Pete Maletto06.01.08
The U.S. market for functional foods and beverages is poised for strong growth as consumer awareness of the health benefits of these beneficial foods and beverages increases. As food and beverage development innovation moves forward, ingredient companies must be more aggressive in creating products that carry true functional benefits.
Some consumer intelligence firms claim increasing health awareness is related to negative reports surrounding pharmaceutical drugs. Indeed, over the last year, the pace of media reports into pharmaceutical recalls and side effects has certainly picked up. This has prompted consumers to make lifestyle changes, which often includes more consumption of functional foods and beverages.
In the U.K., however, it is a different story. Consumer disillusionment with supposedly functional ingredients they don't understand has put a dent in the functional food segment's growth. Instead, consumers are gravitating toward products with "clean" labels and that are all-natural.
"Confused U.K consumers couldn't tell which products were doing what after a raft of new launches that had different health claims and price points," said David Bird from Mintel International. "Focus moved instead to naturally healthier products and 'superfoods' such as blueberries and pomegranates."
In the U.K., it was proven that consumer cynicism over health claims, coupled with the price premiums charged by some manufacturers were key factors in stunting the growth of the functional food industry. A similar scenario may also play out in the U.S., if it hasn't already.
Functional Foods 101
Taste, awareness and science make up the foundation for any functional food or beverage formulation. These days, manufacturers need to put a greater emphasis on scientific substantiation of their functional food and beverage products, and simply and effectively communicate that to the consumer.
And while functional food and beverage products cannot make use of disease claims such as "cures cancer" or "reverses diabetes" (that would be what FDA calls "drug claims"), structure/function claims like "provides healthy immune system support" or "provides healthy blood sugar support" can be used just as effectively.
Unfortunately, the market is still plagued by "fairy dust formulating"-deliberately using small amounts of functional ingredients to get them on the label and make a claim. While this makes for a cost effective functional food or beverage, it does nothing from a health benefit perspective for the consumer. This is a "big food" commonplace, where some companies put 10% of the RDA of vitamins C and E in a product and dare to call it an antioxidant beverage.
Creating a great functional food or beverage product starts with efficacious amounts of ingredients. Once that's been accomplished, companies should move on to substantiating that particular formulation for a health indication. The last part includes the translation of study results to the consumer. These steps will help counter consumer skepticism. Further, the clinical studies will help you come up with a claim that will differentiate your product in the marketplace. It will also allow you to command a premium price for your product. And, if the FTC walks in your door and asks where your claims came from, you can drop the clinical studies on your desk and tell them to have fun reading.
As the negative press about the dangers of artificial colors continues worldwide, natural colors are moving in to take center stage. As a result, color manufacturers are jumping on the natural color bandwagon, not just because they can assist in the removal of dyes (most of which are made from tartrazine, a coal tar derivative), but because natural colors are also antioxidant pigments that are healthy and provide antioxidant support, immune system enhancement and antimicrobial benefits.
Natural colors feature a wide array of antioxidant capacities, which have been substantiated using ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) methodology. Correlation between the high antioxidant capacity of fruits and vegetables that contain these color pigments is believed to play an important role in the free-radical theory of aging.
One of the many high ORAC colors/antioxidants that produces a yellow or orange color is turmeric. Turmeric is made from the roots of the herb Curcuma longa L. The pigments responsible for the color are known as curcuminoids. Turmeric's solubility depends on the medium in which the pigments are dispersed. For instance, turmeric oleoresin is water-soluble; but a suspension of turmeric extract in oil can be added to fat-based systems. At a high pH this colorant turns orange. Turmeric also has been shown in scientific studies to act as an antioxidant, exhibiting anti-cancer and anti-mutagenic properties.
Beta-carotene, also known as vitamin A, has the ability to impart an orange-yellow color to food. Most beta-carotene is derived from algae or is synthesized. Beta-carotene is oil-soluble, but it can be made into a water-dispersible emulsion. No restrictions have been placed on the level of use and it is listed as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe). As an antioxidant, beta-carotene is critical to optimal immune system support and also provides a high ORAC value.
These natural yellow to orange colors are a great alternative to artificial yellow dyes that are so prevalent in the food supply today. Other functional colors include anthocyanins or tomato extract, which can produce a range of red colors in place of using artificial red #40.
