Interview: Kerry puts emphasis on ‘science-backed ingredients’

Kerry has vowed to continue investing in ‘science-backed ingredients’ after exhibiting a number of its functional ingredient platforms – in particular its Ganeden BC30 probiotic and the natural yeast beta glucan Wellmune – at Vitafoods Europe 2018 in Geneva.

Don Cox, a member of Kerry’s research and development team, spoke to FoodBev’s Alex Clere about the various functional and flavour solutions in Kerry’s portfolio and explained how its customers can make use of their products.

“Wellmune can go into basically anything,” Cox said. “It is a beta 1,3/1,6 glucan – so it’s a fibre, an immune-active fibre – and because of that it is very stable and it can go into and has been used on a wide range of products, from yogurts and milk beverages to juices, as well as your typical capsules, gummies, shots, et cetera that are very common in the supplement market.

“Ganeden BC30 – its primary benefits are that it’s exceedingly stable for a probiotic, so it can be used in many typical manufacturing processes that are used in the food industry – so pasteurisation, it’ll survive most forms of pasteurisation; it can be frozen, it can be heated, it can be baked, and it’s quite stable so you’ll see it in a wide range of foods and beverages. Over 900 actually: we have products with over 900 uses in the marketplace.”

Despite both Wellmune and Ganeden BC30 being relatively well-established ingredients, Kerry was on hand to show potential customers how they can be incorporated, alongside Kerry’s other solutions, to help provide beneficial functionality in food and beverage products.

And Cox claimed that Kerry would continue to invest in “science-backed ingredients”, like Wellmune and Ganeden BC30, which he described as “a very important focus for us for the coming years”.

“We will continue to include new ingredients as we develop them, or acquire them, to provide our customers with an expanded portfolio of health-promoting ingredients.”

Presented and edited by: Alex Clere

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