Bernard Banga 11.01.02
Dietary fiber, bifido bacteria, phyto-oestrogens derived from soy and milk-based ingredients that promote relaxation-food in France is becoming functional in 2002. The concept of the French word "alicaments" (functional food) comes from a combination of the words "aliment" (food) and "médicament" (medicine). These functional foods and ingredients are modified by the addition or removal of a nutritive compound or by technological processes, which give them a beneficial preventive or therapeutic effect. France's agro-food industry sees new prospects here for marketing its products and developing research. Among functional food ingredients in France, there are five categories to consider, including probiotics, prebiotics, plant extracts, minerals and vitamins.
Probiotics alone represent 25% of the new functional foods launched on the French market every year. They consist of lactic acid bacteria having three key properties including improving the digestion of lactose (natural sugar contained in milk), regularizing intestinal functions and reducing blood cholesterol levels.
The research and development team at Danone has isolated a specific strain-Lactobacillus casei-with beneficial properties. "We selected it for its physiological effects and its favorable effect on the taste of the product," explained Vanessa Magniez of Danone, Paris, France. Sold under the brand name Actimel®, Danone's "polyfermented" milk contains the probiotic strain L. casei plus the two traditional strains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptoccoccus thermophilus, whose beneficial effects have long been recognized.
Probiotics, which are vital for the digestion of food, also need to find nutrients that stimulate their growth as well as their metabolic activity. Prebiotics fulfill this delicate task. These "gut benefit foods" come from the functional food ingredients present in many edible plants. "These are generally non-digestible oligosaccharides, includingfructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), or transgalacto-saccharides (GOS), which are classified as dietary fiber," explained Loïc Bureau, director of ARN, a French service provider specializing in nutraceuticals.
According to Pierre Monsan of the Gilbert Durans Bioengineering Center, who spoke at a Functional Food Symposium held last April in Toulouse, France, the targets of prebiotics in terms of their functional effects are the gut flora for which they act as specific and selective substrates. They also play a role in gastro-intestinal physiology, the immune system, the bio-availability of minerals and the metabolism of lipids.
Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are obtained either by acid or enzyme hydrolysis of inulin, or by enzyme synthesis from saccharose. The French company Beghin-Meiji, which was created in 1989 as a joint venture between the Japanese company Meiji Seika and the French company Beghin Say, launched the first ingredient in Europe based on short chain fructo-oligosaccharides under the Actilight brand. At a dose of five grams per day, the bifidogenic effect of Actilight stimulates the intestinal flora and helps to protect the intestine in the production of certain vitamins (B and K), in the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids, and also in the control of intestinal movement. An additional advantage is that Actilight helps in the assimilation of magnesium.
Plants have long been considered important sources of medicinal products. The European market for plant nutrients in 2001, which includes vitamins, phytosterols, carotenoids and flavanoids, was worth $666 million.
Leading the gum acacia market with an annual production of 15,000 tons of base product, is the French company CNI, Rouen, France, which devotes 20% of its turnover to nutrition. "We favor a quality food fiber with species especially selected for their fiber content," said CNI's Bénédicte Maheut. "This is thanks to a reliable and controlled production process that guarantees consistent physical, chemical and bacteriological properties." Fibregum, a purified tree exudate that is 100% natural vegetable matter, has bifidogenic properties proven through in vitro and in vivo studies. This soluble, low-viscosity fiber is well tolerated, does not cause digestive discomfort and can be used in various types of products including drinks, confectionery and cereal bars.
On the grape seed front the French company Burgundy was created in 1999 through the partnership of the wine distiller Burgundy Alcool and the phytopharmaceuticals group Arkopharma to exploit the raw material of the distillery. This included grape pips, a source of anthocyanins with antioxidant properties, and also polyphenols, which may have beneficial effects in cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and inflammatory diseases. Among a wide range of plant extracts, Burgundy offers two families of grape seed extracts with very high antioxidant powers, Grapemax-DE and Grapemax-BGX.
