Digestive Health: Innovation in Beverages
Functional beverages have made a big splash over the last five years and the market has grown by 195%* in volume becoming saturated with choice. Since 2002 there has been increased product development within the healthy water sector. By 2006 a total of almost 750 new products with health claims were launched globally. Added vitamins, calcium and other minerals have all proven popular with consumers but the newest arrivals Beneo™ inulin and oligofructose, also known as prebiotics, are becoming increasingly active in this arena due to their significant technical and nutritional functions.
Beneo™ can not only act as a sugar replacer to make ‘light’ beverage options but can also have a beneficial effect on the digestive system. Beneo™ stimulates the beneficial bifidus bacteria in the gut, resulting in the prebiotic effect. Beneo™Synergy1, a patented enriched inulin, has its own USP. Clinical trials have shown that Beneo™Synergy1 can improve calcium absorption by up to 20%, thus allowing products to make bone health claims.
Beneo™ can also combat undesirable taste, look and texture profiles faced by manufacturers. Beneo™ has no effect on the colour of a finished product and when used at the required concentration for nutritional claims, it will either give no taste or a very slight sweet taste to the drink. There is also no issue with solubility, thus the level of viscosity is not affected.
June 29, 2007
