German ingredients producer Wacker is showing a number of innovative products at Food Ingredients Asia 2014 this week in Hall 1, Booth M25.
Hydroxytyrosol, for example, is a secondary plant metabolite that is considered a highly effective antioxidant that strengthens the immune system, lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation and improves bone and joint health. It is also said to protect blood lipids from oxidative damage, which can prevent cardiovascular disease and lower the risk of stroke.
Additionally, hydroxytyrosol is a free radical scavenger, with an ORAC value (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of 4,500,000 μmolTE1 per 100g, ten times higher than green tea and more than twice as high as coenzyme Q10. In human cells, hydroxytyrosol influences the melanin pigments, so that the skin becomes lighter and dark patches disappear. It can also prevent wrinkle formation and skin ageing.
Due to its diverse modes of action, hydroxytyrosol is a popular ingredient in dietary supplements and cosmetics. One drawback, until recently, was the way it was produced. In nature, hydroxytyrosol is found in olives and olive leaves and its extraction is complex and cost-intensive. Wacker has now developed a novel process to fully synthesise this compound and its new product, HTEssence, features higher purity with a defined amount of active ingredient.
HTEssence features higher purity with a defined amount of active ingredient
The controlled production process not only offers supply security, but also ensures that HTEssence does not contain any unwanted by-products or contaminants. Available as an odourless, water-soluble powder and liquid, the product is suitable for use not only in functional foods and dietary supplements, such as tablets, capsules, energy bars and functional beverages, but also in cosmetics and anti-ageing products.
Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and hypoallergenic properties. Because curcumin is extremely hydrophobic, however, it is not readily absorbed in the human bloodstream. This is where cyclodextrins come in. These cyclic starch molecules are hydrophilic on the outside with a hydrophobic cavity on the inside, which allows them to accommodate other hydrophobic substances. Fat-soluble curcumin slips inside the cyclodextrin. In an aqueous medium, the formulation forms a molecular dispersion that is much more readily absorbed by the body.
This effect has been proven scientifically. In a clinical trial, researchers compared the relative absorption of Cavamax W8 Curcumin with pure curcumin extract (95%) and two commercially available curcumin preparations designed to increase bioavailability. The cyclo-dextrin-curcumin formulation was absorbed up to 47 times more efficiently than the standard extract, and at least 4.5 times better than the next-best comparable commercial product. The use of cyclodextrins demonstrably improves the bioavailability of hydrophobic ingredients such as curcumin.
At FI Asia Wacker is introducing Cavamax W6 alphadextrin – designed to replace sodium caseinate in coconut milk powders. Due to its emulsifying properties, sodium caseinate is added to coconut milk powder to produce a stable, creamy-milky product after the addition of water. Yet the same effect can also be achieved with alphadextrin, which is an emulsifying, soluble food fibre.
Cavamax W6 alphadextrin is designed to replace sodium caseinate in coconut milk powders
Wacker says Cavamax W6 improves the stability of the coconut milk made from powder and water and gives the milk its caseinate-like creaminess. Additionally, the product is able to provide better protection against the volatile coconut aromas during spray drying.
Cavamax W6 also enables cream desserts or fruit mousse to be made without the addition of fat or eggs. The product improves over-run during whipping, which makes it possible to whip fruit juices, fruit purees or honey into light, stable creams without additional proteins.
The alternative that cyclodextrins offer for many foodstuffs is not only low-calorie, cholesterol-free and non-allergenic, but is also based on plant material: as a natural degradation product of starch – for example corn or potatoes – Wacker cyclodextrins are bioengineered entirely from renewable raw materials. As free-flowing powders, cyclodextrin-based formulations are suitable not only for dry or powdered food supplements, such as tablets, capsules and energy bars, but also for functional beverages.
