The deal will see Lactose India market and distribute Solvay’s galactofructose (also known as lactulose) forms in India, with Lactose India’s existing client base of food and supplement manufacturers already expressing an interest in the ingredient.
That client base includes the likes of Abbott Healthcare, Glaxo SmithKline and major Indian dairies.
“We chose Lactose India because of their access to the biggest food makers in India including dairies and juice makers and supplement manufacturers,” Solvay nutrition programme manager, Pascal Ronfard told NutraIngredients.
Powdered and syrup versions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) digestive health claim-winning ingredient will be available to Lactose India, which itself was the first Indian company to commercially manufacture lactose.
Lactose India executive director, Atul Maheshwari, said the new offering was complementary to its lactose business.
“Galactofructose is very much about digestive health and added-value to products like yoghurts, other dairy products and juices and supplements-pharmaceuticals,” Maheshwari said.
“There has been strong interest and we expect to have products on the market within six months. We are targeting the bigger cities like Mumbai and Delhi where interest in these kinds of foods is rising as wealth increases and western dietary habits are adopted.”
Ronfard said the companies were formulating a dossier to present to Indian authorities regarding the digestive benefits of galactofructose, with the aim of winning a formal health claim.
EFSA backing
In the European Union, EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) issued an opinion that stated: “Lactulose as a synthetic sugar is used in the treatment of constipation. In the colon, lactulose is broken down to lactic acid and to small amounts of acetic and formic acids by the action of beta-galactosidases from colonic bacteria.”
“This process leads to an increase in osmotic pressure and slight acidification of the colonic content causing an increase in stool water content and softening of the stools.”
The panel approved the claim, “Lactulose contributes to a reduction in intestinal transit time” when consumed at a level of 10g per day.
The opinion can be found here.