The expansion, part of the $100m investment in additional capacity for Speciality Food Ingredients announced in May 2014, means capacity at the facility has increased more than tenfold since Tate & Lyle acquired Biovelop in 2013.
Also, the number of employees at the facility, which is 110 miles south of Stockholm and is now known as Tate & Lyle Ingredients, has more than doubled since the acquisition.
Tate & Lyle uses a patented manufacturing process, without the use of chemicals or solvents, to convert local Swedish oats into ingredients such as PromOat Beta Glucan and PrOatein Oat Protein, which are used in food and beverages including breakfast cereals, smoothies, baked goods, bars and sports shakes.
The facility also produces Avenacare Oat Beta Glucan for use in the personal care and cosmetics industries.
Following the expansion, Tate & Lyle Sweden also underlined its commitment to quality and food safety by obtaining a top AA-grade BRC-certification (Global Standard for Food Safety) in 2016.
PromOat Beta Glucan
PromOat Beta Glucan is rich in soluble oat beta-glucan fiber, proven to actively lower blood cholesterol , thereby giving food manufacturers access to authorized heart health claims in many countries around the world.
The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) and the EU approved the article 14 claim which states: “Oat beta-glucan has been shown to lower/reduce blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease.”
Oat beta glucan can help maintain healthy blood glucose levels and healthy digestion, and research indicates that it may help consumers manage weight by providing a feeling of fullness after meals.
Tate & Lyle notes that manufacturers can help consumers by simply adding oat beta glucan to their products.
PromOat is soluble, and can act as a texturant and mouthfeel enhancer in a variety of foods and beverages.
EFSA recommends use of three grams a day and manufacturers who add one gram per serving have the ability to make the claim on their product package or in their marketing communication.
Thickener and stabilizer
PromOat Beta Glucan can also be used as a thickener and stabilizer to create ‘reduced-fat’ milk drinks that offers the creamy mouthfeel usually associated with full-fat beverages.
It is soluble and free from the color, taste and graininess or grittiness that is sometimes associated with oats, and is a clean-label ingredient.
PrOatein product
The company’s PrOatein Oat Protein is a protein concentrate from oats that can help manufacturers meet demand for nutritious supplements and protein-rich foods.
Tate & Lyle says that while oats have been known as a ‘super-cereal’ for thousands of years, their protein fraction wasn’t widely studied until recently.
However, oats are the grains with the highest protein content of all cereals, and they contain significant amounts of dietary amino acids.
Oat protein contains more tryptophan and SAA (sulfur-containing amino acids) than pea protein; more SAA and valine than soy protein; and has more indispensable amino acids than wheat protein.
PrOatein powder produces a neutral color and flavor, with an odor similar to oat bran, which is familiar to consumers.
The company says that as PrOatein is a natural ingredient that labels simply as ‘oat protein,’ it is attractive to manufacturers looking to appeal to consumer demand for protein-enriched oat products.
Demand for oats
At the opening, Rowan Adams, executive-vice president corporate affairs, said, “We had a vision for this facility, for the oat business; it makes me so proud to be here today to see that vision become a reality. It’s a great credit to the whole team. We’re very excited about the future for this business and for our place in the Kimstad community.
“I firmly believe that oat will be one of the most widely-used and most popular food ingredients over the next 10 or 20 years. It has very strong consumer appeal and great health benefits.
“It is an ingredient which we are seeing at Tate & Lyle with very strong demand from our customers all around the world.”