximately 5% a year, slightly higher than the growth rates seen for food ingredients in general. Certain areas, such as brewing enzymes, are growing at an even faster rate.
James Laughton, executive vice president of enzymes for food, beverage, and animal nutrition at Danisco (Copenhagen, Denmark), predicts that growth will continue. Danisco expects its food and beverage enzyme business to grow faster than the market, as new applications are rolled out in the coming years. "Internal target is double-digit growth in the next two years," Laughton said.
Chr Hansen Launches Probiotic Satiety Program
Under a new program called ProSat, probiotics supplier Chr Hansen (Hoersholm, Denmark) is investigating the satiety potential of its version of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus casei.
After testing several varieties of L. casei from its own bank of strains, Chr Hansen researchers found one strain that demonstrated strong satiety effects. The company launched the ProSat program to continue research work. The firm plans to bring a product to market with it, although recognizing that finalizing such a product may take a couple of years.
Lars Bredmose, marketing director of probiotic cultures and commercial development, said Chr Hansen's work in the probiotic area had attracted the interest of functional foods and food supplements makers for products such as one-shot yogurt drinks and juices, as well as food supplements.
"The initial studies show very strong results in the ability of our strain of L. casei to promote satiety via an effect on blood hormones," Bredmose said. "We are in discussions with functional foods global leaders and are very excited about this."
One ex vivo study remains unpublished, Bredmose said. Chr Hansen is awaiting patent approval related to the strain, which is expected at the end of the year. After approval, the company plans to publish some of its research, including a clinical trial due for completion in three to four months.
Chr Hansen's director of innovation in its health and nutrition division, Benedicte Flambard, said that Chr Hansen had screened approximately 10 L. casei strains but that only the one that the company is now studying had demonstrated a pronounced satiety effect in a simulated gut.
"We know [that the probiotic has] an effect in humans and animals," Flambard said. "We are focusing on this now and seeking further documentation of its effects. We expect to publish clinical data next year."
He said that due to their potential formulation ease and dosage benefits, probiotics have appeal as satiety-promoting ingredients in a market dominated by more-established players such as protein and fiber forms.
The dosage benefits make a good marketing story for probiotics, Bredmose said. "[Probiotics can] deliver benefits with smaller dosage than some other ingredients, and this can provide manufacturers with significant cost benefits."
End-use products containing L. casei are typically designed for slightly overweight people and those seeking to maintain their body weight, but not the obese, Bredmose said. He suggested the best means of consumption of L. casei products was before meals. "They are designed as snack food items," Bredmose said of the prototypes Chr Hansen was developing.
On Chr Hansen's research, obesity studies expert Arne Astrup said, "This project will significantly improve our understanding of the bacterial intestinal flora's importance in individual weight management. Initial results in a previous research project indicate that specific probiotic derivates do have an interesting satiety effect."
