In Japan, beverage manufacturer Kirin has revealed plans for an alcohol-free beer containing an indigestible form of the carbohydrate dextrin, which slows the body’s absorption of sugar and fat.
New Perfect Free contains zero sugar and is calorie-free. Its introduction will be supported by point-of-sale materials carrying the tagline “it has a big impact on your throat, it’ll have a big impact on your fat levels”. The company has been able to make some of the health claims relating to the new drink after laws in Japan governing the requirement for extensive and costly regulatory approval on health claims were relaxed.
The new product development extends a series of dextrin-based innovations in the Japanese market, including when Pepsi distributor Suntory announced a limited edition variant of the soft drinks brand containing the fat-absorbing molecule.
Kirin will also launch a dextrin-based tea called Shokuji no Namacha, which translates roughly as “pure tea for meals”, after the success of similar products from companies such as Kao. The packaging of the internal body fat-reducing Kirin tea features on explanation of how the dextrin technology works on the packaging.
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