Cargill highlights new concepts at health show

Cargill says it will be demonstrating a wide variety of products from breads and cheeses to many other popular foods at the show, which all have made use of the company's ingredients in a bid to meet consumer demands for health functionality.

Formulation cooperation Pam Stauffer, Cargill's global communications manager said that the group's stand at the show, which runs between 18 to 19 June, was designed to show customers the type of products that have already been produced through cooperation with manufacturers.

Stauffer added that Cargill was committed to finding new ingredient applications for a wide variety of food products like those demonstrated at the show.

"[The Exposition] is an ideal place for Cargill to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to helping our customers, and retailers, meet the growing consumer demand for high quality, great-tasting functional foods and beverages," she said.

Stauffer told NutraIngredients-USA.com that it will be showing three new product concepts for snacking and beverages that demonstrate the types of product innovation it hopes to offer manufacturers.

Concept products The conceptual products were designed around the group's own consumer research, to target specific health and product demands of retailers, according to Stauffer.

These include a drinkable yoghurt, which combines a natural pomegranate flavour with the group's Viable cultures and plant sterol products that the company says offers a light-fat product with heart health benefits.

Also on display are a fibre rich, low fat and naturally flavoured black currant smoothie as well as a naturally flavoured fruit granola bar, Cargill said.

Stauffer conceded that in the current high-cost ingredient market for most food manufacturers, the cost of producing value-added products did have to be taken into consideration.

However, she claimed that manufacturers were more likely to offset cost concerns due to the claims that can be associated with the use of added-value products, particularly when targeted at specific consumer needs.

She added that concepts ideas could be adapted on a worldwide basis depending on the availability of individual ingredients depending on regional legislation.

Ingredient products Some of Cargill's single ingredient products will also be on display at the show.

One ingredient that will be the group's Corowise plant sterols, which Cargill claims have been clinically shown to lower cholesterol.

The company says they can be added to foods and beverages without increasing calories or affecting flavour or texture, making it easy for people to add plant sterols into their daily diets and help reduce 'bad' LDL cholesterol levels.