Anthocyanins are found in blueberries, grapes, elderberries, black currants, red cabbage and other fruits and vegetables, and they add a unique, natural shade of red-purple to many products. Anthocyanins are most vibrant and stable in low-pH foods like beverages, fruit jellies and jams, but they do become unstable as pH increases or when pasteurization is used. Anthocyanins act as antioxidants and may help prevent coronary heart disease and strokes. Studies show they may have anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antiviral and antimicrobial activity.
P.L. Thomas in New Jersey distributes a functional color product called Tomat-O-Red from Israel-based LycoRed. It is stable over a wide range of temperatures and there is no color shift with pH changes in aqueous solutions. Tomat-O-Red is available as a 2% natural lycopene liquid dispersion or a 10% lycopene cold-water dispersible powder, and is ideal for a wide variety of food and beverage applications.
Tomat-O-Red's main pigmentation comes from the antioxidant lycopene, a healthy antioxidant carotenoid. A number of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have shown that lycopene may protect against prostate cancer and the risk of coronary heart disease. It is a potent antioxidant, which provides numerous other clinically demonstrated benefits. "Tomat-O-Red also provides its antioxidant benefits to numerous parts of the body, notably the skin, which is the subject of a recent Australian patent for the skin protection derived from a natural tomato complex containing lycopene," said P.L. Thomas president Paul Flowerman.
There is a clear advantage to using natural colors over artificial ones, but it is also a huge challenge for the food designer to get the appropriate color. Even so, natural colors are the way to go.
For years, companies have been using whey or milk protein isolates, but skyrocketing costs have pushed them to look for new sources featuring ideal amino acid profiles. Although it took some time, the Chinese have finally discovered that whey isolate fractions and milk proteins have multiple health benefits. As a result, they have started to impact U.S. supply. It's starting to stabilize at this point, but in the past five years dairy proteins have nearly doubled in price.
In the meantime, suppliers have tried to innovate and come up with new sources of proteins that are cost effective and provide similar health benefits. For example, Dutch firm Solanic has developed a potato protein product in an effort toward clean ingredient labels. According to the firm, in terms of performance, the amino acid composition is extremely good, comparable to the top dairy proteins such as whey, and significantly better than other vegetable proteins.
In addition, in terms of solubility, while certain vegetable proteins need to be hydrolyzed in order to render them soluble (which also makes them bitter), the potato protein can be used in its native state and requires no additional processing.
Another promising protein is pea protein. French company Roquette has come up with Nutralys from yellow pea origin, which can be used to fortify foods and beverages. It has an 85% protein content, mixes quite easily, and has an excellent amino acid profile. Clinical studies have shown Nutralys pea protein is 97% digestible. Also, as a slowly-digested protein source, it has a positive impact on satiety.
On the high end of protein innovations, Netherlands-based DSM Food Specialties has come to market with PeptoPro. With PeptoPro, DSM gives a new meaning to the concept of highly absorbed protein. The use of proteins in ready-to-use sports drinks was limited, until now.
Other protein hydrolysates such as whey dissolve in water, are more bioavailable, and are easier to digest, but their bitter, unpleasant taste limits their use. With PeptoPro, DSM offers companies the ability to make clear, stable peptide drinks that are not bitter. The di- and tripeptides in PeptoPro are also available to the consumer immediately. Carbohydrates used after exercise stimulate the production of insulin from the gluconeogenesis type properties of PeptoPro so that the muscle cells can use the glucose in the blood more efficiently.
While using the amino acid glutamine is beneficial for muscle growth and intestinal health, it is not stable in ready-to-drink (RTD) protein drinks. PeptoPro contains 26% glutamine in a stable peptide form for use in RTD protein drinks and can supply the added benefits of muscle and intestinal health.
Davisco in Minnesota has also thrown its hat into the protein innovation arena with alpha-lactalbumin, which shows much promise in infant formulations and functional beverage applications. Alpha-lactalbumin is claimed to be the purest isolated form of bovine alpha-lactalbumin commercially available. Alpha-lactalbumin is the primary protein in human milk, but is rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin. The huge benefit here is that alpha-lactalbumin has been shown to play a role in regulating neurobehavioral effects such as appetite, sleep, muscle memory, pain perception, mood, anxiety and stress control. Research has also shown that an appropriate use level of alpha-lactalbumin is 10-20% of the protein content of the formula (also ph dependent).
