SupplySide West Report, New Products, and Industry Updates

SUPPLYSIDE WEST REPORT

Trend Tracking

Food Technology Contributing Editor Linda Milo Ohr identified the following key focus areas among exhibitors at 2022’s SupplySide West (SSW) event held in Las Vegas this fall.

• E-sports. The rise of e-sports or competitive video gaming was acknowledged with supplements and ingredients to support e-gamers’ energy levels and mental focus.

• Sleep and Stress. These are still concerns for consumers, especially because anxiety and stress are tied to sleep. Sleep quality doesn’t just address falling asleep, but also staying asleep, length of sleep, and even sleep patterns. CBD ingredients appeared to have less of a presence at this year’s SSW trade show. There were more ingredients like melatonin, L-theanine, and other botanical extracts to address sleep and stress issues.

• Recovery and Hydration. Sports nutrition always has a presence at SSW. While protein and muscle building/maintenance maintains a foothold in this market, there was also an emphasis on recovery and hydration. Both are essential to support physical performance, whether it’s for competitive athletes or fitness enthusiasts.

• Plant-Based. The popularity of plant-based eating was evident. Flavor houses displayed products for modifying and masking flavors in plant-based foods and beverages. Alternative proteins like pea, canola, and rice were showcased.

Cargill shared some insights into plant-based dairy trends, suggesting that flexitarian consumers are playing a significant role in the plant-based dairy marketplace. The company’s proprietary research also revealed that opportunities remain to close the perceived texture gap between plant-based and animal-based products. In Cargill’s research, 37% of consumers said they prefer the texture of animal-based products, while 26% favored that of plant-based offerings.

NEW PRODUCTS – SUPPLYSIDE WEST

Artemis International announced its first ingredient specifically formulated for food and beverage applications. BERRYActiv5 delivers the benefits of five phytonutrient-rich berries: aronia, blueberry, cranberry, cherry, and elderberry.

RedLeaf Biologics uncovered a naturally occurring adaptation in red sorghum that is a potent source of polyphenols and bioflavonoids, including a particularly rare subclass of polyphenols: 3-deoxyanthocyanidins. The company reports that RedNatural Sorghum Extract shows clinical promise in key categories, including
gut health, immunity, cognition, brain health, energy, performance, healthy aging, and beauty.

Nexira introduced POW(D)ER from Mother Nature, a range of 30 natural nutrient-dense plant-based powders. Globally sourced from the banks of the Amazon River to Southeast Asia to the West Indies and many locations in between, the plant-based powders are naturally derived from fruits, flowers, leaves, seeds, and roots. From the rich, vibrant colors and textures of the powders to the distinctive tastes, each of these beneficial ingredients will infuse products such as nutritional bars, smoothie bowls, yogurts, granolas, juices, smoothies, frozen desserts, and others.

Epax launched a new product that derives its benefits from cetoleic acid, an ingredient outside the traditional omega-3 category. EPAX Cetoleic 10 contains cetoleic acid, an omega-11 marine lipid, and gondoic acid (omega-9). New Epax research indicates that the ingredient may have particular benefits for skin health.

Algarithm and Natures Crops International have partnered to produce two new omega oil blends for supplement, food, and beverage ingredient usage. These new blends, Ahiflower 80DHA and 150DHA leverage the oxidative stability and sensory properties of both ahiflower and Algarithm’s DHA oils and concentrates. Combining these completely sustainable omega-3 oils delivers both health and planetary benefits; every 1 kg of the Ahiflower 80DHA or 150DHA keeps 4,000 fish in the sea, the company claims.

Capsoil FoodTech by Prodalim introduced a novel technology to add potent doses of oil-based and lipid-soluble nutrients into gummies, opening the door to the inclusion of soluble lipids in gummies, including MCTs, omega fatty acids, vitamins A, D, E, and K, coenzyme Q-10, carotenoids, and lipid-soluble botanicals.

Capsoil’s unique, patented technology takes any oil compound and converts it to a self-emulsifying powder without the use of chemicals or solvents or exposure to heat. This process results in a dry, free-flowing powder that dissolves easily in any aqueous matrix. The oil and its bioactive compounds make up to 60% of the powder and maintain the active oil’s original composition.

Fiberstar launched a USDA-certified organic citrus fiber, Organic Citri-Fi 400 Citrus Fiber Series, due to the uptick in organic ingredient demand. Citri-Fi 400FG and Citri-Fi 400M40 provide water-holding and emulsification properties similar to the flagship Citri-Fi 100 series.

NEW PRODUCTS

Silky Smooth MicroCreamery offers a flavor-enhancing, all-natural, sugar-free, keto-friendly non-nutritive sweetener blend, SilkySweet, designed to be used as an alternative to sugar in a variety of food and beverage applications. SilkySweet is a unique blend of non-GMO allulose, monk fruit extract, and organic and natural flavors. In blind taste tests, SilkySweet was found to taste richer, cleaner, and more flavorful than pure cane sugar.

