Dutch inulin specialist Sensus is to add a powdered inulin to its Frutafit portfolio at the upcoming Food Ingredients Europe exhibition in Frankfurt this November.
Prebiotics - non digestible food ingredients that help stimulate gut microflora - are gradually enjoying a wider appeal as consumers become increasingly concerned about their gut health.
Sensus claims that its latest addition - branded Frutafit CLR - is an 'ideal source of prebiotic fibres for applications requiring excellent solubility'.
According to the company, the product prevents crystallisation in high dry matter applications - such as fruit preparations and purees - in high concentrations. In addition, it minimises gelling and viscosity at high dosages, and provides 'high and clear solubility'.
Inulin - a polydisperse GFn molecule - is a naturally occurring carbohydrate in over 36,000 plants, including common vegetables like artichokes, onions and garlic. This functional ingredient is extracted from chicory root by a physical process similar to that used in extracting sugar from sugar beets.
An example of the growing introduction of prebiotics into mainstream consumer products arrived earlier this year when the Netherlands approved a new gut-health related claim for the Vitaalbrood Flora range of bread products from Bakkerij Veenhuis containing Sensus' Frutafit inulin.
According to the claim, three slices of the bread (with at least 5g of Frutafit inulin per 100g) 'supports a well-balanced gut flora composition and colonic function by selectively stimulating the growth of Bifidobacterium'. Dutch-based supermarket Albert Heijn was the first retailer in the Netherlands to communicate this specific health claim relating to bread.
As ingredients and nutritional communities continue to work to increase the visibility of prebiotics the market can expect to see many more collaborations such as that between Sensus and Bakkerij Veenhuis.