The ingredient range – to be named Evesse – will initially target the dietary supplement category, with the primary focus being heart health.
The long term cooperation agreement between the two firms, signed today, will give Danisco exclusive rights to a number of dry powder ingredient extracts derived from apples. These, said Danisco, already have documented benefits for cardiovascular health. The firm has also identified a number of other areas of potential, including oral health, inflammation, exercise recovery and skin health.
Danisco told NutraIngredients.com that it plans to invest in additional scientific substantiation for the ingredients.
Antioxidants
The health benefits of the products are linked to their polyphenol content – which are antioxidants derived from fruits or vegetables.
Danisco, which does not supply any other apple-based ingredients, said it chose to focus on the Evesse products because they have a high epicatechin (flavan-3-ol) content, which is different from other apple-based ingredients on the market
Polyphenols can be split into two groups - flavonoids and non-flavonoids. The former includes anthocyanins found in berries, flavonols from a variety of fruit and vegetables, flavones from parsley and thyme, for example, flavanones from citrus, isoflavones from soy, mono- and poly-meric flavonols like the catechins in tea, and proanthocyanidins from berries, wine and chocolate. The non-flavonoids include phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes such as resveratrol.
Danisco’s agreement with Coressence, which focuses on the development of functional ingredients from natural sources, means the Danish firm will be responsible for all aspects of marketing and sales, and will also gather all necessary regulatory approvals.
The company expects the first sales to occur in 2011, initially in the dietary supplement market. It will continue to conduct application work, however, in order to determine the best applications for food and beverage products, with a view of developing those markets at a later date.
The ingredient will be available in both powder and granule form, and has a neutral taste and odour, which the firm says “makes application work easier compared to other polyphenols”.
More health
Danisco said the move announced today enhances its focus on health and nutrition.
“Phytochemicals, which include polyphenols, is one category of health ingredients that has been identified as a Health and Nutrition growth area, which is a new opportunity for Danisco, but at the same time builds on existing know-how in the field of natural polyphenol extracts for food protection,” the company told NutraIngredients.com.
According to the firm, a global focus on health and nutrition means that the “relatively small” apple polyphenol market has significant growth potential, with new applications for polyphenol ingredients continuously being marketed around the world.
The total European polyphenol market estimated to be worth over €100m.