While the consumption of herbal extracts is nothing new, incorporating these extracts into foods and beverages has been quite a trick, requiring a balancing act of efficacy, taste and threshold testing, all of which can be really time consuming from a development standpoint. Some herbal extracts are water-soluble but many are not, which means some type of solubility technology must be applied before they are formulated in a beverage.
The bigger issue with herbal extracts has to do with standardization. Many extracts companies offer are not standardized for active components. For example, echinacea has active components called echinacosides that according to many research studies provide the actual benefit of immune system enhancement. So any manufacturer using a non-standardized echinacea in its functional food may have a problem from an efficacy standpoint. This is definitely an issue to keep an eye on in the functional foods industry.
A trend that continues to move forward is the use of trademarked ingredients on which clinical research has already been performed in order to justify claims. One such ingredient is Boswellia serrata. Research performed on a trademarked ingredient called 5-LOXIN, standardized for acetyl-11-keto-beta boswellic acid, or AKBA, supports its mechanism of action and efficacy. Studies also show that 5-LOXIN inhibits the action of enzymes that break down cartilage, which may provide a protective benefit.
An herbal ingredient with mood enhancing qualities is Willmar Schwabe Group's St. John's Wort extract, which is standardized for hyperforin (instead of the usual hypericum). Previous studies have shown that the mood enhancing qualities of St. John's Wort standardized for hyperforin completely outperform those with hypericum standardizations. In fact, Willmar Schwabe found a way to stabilize the unstable hyperforin so that it could retain potency in a product.
Willmar Schwabe also has a new herbal extract with the trademarked name Euvagel, which features a combination of valerian and melissa (lemon balm) extracts. Research performed on the product (it was actually performed on children) showed promising results in the reduction on restlessness and hyperactivity. With no study medication-related adverse events noted, Euvegal may represent an efficacious and very safe, natural alternative to countering stress and anxiety.
Of course, using most herbal extracts in functional food and beverage formulations usually qualifies them as dietary supplements, so regulations must always be considered. It should be noted that the future of functional foods depends on using high quality standardized herbal ingredients with scientific research to counter any possibility of consumer skepticism.
As the number of consumers with type 2 diabetes spirals out of control, several manufacturers are turning their attention toward low glycemic sugars. These include functional sweeteners like trehalose from Minnesota-based Cargill (also called Ascend) and Palitinose.
Also known as mycose, when consumed trehalose will go through a gel type phase as cells dehydrate. Rehydration with trehalose then allows normal cellular activity to be resumed without the major, lethal damage and oxidative stress that would normally follow a dehydration/rehydration cycle. Trehalose also has the added advantage of being an antioxidant as well as an excellent rehydration agent.
Trehalose has effective antioxidant qualities that are known in clinical research to go beyond just reducing oxidative stress. In fact, it has been studied in Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases. More specifically, it has been studied in vitro against the beta amyloid proteins that cause Alzheimer's and was shown to prevent more than 50% aggregation of these harmful substances due to its ability to reduce stress and increase hydration of brain cells.
In a formulation, trehalose has the same type of effectiveness. When heat is involved in the process and dehydration of materials is an issue, trehalose can effectively prevent the destructive oxidative reactions that take place when cooking or processing a product. It has also been shown to be a primary factor in stabilizing organisms during times of freezing and drying. Trehalose can also help enhance the flavor, texture and color of dried vegetables and fruits. These properties combined with low sweetness can allow the natural color and flavor of the fruits and vegetables to be preserved. In glassy candy confections it can prevent crystallization and improve stability of moisture gain.
Another low glycemic sugar is Palitinose, made by New Jersey-based BENEO-Palatinit. Palatinose is viewed as an alternative to sucrose, glucose, maltodextrin, sugar alcohols and other highly digestible (or in the case of sugar alcohols, non-digestible) and highly fermentable carbohydrates. It provides long lasting energy, makes an excellent nutrient delivery system, and can help extend the life of caffeine and herbal extracts in energy drinks.
While neither trehalose nor Palatinose have the sweetness potential of sugar (both are below 40% as sweet), the functionality of these low glycemic sugars are significant when included in the diet for their blood-sugar-supporting properties.
Stimulant type amino acids such as L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine and DL-phenylalanine are making their way into many energy drinks because they help prevent crashing by providing the nutrition for norepinephrine (the brain's version of adrenaline). The caffeine in an energy drink usually destroys this important brain chemical, but by adding these amino acids in the correct ratios you can replace this neurotransmitter as its being burnt up and prevent central nervous system exhaustion (crashing).