Another health promoting plant ingrdient is soy, which has many uses in functional foods because of its phyto-estrogenic capability and antioxidative properties. Currently, soy products are most touted for women who are going through menopause. Hoping to play a role in that market is Genibio Industrie in Ariège, which was formed from the partnership of a team of researchers and the agro-food company Larena. "We specialize in non-chemical processes for the production of natural plant ingredients by enzyme catalysis or extraction from plant material such as soya for the agro-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries," said François Paul, director of Genibio Industrie. This company has the ability to control its supplies, and therefore the traceability of ingredients, through an exclusive agreement with a local soya producer. Genibio Industrie offers isoflavone ranges derived from soybeans and soybean sprouts.
Milk products are rich sources of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Some analysts claim that the market for fractionated milk products is experiencing a strong increase in Europe, with an annual growth rate of 14%.
According to a survey carried out at the end of 2001, 70% of French consumers prefered calcium from milk than from other sources, with 60% wanting more foods available that have been enriched with calcium. The Lactalis Group, Mayenne, France, has taken advantage of its control over purely physical and membrane processes to develop a natural food ingredient highly enriched with calcium. Its Calciane product is a neutral powder that does not interact with other ingredients, is finely micronized and is easily stored.
Also on the milk front is the company's Prolacta 90, which is derived from the soluble phase of milk isolated before any chemical or enzyme processing. Coming directly from milk and not from lactoserum, the protein composition of Prolacta 90 is free from GMP (glycomacropeptide) and proteose peptones. This soluble non-denatured protein concentrate retains all of its bioactive properties, making it an ideal source of proteins for children and sports enthusiasts.
The French firm Ingredia, located in the Nord Pas de Calais region of France, also specializes in developing functional ingredients from milk. The company's strengths include developing technologies for milk cracking, drying and recombination. Using its expertise in separation technology (ultrafiltration, microfiltration, chromatography) and knowledge of the constituents of milk, the company has succeeded in developing a hydrolysate of milk protein containing a bio-active peptide with anxiolytic properties. Ingredia's relaxing and soothing Prodiet F 200 helps to reduce the effects of stress. Patented internationally, Prodiet F 200 is the result of 10 years of research and collaboration between Ingredia, the Food Biosciences Laboratory at INRA and laboratories at CNRS (National Science Research Center). Available as a soluble, easily poured powder, Prodiet F 200 has applications ranging from food products (drinks, milk products, chocolate) to animal feed and veterinary supplements.NW
Probiotics & Prebiotics
Probiotics alone represent 25% of the new functional foods launched on the French market every year. They consist of lactic acid bacteria having three key properties including improving the digestion of lactose (natural sugar contained in milk), regularizing intestinal functions and reducing blood cholesterol levels.
The research and development team at Danone has isolated a specific strain-Lactobacillus casei-with beneficial properties. "We selected it for its physiological effects and its favorable effect on the taste of the product," explained Vanessa Magniez of Danone, Paris, France. Sold under the brand name Actimel®, Danone's "polyfermented" milk contains the probiotic strain L. casei plus the two traditional strains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptoccoccus thermophilus, whose beneficial effects have long been recognized.
Probiotics, which are vital for the digestion of food, also need to find nutrients that stimulate their growth as well as their metabolic activity. Prebiotics fulfill this delicate task. These "gut benefit foods" come from the functional food ingredients present in many edible plants. "These are generally non-digestible oligosaccharides, includingfructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), or transgalacto-saccharides (GOS), which are classified as dietary fiber," explained Loïc Bureau, director of ARN, a French service provider specializing in nutraceuticals.
According to Pierre Monsan of the Gilbert Durans Bioengineering Center, who spoke at a Functional Food Symposium held last April in Toulouse, France, the targets of prebiotics in terms of their functional effects are the gut flora for which they act as specific and selective substrates. They also play a role in gastro-intestinal physiology, the immune system, the bio-availability of minerals and the metabolism of lipids.
Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are obtained either by acid or enzyme hydrolysis of inulin, or by enzyme synthesis from saccharose. The French company Beghin-Meiji, which was created in 1989 as a joint venture between the Japanese company Meiji Seika and the French company Beghin Say, launched the first ingredient in Europe based on short chain fructo-oligosaccharides under the Actilight brand. At a dose of five grams per day, the bifidogenic effect of Actilight stimulates the intestinal flora and helps to protect the intestine in the production of certain vitamins (B and K), in the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids, and also in the control of intestinal movement. An additional advantage is that Actilight helps in the assimilation of magnesium.
