Palatinose - Soft Drinks International

20 INGREDIENTS
Soft Drinks International – February 2011
Whey protein gets
sporting approval
VOLAC has welcomed the latest International
Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Consensus
Statement on Sports Nutrition which
recommends that athletes consume high
quality proteins, soon after exercise and at
optimal amounts throughout the day, as a
way of maximising the long term gain and
repair of muscle.
Suzane Leser, Nutrition Manager of
Lifestyle Ingredients, Volac, and Vice-Chair of
the European Specialist Sports Nutrition
Alliance (ESSNA), said this advice represents
good news for the whey protein
industry, following, as it does, the limited
endorsement of protein quality by the
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
under article 13.1 rulings on protein and
whey protein.
She said: “The importance of consuming
high quality protein at strategic points in
the day has emerged since the last IOC
Consensus Statement in 2003, and is now
being recognised as key to athletic performance,
alongside hydration and energy.
“The new Consensus will form the basis
for nutritional guidance to athletes in the
run up to London 2012 and this is great
news for the whey protein industry, particularly
as the IOC experts go further than
EFSA in recognising that not all proteins are
equal, and recommending that athletes consume
those of high quality. This would
include whey protein as it has one of the
highest biological values.”
The IOC statement advises that “Foods
or snacks that contain high-quality proteins
should be consumed regularly throughout
Sweet sports
recovery
ADM Cocoa is promoting the use of cocoa
powder in dairy-based chocolate flavour
beverages, which can be consumed as an
alternative to sugar-rich commercial sports
recovery drinks. The company maintains
that with the market for sports drinks in
Western Europe expected to grow at a
CAGR of 4% by 2014, the opportunity to
position dairy-based beverages as beneficial
to sports recovery can help set manufacturers
apart. ADM's own deZaan D21MC
cocoa powder is claimed to provide a
unique flavour and stability in long shelf life
dairy-based recovery drinks.
Chocolate milk has proven to be an
excellent recovery aid after prolonged
physical activity as it helps to replenish the
nutrients that exercisers lose during a long
workout. It also offers the added health
benefits of calcium. The higher carbohydrate
content of chocolate milk compared to
standard milk is thought to contribute to its
Volac's whey protein isolate Volactive Hydrapro.
the day as part of the day’s total protein
intake”. The IOC also recommends that
athletes “take 15-25 g of such protein after
each training session to maximise the synthesis
of proteins.”
Mark Neville, Head of Lifestyle Ingredients,
Volac, observes that it is not only the
demanding training regimes of potential
Olympians that will drive the sports nutrition
market. “Consumers, trying to combine
a physical fitness regime with a hectic
lifestyle also place a high value on convenience.
Our research, conducted among
consumers committed to undertaking sport
or exercise, showed that there is a potential
mainstream market for a sports recovery
drink containing whey protein.”
Until recently, the addition of whey protein
to clear beverages has not been without
its technological challenges. However,
Volac has overcome these difficulties with
the development of Volactive Hydrapro –
an enhanced, fat-free whey protein isolate
performance. Further high quality cocoa
powder can effectively mask the bitter taste
of some protein-rich sports recovery beverages.
A key functional advantage of deZaan
D21MC in dairy beverages is that it inhibits
protein agglomeration and provides excellent
stability against sedimentation, resulting
in a smooth mouthfeel.
Steve Laning, Innovation Director at
ADM Cocoa, commented, “Chocolate milk
or chocolate flavour dairy-based sports
recovery drinks are a more palatable, convenient
and cost-effective option than existing
alternatives on the market.”.
which combines high solubility with heat
stability, a long shelf life and neutral taste.
Mark Neville concludes: “The IOC advice
combined with the potential mainstream
market revealed by the Volac research
makes powerful reading for sports drinks
manufacturers. Against this backdrop, and
with the manufacturing challenges overcome,
now is the time for drinks manufacturers
to bring innovation to the sports
recovery market by combining the benefits
of this high quality whey protein with carbohydrates
and fluids in a clear, convenient
and refreshing beverage.”
EFSA rules on oats
A SCIENTIFIC panel of the European Food
Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a
positive opinion on a disease risk reduction
health claim dossier for oat beta-glucan following
an application from CreaNutrition
AG submitted pursuant to Article 14 of the
EC regulation on nutrition and health
claims.
According to the positive opinion of the
EFSA panel for dietetic products, nutrition
and allergies (NDA), foods providing 3g of
oat beta-glucan per day can bear the health
claim: “Oat beta-glucan has been shown to
lower/reduce blood cholesterol. Blood cholesterol
lowering may reduce the risk of
heart disease.” The health claim still needs
to be approved by the EU Commission.
Bioactive oat beta-glucan is the cholesterol-lowering
constituent of CreaNutrition’s
OatWell oat bran ingredients.
In brief…
● The Best Innovative Stevia Product 2010
award went to Naturex, the French company
based in Avignon, at the recent Malta
Stevia 2010 conference organised by
ISANH (International Society of Antioxidants
in Nutrition and Health). Talin (Thaumatin),
a low-calorie flavour modifier, a
natural protein, is physically extracted from
the katemfe fruit, Thaumatococcus daniellii,
from the West African rainforests.
● The Food Additives and Ingredients
Association has updated and relaunched its
website to present the latest facts and
information about food additives and ingredients
in a clear and easy to read style. The
site – www.faia.org.uk – provides the definitive
source of information about E-numbers
(food additives) and functional
ingredients. It features a useful glossary, an
extensive list of Frequently Asked Questions
and useful web links.