DSM Food Specialties continues to be an innovation leader in the functional food industry. Its product Fabuless continues to be incorporated into a wide variety of foods and beverages positioned for weight loss, specifically appetite reduction. It consists of a minimal amount of palm and oat oil. The specific oat fraction digests very slowly, allowing Fabuless to penetrate deeply into the intestinal system. Upon digestion, the body will identify a relatively high level of undigested fat at a relatively late stage of the digestive process, and so suppresses the hunger signals it would normally start sending.
Probiotics represent one of the fastest growing ingredient sectors in the market. A notable probiotic ingredient that just hit the market is called GanedenBC30 from Ohio-based Ganeden Biotech. This patented strain of probiotic bacteria is perfect for use in a broad range of functional foods, beverages (some restrictions apply) and supplements. GanedenBC30's Bacillus coagulans strains are shown to be clinically superior compared to other probiotic strains. But perhaps most important, it exhibits excellent stability, offering more flexibility in manufacturing and delivery systems. This shelf stable probiotic can survive many food and beverage processes such as baking and heating unlike any other probiotic in the marketplace.
Coconut water has been popular in the U.S. over the last several years due to its unique flavor and excellent hydration properties. Coconut water is the purest liquid second only to water. It is chockfull of electrolytes, calcium, potassium and even magnesium. Coconut water is almost identical to blood plasma, which makes it ideal for use in blood transfusions. In cases of emergency, coconut water has even been used as an intravenous (IV) hydration fluid instead of the standard IV fluid. In fact, during World War II many wounded soldiers were saved in the Pacific due to emergency transfusions using coconut water instead of plasma.
The liquid endosperm in coconuts serves as a reservoir of nutrients. The largest quantity of the liquid endosperm is found in young green coconuts, which Utah-based Sabinsa uses in the preparation of its latest ingredient, Cococin. Patented Cococin is made up of freeze-dried coconut water solids. The product is very rich in essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Due to limitations in product processing, coconut water can only be produced in Central America at an aseptic Tetra Pak facility. This new ingredient from Sabinsa, however, may change all that in the U.S. very soon.
Some consumer intelligence firms claim increasing health awareness is related to negative reports surrounding pharmaceutical drugs. Indeed, over the last year, the pace of media reports into pharmaceutical recalls and side effects has certainly picked up. This has prompted consumers to make lifestyle changes, which often includes more consumption of functional foods and beverages.
In the U.K., however, it is a different story. Consumer disillusionment with supposedly functional ingredients they don't understand has put a dent in the functional food segment's growth. Instead, consumers are gravitating toward products with "clean" labels and that are all-natural.
"Confused U.K consumers couldn't tell which products were doing what after a raft of new launches that had different health claims and price points," said David Bird from Mintel International. "Focus moved instead to naturally healthier products and 'superfoods' such as blueberries and pomegranates."
In the U.K., it was proven that consumer cynicism over health claims, coupled with the price premiums charged by some manufacturers were key factors in stunting the growth of the functional food industry. A similar scenario may also play out in the U.S., if it hasn't already.
Functional Foods 101
Taste, awareness and science make up the foundation for any functional food or beverage formulation. These days, manufacturers need to put a greater emphasis on scientific substantiation of their functional food and beverage products, and simply and effectively communicate that to the consumer.
And while functional food and beverage products cannot make use of disease claims such as "cures cancer" or "reverses diabetes" (that would be what FDA calls "drug claims"), structure/function claims like "provides healthy immune system support" or "provides healthy blood sugar support" can be used just as effectively.
Unfortunately, the market is still plagued by "fairy dust formulating"-deliberately using small amounts of functional ingredients to get them on the label and make a claim. While this makes for a cost effective functional food or beverage, it does nothing from a health benefit perspective for the consumer. This is a "big food" commonplace, where some companies put 10% of the RDA of vitamins C and E in a product and dare to call it an antioxidant beverage.
Creating a great functional food or beverage product starts with efficacious amounts of ingredients. Once that's been accomplished, companies should move on to substantiating that particular formulation for a health indication. The last part includes the translation of study results to the consumer. These steps will help counter consumer skepticism. Further, the clinical studies will help you come up with a claim that will differentiate your product in the marketplace. It will also allow you to command a premium price for your product. And, if the FTC walks in your door and asks where your claims came from, you can drop the clinical studies on your desk and tell them to have fun reading.
