Luis Fernandez, applications technology leader EMEA, and Mirjam Both, communications manager for Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate, talked about the company’s latest developments, meeting manufacturer and consumer demand – intensely dark Gerkens cocoa powder for use in ice cream and chocolate sports drinks; zero-calorie boiled sweets made with Zerose erythritol, an apple acerola sports drinks with vitamins and Regenasure glucosamine for joint benefits, and chewing gum with Isomalt coating that has a longer lasting minty taste (we all know the disappointment when the flavour is lost in minutes).
This morning, I arrived somewhat bedraggled thanks to the pouring rain at the Marriot Hotel for the Beneo Palatinit press breakfast. This preceded a major announcement of the launch of the Beneo Institute: “We need to give oxygen to the food and drink industry worldwide,” explained executive board member Yves Servotte.
“Functional Food will shape the future and we want to give companies a helping hand,” she continued. “It’s another ball game with a complex set of rules and we have experts who can help companies both large and small overcome any problems they may encounter.
“The consumer is asking for food offering weight management, healthy snacking, good kids’ nutrition and gut health, and we’re pleased to help with with our nutritional experts and those aware of food law. A ‘technology push’ without knowing how to negotiate the regulatory roadblocks no longer works. We already have several ongoing projects at the institute, such as in improved mineral absorption through probiotics and sugar replacement in various foods. We see a focus on mental performance and dental and bone health.”
The most amusing picture of the day has to be of the world’s strongest man, Derek Poundstone, rolling a frying pan to demonstrate the effects of drinking the new high protein soy drink from Solae, Supra XF. Offering recovery and endurance benefits for those working out, as well as heart health and satiety – another growth category for Solae’s soy protein isolates is for high protein drinks for the ageing consumer.
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