Food Ingredients China 2014 commenced at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre on March 25, 2014. Beneo is showcasing a range of natural functional food ingredients for people of all ages at the event, which concludes on March 27, 2014.
The focus of the company, which was formed by three companies (namely Orafti, Palatinit and Remy) in 2007, is on how functional ingredients could contribute to the healthier nutrition of every age group, and this is particularly relevant to China.
World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics suggested that in China, many people have not been aging healthily, and that 83% of the deaths in the country could be attributed to non-communicable diseases (NCD), which are preventable and lifestyle-related.
Beneo supports the food and beverage industry in creating healthier products with exceptional taste and texture using functional fibres, functional carbohydrates and specialty rice ingredients.
Ingredients for all life stages
Incorporating key nutrients into a life-long balanced diet is increasingly being shown to delay or prevent the onset of most NCD, including obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, gut-related disorders, cardiovascular disease and dental health issues.
There are specific nutritional demands and consumer preferences at each stage of a person’s life, but low glycaemic foods and a diet rich in fibres are key elements for health at any age.
Macro-nutrient ingredients (such as prebiotic fibres), low glycaemic carbohydrates and hypoallergenic rice derivatives have the potential to answer these needs and provide healthy nutrition at every life stage.
Beneo’s stage-wise offerings are as follows:
Infants
Nutrition for infants must conform to the highest standards. Beneo’s baby food rice starch meets the industry’s and regulatory requirements.
The naturally-sourced texturiser qualifies for hypoallergenic, clean-label, organic and non-genetically-modified organism (GMO)-products such as vegetable and fruit jars.
Also, prebiotic fibres have a role to play in infant formula. They are proven to help infants that cannot be breast-fed to develop healthy gut flora.
Kids
It’s a matter of fact that kids love candies, but there are health concerns to eating too much traditional confectionery too often.
However, Beneo’s Palatinose and Isomalt, when used instead of sugar, allow for tooth-friendly confectionery solutions with a low glycaemic response, which combines sweet indulgence with nutritional benefits.
Teens
Teenage years are the time when calcium stores need replenishing to prevent osteoporosis in later life.
However, often teen food choices do not reflect the types of nutrition that promote increased calcium storage.
Studies show that Beneo’s prebiotic fibre Orafti Synergy1 is proven to increase calcium absorption and bone mineral density in teens.
Therefore, solutions such as sports or muesli bars, and even drinks formulated with Synergy1, can support the need for additional calcium in the diet.
Middle-aged persons
At this very active time of life many consumers look for drinks and snacks that will promote energy and weight management.
Beneo’s Palatinose is the world’s only carbohydrate that is both low glycaemic and fully digestible.
It provides a balanced energy supply over a longer period of time, making it an ideal ingredient in applications such as sports and energy drinks.
Beneo’s prebiotic fibres, oligofructose and inulin increase the fibre content of a product while maintaining taste and texture.
Moreover, these fibres can reduce the calorie content of products and help consumers eat fewer calories.
Seniors
Keeping the digestive system healthy is an important component in promoting health in senior consumers.
As people age, diets often become low in fibre, fluid intake is insufficient, and mobility decreases. This puts seniors at greater risk of gastrointestinal disease and discomfort.
Beneo’s range of prebiotic fibres provides food manufacturers with versatile methods of increasing the fibre intake in convenient applications, helping increase seniors’ regularity and fight constipation in a natural way.