Color with Functionality
As the negative press about the dangers of artificial colors continues worldwide, natural colors are moving in to take center stage. As a result, color manufacturers are jumping on the natural color bandwagon, not just because they can assist in the removal of dyes (most of which are made from tartrazine, a coal tar derivative), but because natural colors are also antioxidant pigments that are healthy and provide antioxidant support, immune system enhancement and antimicrobial benefits.
Natural colors feature a wide array of antioxidant capacities, which have been substantiated using ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) methodology. Correlation between the high antioxidant capacity of fruits and vegetables that contain these color pigments is believed to play an important role in the free-radical theory of aging.
One of the many high ORAC colors/antioxidants that produces a yellow or orange color is turmeric. Turmeric is made from the roots of the herb Curcuma longa L. The pigments responsible for the color are known as curcuminoids. Turmeric's solubility depends on the medium in which the pigments are dispersed. For instance, turmeric oleoresin is water-soluble; but a suspension of turmeric extract in oil can be added to fat-based systems. At a high pH this colorant turns orange. Turmeric also has been shown in scientific studies to act as an antioxidant, exhibiting anti-cancer and anti-mutagenic properties.
Beta-carotene, also known as vitamin A, has the ability to impart an orange-yellow color to food. Most beta-carotene is derived from algae or is synthesized. Beta-carotene is oil-soluble, but it can be made into a water-dispersible emulsion. No restrictions have been placed on the level of use and it is listed as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe). As an antioxidant, beta-carotene is critical to optimal immune system support and also provides a high ORAC value.
These natural yellow to orange colors are a great alternative to artificial yellow dyes that are so prevalent in the food supply today. Other functional colors include anthocyanins or tomato extract, which can produce a range of red colors in place of using artificial red #40.
Anthocyanins are found in blueberries, grapes, elderberries, black currants, red cabbage and other fruits and vegetables, and they add a unique, natural shade of red-purple to many products. Anthocyanins are most vibrant and stable in low-pH foods like beverages, fruit jellies and jams, but they do become unstable as pH increases or when pasteurization is used. Anthocyanins act as antioxidants and may help prevent coronary heart disease and strokes. Studies show they may have anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antiviral and antimicrobial activity.
P.L. Thomas in New Jersey distributes a functional color product called Tomat-O-Red from Israel-based LycoRed. It is stable over a wide range of temperatures and there is no color shift with pH changes in aqueous solutions. Tomat-O-Red is available as a 2% natural lycopene liquid dispersion or a 10% lycopene cold-water dispersible powder, and is ideal for a wide variety of food and beverage applications.
Tomat-O-Red's main pigmentation comes from the antioxidant lycopene, a healthy antioxidant carotenoid. A number of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have shown that lycopene may protect against prostate cancer and the risk of coronary heart disease. It is a potent antioxidant, which provides numerous other clinically demonstrated benefits. "Tomat-O-Red also provides its antioxidant benefits to numerous parts of the body, notably the skin, which is the subject of a recent Australian patent for the skin protection derived from a natural tomato complex containing lycopene," said P.L. Thomas president Paul Flowerman.
There is a clear advantage to using natural colors over artificial ones, but it is also a huge challenge for the food designer to get the appropriate color. Even so, natural colors are the way to go.
New Super Protein Infusions
For years, companies have been using whey or milk protein isolates, but skyrocketing costs have pushed them to look for new sources featuring ideal amino acid profiles. Although it took some time, the Chinese have finally discovered that whey isolate fractions and milk proteins have multiple health benefits. As a result, they have started to impact U.S. supply. It's starting to stabilize at this point, but in the past five years dairy proteins have nearly doubled in price.
In the meantime, suppliers have tried to innovate and come up with new sources of proteins that are cost effective and provide similar health benefits. For example, Dutch firm Solanic has developed a potato protein product in an effort toward clean ingredient labels. According to the firm, in terms of performance, the amino acid composition is extremely good, comparable to the top dairy proteins such as whey, and significantly better than other vegetable proteins.
In addition, in terms of solubility, while certain vegetable proteins need to be hydrolyzed in order to render them soluble (which also makes them bitter), the potato protein can be used in its native state and requires no additional processing.
