Beneo delivers toffee product with 30% reduced sugar ingredient
Global ingredients business Beneo has launched a new toffee product concept with its functional carbohydrate, Palatinose, which has been developed as a healthier option for consumers.
As the business, which showcased the latest confectionery idea at this year’s ISM explained, the ingredient replaces more than 30% of the high glycaemic sugars contained in a standard recipes, supporting a lower blood glucose response.
Beneo, which has developed its Palatinose ingredient over the past few years, said that with an increasing global focus on healthy nutrition means that more and more consumers are searching for guilt-free indulgence. However, the company’s market research has shown that for many this still remains a challenge: one third (34%) of UK consumers, always or most of the time, feel guilty when they are snacking. Meanwhile, half of German consumers and nearly two thirds of consumers in Spain, Poland and France agreeing that there aren’t enough healthy sweets available.
In response, experts at the company’s technology centre created a healthier toffee supporting a lower blood glucose response as alternative to existing toffee products on the market which can contain up to 65% of high glycaemic sugars. Its development has been in light of continued growth for the toffee and fudge category.
Research has indicated that it has reportedly increased faster worldwide than the overall confectionery category in the past five years, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.4% compared to 0.9%. This development is expected to continue, demonstrating an opportunity for confectionery producers looking to develop healthier alternatives.
Thomas Schmidt, marketing director at BENEO comments: “Traditionally toffees conjure up pure indulgence and nostalgia but at the same time a relatively unhealthy image for consumers. However, the new toffees with Palatinose that Beneo presented at ISM preserve the traditionally creamy-sweet taste and the pleasant bite and mouthfeel of their traditional counterparts. But they have a significantly better nutritional profile, with a lower blood glucose response. This is our answer to growing consumers interest in “better carbs” and their wish to balance blood sugar levels whilst enjoying an indulgent treat.”
Palatinose (isomaltulose) is derived from sugar beet and has similar technological properties as sucrose. With its mild sugar-like taste it allows flavours other than sweetness to dominate, making it well suited for sweet snacks. Palatinose has received EU health claims for being tooth friendly, and lowering the blood glucose response. The functional carbohydrate is fully, yet slowly released, and provides glucose in a sustained manner. This ensures that blood sugar levels stay balanced.