Health-Promoting Plant Extracts
Plants have long been considered important sources of medicinal products. The European market for plant nutrients in 2001, which includes vitamins, phytosterols, carotenoids and flavanoids, was worth $666 million.
Leading the gum acacia market with an annual production of 15,000 tons of base product, is the French company CNI, Rouen, France, which devotes 20% of its turnover to nutrition. "We favor a quality food fiber with species especially selected for their fiber content," said CNI's Bénédicte Maheut. "This is thanks to a reliable and controlled production process that guarantees consistent physical, chemical and bacteriological properties." Fibregum, a purified tree exudate that is 100% natural vegetable matter, has bifidogenic properties proven through in vitro and in vivo studies. This soluble, low-viscosity fiber is well tolerated, does not cause digestive discomfort and can be used in various types of products including drinks, confectionery and cereal bars.
On the grape seed front the French company Burgundy was created in 1999 through the partnership of the wine distiller Burgundy Alcool and the phytopharmaceuticals group Arkopharma to exploit the raw material of the distillery. This included grape pips, a source of anthocyanins with antioxidant properties, and also polyphenols, which may have beneficial effects in cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and inflammatory diseases. Among a wide range of plant extracts, Burgundy offers two families of grape seed extracts with very high antioxidant powers, Grapemax-DE and Grapemax-BGX.
Another health promoting plant ingrdient is soy, which has many uses in functional foods because of its phyto-estrogenic capability and antioxidative properties. Currently, soy products are most touted for women who are going through menopause. Hoping to play a role in that market is Genibio Industrie in Ariège, which was formed from the partnership of a team of researchers and the agro-food company Larena. "We specialize in non-chemical processes for the production of natural plant ingredients by enzyme catalysis or extraction from plant material such as soya for the agro-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries," said François Paul, director of Genibio Industrie. This company has the ability to control its supplies, and therefore the traceability of ingredients, through an exclusive agreement with a local soya producer. Genibio Industrie offers isoflavone ranges derived from soybeans and soybean sprouts.
Functional Milk Ingredients
Milk products are rich sources of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Some analysts claim that the market for fractionated milk products is experiencing a strong increase in Europe, with an annual growth rate of 14%.
According to a survey carried out at the end of 2001, 70% of French consumers prefered calcium from milk than from other sources, with 60% wanting more foods available that have been enriched with calcium. The Lactalis Group, Mayenne, France, has taken advantage of its control over purely physical and membrane processes to develop a natural food ingredient highly enriched with calcium. Its Calciane product is a neutral powder that does not interact with other ingredients, is finely micronized and is easily stored.
Also on the milk front is the company's Prolacta 90, which is derived from the soluble phase of milk isolated before any chemical or enzyme processing. Coming directly from milk and not from lactoserum, the protein composition of Prolacta 90 is free from GMP (glycomacropeptide) and proteose peptones. This soluble non-denatured protein concentrate retains all of its bioactive properties, making it an ideal source of proteins for children and sports enthusiasts.
The French firm Ingredia, located in the Nord Pas de Calais region of France, also specializes in developing functional ingredients from milk. The company's strengths include developing technologies for milk cracking, drying and recombination. Using its expertise in separation technology (ultrafiltration, microfiltration, chromatography) and knowledge of the constituents of milk, the company has succeeded in developing a hydrolysate of milk protein containing a bio-active peptide with anxiolytic properties. Ingredia's relaxing and soothing Prodiet F 200 helps to reduce the effects of stress. Patented internationally, Prodiet F 200 is the result of 10 years of research and collaboration between Ingredia, the Food Biosciences Laboratory at INRA and laboratories at CNRS (National Science Research Center). Available as a soluble, easily poured powder, Prodiet F 200 has applications ranging from food products (drinks, milk products, chocolate) to animal feed and veterinary supplements.NW