Another promising protein is pea protein. French company Roquette has come up with Nutralys from yellow pea origin, which can be used to fortify foods and beverages. It has an 85% protein content, mixes quite easily, and has an excellent amino acid profile. Clinical studies have shown Nutralys pea protein is 97% digestible. Also, as a slowly-digested protein source, it has a positive impact on satiety.
On the high end of protein innovations, Netherlands-based DSM Food Specialties has come to market with PeptoPro. With PeptoPro, DSM gives a new meaning to the concept of highly absorbed protein. The use of proteins in ready-to-use sports drinks was limited, until now.
Other protein hydrolysates such as whey dissolve in water, are more bioavailable, and are easier to digest, but their bitter, unpleasant taste limits their use. With PeptoPro, DSM offers companies the ability to make clear, stable peptide drinks that are not bitter. The di- and tripeptides in PeptoPro are also available to the consumer immediately. Carbohydrates used after exercise stimulate the production of insulin from the gluconeogenesis type properties of PeptoPro so that the muscle cells can use the glucose in the blood more efficiently.
While using the amino acid glutamine is beneficial for muscle growth and intestinal health, it is not stable in ready-to-drink (RTD) protein drinks. PeptoPro contains 26% glutamine in a stable peptide form for use in RTD protein drinks and can supply the added benefits of muscle and intestinal health.
Davisco in Minnesota has also thrown its hat into the protein innovation arena with alpha-lactalbumin, which shows much promise in infant formulations and functional beverage applications. Alpha-lactalbumin is claimed to be the purest isolated form of bovine alpha-lactalbumin commercially available. Alpha-lactalbumin is the primary protein in human milk, but is rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin. The huge benefit here is that alpha-lactalbumin has been shown to play a role in regulating neurobehavioral effects such as appetite, sleep, muscle memory, pain perception, mood, anxiety and stress control. Research has also shown that an appropriate use level of alpha-lactalbumin is 10-20% of the protein content of the formula (also ph dependent).
Herbal Extracts on the Rise
While the consumption of herbal extracts is nothing new, incorporating these extracts into foods and beverages has been quite a trick, requiring a balancing act of efficacy, taste and threshold testing, all of which can be really time consuming from a development standpoint. Some herbal extracts are water-soluble but many are not, which means some type of solubility technology must be applied before they are formulated in a beverage.
The bigger issue with herbal extracts has to do with standardization. Many extracts companies offer are not standardized for active components. For example, echinacea has active components called echinacosides that according to many research studies provide the actual benefit of immune system enhancement. So any manufacturer using a non-standardized echinacea in its functional food may have a problem from an efficacy standpoint. This is definitely an issue to keep an eye on in the functional foods industry.
A trend that continues to move forward is the use of trademarked ingredients on which clinical research has already been performed in order to justify claims. One such ingredient is Boswellia serrata. Research performed on a trademarked ingredient called 5-LOXIN, standardized for acetyl-11-keto-beta boswellic acid, or AKBA, supports its mechanism of action and efficacy. Studies also show that 5-LOXIN inhibits the action of enzymes that break down cartilage, which may provide a protective benefit.
An herbal ingredient with mood enhancing qualities is Willmar Schwabe Group's St. John's Wort extract, which is standardized for hyperforin (instead of the usual hypericum). Previous studies have shown that the mood enhancing qualities of St. John's Wort standardized for hyperforin completely outperform those with hypericum standardizations. In fact, Willmar Schwabe found a way to stabilize the unstable hyperforin so that it could retain potency in a product.
Willmar Schwabe also has a new herbal extract with the trademarked name Euvagel, which features a combination of valerian and melissa (lemon balm) extracts. Research performed on the product (it was actually performed on children) showed promising results in the reduction on restlessness and hyperactivity. With no study medication-related adverse events noted, Euvegal may represent an efficacious and very safe, natural alternative to countering stress and anxiety.
Of course, using most herbal extracts in functional food and beverage formulations usually qualifies them as dietary supplements, so regulations must always be considered. It should be noted that the future of functional foods depends on using high quality standardized herbal ingredients with scientific research to counter any possibility of consumer skepticism.
Functional Sugars
As the number of consumers with type 2 diabetes spirals out of control, several manufacturers are turning their attention toward low glycemic sugars. These include functional sweeteners like trehalose from Minnesota-based Cargill (also called Ascend) and Palitinose.
