Israeli company Galam is showcasing its novel fiber ingredient at ongoing ProSweets in Cologne, Germany. from the floor of the confectionery trade show, Liat Shemesh, Category Manager at Galam, highlights the ingredient’s potential in reducing sugar content, amid industry moves toward healthier formulations. GOFOS is a fructooligosaccharide (FOS) derived from beet sugar that, apart from gut-health related properties, can offer sweetening power of up to 30 percent. The launch comes as concerns over noncommunicable diseases such as obesity and diabetes are rising, while global anti-sugar policies are pressuring industry to reformulate.
“GOFOS is a 95 percent FOS fiber that allows fiber enrichment and sugar reduction in formulations,” notes Shemesh. “The product has a low glycemic index, so it prevents spikes in blood sugar levels. It is a prebiotic fiber which means that it can also improve gut health, increase good bacteria in the gut and reduce pathogens,” she adds.
GOFOS is produced using a proprietary unique enzymatic process, leading to the formation of three components: GF2 (about 37 percent), GF3 (about 53 percent) and GF4 (about 10 percent), with guaranteed ratios. This is according to the company, which offers the ingredient in both liquid and powder forms.
Applications in confectionery and sports nutrition
The company markets it as “sweet soluble prebiotic fiber” and Shemesh says the launch also taps into trends such as fiber-enrichment, sugar reduction and calorie reduction.
It is suitable for many applications including dairy, chocolate and cereal bars. Beyond this, the ingredient is also suitable for ice creams as it can “improve texture and scoop-ability,” according to Yael Aizenbeg, International Sales Manager at Galam.
Shemesh goes on to add that fiber gives functionality to a recipe, so it can improve the crispiness in items such as breakfast cereals, cereal bars or improve humectancy, such as in cookies and cakes. It can improve shelf life and has flavor enhancers like chocolate, vanilla and fruity.
An additional trend that GOFOS taps into is sports nutrition. “Today there is a growing trend of high-protein and soluble fiber so it works very well in such applications, too. This makes it a great option for applications in high-protein bars, powder and ready-to-drink applications.”
Sweet relief and the clean label trend
The product has a sweetening effect and depending on the application and the formulation it can exceed the 30 percent sugar reduction benchmark. “It depends on the application as it has a synergistic effect with other sweeteners. In some cases, we can reduce sugar by 30 or 40 percent without feeling any differences. In other cases you would notice that the product may be less sweet,” Shemesh explains.
As far as the clean label trend is concerned, GOFOS can easily fit that profile as it is considered a food ingredient worldwide. “This allows it to work very well with demands for clean label, transparency, as it is not an additive. The molecule of short-chain FOS is also found naturally in fruits and vegetables such as bananas, onion, garlic. It is also suitable for vegan applications,” Shemesh concludes.
As sugar reduction solidifies itself in the industry’s trend list, formulators are looking for novel ways to boost sweetness without the adverse health effects of sugar. Beneo also highlighted its naturally-sourced sugar replacer, Isomalt at ISM, in a new sweets collection. The sugar-free candies are made using flavors from Symrise and are designed to “bring excitement and authenticity to every moment in the mouth,” the company says. The collection also taps into both the “healthy indulgence” and “sensorial immersion” trends that are currently driving confectionery sales.
In the same space as Galam, Netherlands-based Fooditive recently launched a natural sweetener produced from apple and pear leftovers. The allergen-free sugar substitute contains zero calories and is touted as having a clean taste, being digestion-friendly, as well as causing no tooth corrosion.
Inclined toward health, consumers are scrutinizing sweeteners and global health bodies are playing their part in educating the public. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group (NUGAG) is expected to be released soon, and it is previously reported on a new study publicized by the International Sweeteners Association (ISA), which argued that there is an extensive body of robust scientific evidence that shows that low and no-calorie sweeteners are safe and can be part of broader strategies to reduce sugar intake. However, this is still an area of controversy, with experts saying that the microbiome is a particular potential point of concern.