Also known as mycose, when consumed trehalose will go through a gel type phase as cells dehydrate. Rehydration with trehalose then allows normal cellular activity to be resumed without the major, lethal damage and oxidative stress that would normally follow a dehydration/rehydration cycle. Trehalose also has the added advantage of being an antioxidant as well as an excellent rehydration agent.
Trehalose has effective antioxidant qualities that are known in clinical research to go beyond just reducing oxidative stress. In fact, it has been studied in Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases. More specifically, it has been studied in vitro against the beta amyloid proteins that cause Alzheimer's and was shown to prevent more than 50% aggregation of these harmful substances due to its ability to reduce stress and increase hydration of brain cells.
In a formulation, trehalose has the same type of effectiveness. When heat is involved in the process and dehydration of materials is an issue, trehalose can effectively prevent the destructive oxidative reactions that take place when cooking or processing a product. It has also been shown to be a primary factor in stabilizing organisms during times of freezing and drying. Trehalose can also help enhance the flavor, texture and color of dried vegetables and fruits. These properties combined with low sweetness can allow the natural color and flavor of the fruits and vegetables to be preserved. In glassy candy confections it can prevent crystallization and improve stability of moisture gain.
Another low glycemic sugar is Palitinose, made by New Jersey-based BENEO-Palatinit. Palatinose is viewed as an alternative to sucrose, glucose, maltodextrin, sugar alcohols and other highly digestible (or in the case of sugar alcohols, non-digestible) and highly fermentable carbohydrates. It provides long lasting energy, makes an excellent nutrient delivery system, and can help extend the life of caffeine and herbal extracts in energy drinks.
While neither trehalose nor Palatinose have the sweetness potential of sugar (both are below 40% as sweet), the functionality of these low glycemic sugars are significant when included in the diet for their blood-sugar-supporting properties.
Honorable Mentions
Stimulant type amino acids such as L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine and DL-phenylalanine are making their way into many energy drinks because they help prevent crashing by providing the nutrition for norepinephrine (the brain's version of adrenaline). The caffeine in an energy drink usually destroys this important brain chemical, but by adding these amino acids in the correct ratios you can replace this neurotransmitter as its being burnt up and prevent central nervous system exhaustion (crashing).
DSM Food Specialties continues to be an innovation leader in the functional food industry. Its product Fabuless continues to be incorporated into a wide variety of foods and beverages positioned for weight loss, specifically appetite reduction. It consists of a minimal amount of palm and oat oil. The specific oat fraction digests very slowly, allowing Fabuless to penetrate deeply into the intestinal system. Upon digestion, the body will identify a relatively high level of undigested fat at a relatively late stage of the digestive process, and so suppresses the hunger signals it would normally start sending.
Probiotics represent one of the fastest growing ingredient sectors in the market. A notable probiotic ingredient that just hit the market is called GanedenBC30 from Ohio-based Ganeden Biotech. This patented strain of probiotic bacteria is perfect for use in a broad range of functional foods, beverages (some restrictions apply) and supplements. GanedenBC30's Bacillus coagulans strains are shown to be clinically superior compared to other probiotic strains. But perhaps most important, it exhibits excellent stability, offering more flexibility in manufacturing and delivery systems. This shelf stable probiotic can survive many food and beverage processes such as baking and heating unlike any other probiotic in the marketplace.
Coconut water has been popular in the U.S. over the last several years due to its unique flavor and excellent hydration properties. Coconut water is the purest liquid second only to water. It is chockfull of electrolytes, calcium, potassium and even magnesium. Coconut water is almost identical to blood plasma, which makes it ideal for use in blood transfusions. In cases of emergency, coconut water has even been used as an intravenous (IV) hydration fluid instead of the standard IV fluid. In fact, during World War II many wounded soldiers were saved in the Pacific due to emergency transfusions using coconut water instead of plasma.
The liquid endosperm in coconuts serves as a reservoir of nutrients. The largest quantity of the liquid endosperm is found in young green coconuts, which Utah-based Sabinsa uses in the preparation of its latest ingredient, Cococin. Patented Cococin is made up of freeze-dried coconut water solids. The product is very rich in essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Due to limitations in product processing, coconut water can only be produced in Central America at an aseptic Tetra Pak facility. This new ingredient from Sabinsa, however, may change all that in the U.S. very soon.