Its exclusive functional ingredients reduce bitterness and other undesirable flavor notes while enhancing base flavors in lactose-free dairy products, cocoa, coffee, tea, citrus, plant-based milks, and more. Product applications also include frozen desserts and bakery products.

It is available in three levels of concentration: SilkySweet Intense 1:1, which allows for ”sweeten to taste” reduction up to 30% versus cane sugar formulations, SilkySweet 8x to be blended with Intense 1:1 to help limit allulose to 20 g per real-world serving in highly sweetened beverage applications, and Allulose/Bulk-Free SilkySweet 125–200x to replace stevia only and/or monk fruit only.

Acryleast Pro is an advanced iteration of Kerry’s signature acrylamide-reducing non-GMO yeast, Acryleast. This second-generation product, which is available in North America, is an organic-suitable baker’s yeast that effectively reduces the levels of acrylamide in a wide range of manufactured and organic food products by up to 90%. It delivers 2.2 times more enzyme activity than the first-generation product, meaning that it is much more effective and cost-efficient in lower doses.

Arla Foods Ingredients developed a solution that allows for the creation of fermented drinks that are both clear and high in protein. The new solution, which is based on 100% whey-based hydrolysates Lacprodan HYDRO.365 and Nutrilac FO-8571, opens up new ways to give fermented protein beverages a twist. Because it significantly minimizes cloudiness and sedimentation, it can be used to create high-protein fermented beverages that are just as clear as alternatives without protein. Manufacturers can use it with thermophilic cultures for fermented drinks, or mesophilic cultures for kombucha-style beverages. They can also be produced on a standard yogurt processing line.

IFF announced the global launch of its next-generation plant-based protein SUPRO TEX designed to accelerate growth in the meat alternative category beyond ground meat burgers. This new solution provides a very similar texture to chunky pieces of whole-muscle animal protein in an easy-to-use format that does not require major capital investment for manufacturers to begin production. Made in irregular shapes, the new 80% protein SUPRO TEX is based on soy protein. As a dry product, it eliminates the need for a cold supply chain, simplifying and reducing shipping costs and storage.

Kansas Protein Foods’ Imagic Plant-Based Seafood SF 201 Bits are flavored, ready-to-eat textured vegetable protein made from soy flour that has been formulated to resemble bits of seafood in flavor, aroma, texture, and color and is suited for a wide range of applications and food systems. The unique structure of the product enables it to hydrate and retain moisture in rigorous processing and cooking environments. Texture doesn’t change with cooking, and the product can be heated to food-safe temperatures.

INDUSTRY UPDATE

The Wright Group introduced TWG Health & Nutrition, a new division dedicated to the health and nutrition market, providing custom nutrient premixes, direct compression granulations, and microencapsulated ingredients and beverage solutions.

Sustainability leader Geno announced its entry into the functional foods and beverages market with the launch of its new functional ingredient, Avela natural (R)-1,3-Butanediol. The sugar-free ingredient offers a fast, easy, and accessible way to raise beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) ketone levels, the primary energy source made in the body during ketosis. Made from plant sugars using Geno’s sustainable, proprietary fermentation process, the ingredient is a source of natural energy and can provide these benefits of ketosis on demand, supporting a variety of lifestyles.

Ingredion announced a new partnership with HowGood, an SaaS data platform with the world’s largest database on food and personal care product sustainability, to meet customer demands for sustainable ingredients. This partnership will deliver data transparency on Ingredion’s top products and new product innovations which, along with Ingredion’s goal of having 99% of its global supply of crops sustainably sourced by 2025, will provide customers with the kind of sustainable solutions that consumers prefer.

Kemin Industries appointed Zheng Yang as director of research and development for its food technologies business unit in North America. Yang will lead all aspects of research, product development, and formulation activities, from conception to commercialization.

GEA marked the official start of construction of its new repair, logistics, assembly, production, and training facility in Janesville, Wis., in November 2022. GEA will invest more than $20 million in the new site in response to growing demand for separators, decanters, valves, pumps, and homogenizers. In mid-September 2022, GEA celebrated the opening of a new, state-of-the-art food processing and packaging Technology Center in Frisco, Texas. The 15,000 sq ft facility features more than 40 pieces of GEA equipment used to manufacture food products.

BENEO has demonstrated how supply security and sustainability can go hand in hand. While increasing global capacity for its prebiotic chicory root fibers by 30%, thanks to a 90 million euro investment ($88.9 million USD) into its production plant in Pemuco, Chile, BENEO is also reducing specific energy consumption by 35%. The company has upgraded existing processing equipment and invested in new technology, such as new evaporation systems, which will not only reduce the energy required but also ensure that the energy is used in the most efficient way possible. This investment into new technology also allows for improved process continuation as it means equipment can be cleaned without interruption of the overall process, which in turn results in further significant energy savings.

British dairy cooperative First Milk announced that it has agreed to a new partnership with Arla Foods Ingredients to produce a specialist whey protein powder at its Lake District Creamery. First Milk will manufacture Nutrilac FO-7875 on behalf of Arla Foods Ingredients using the company’s proprietary process, with Arla Foods Ingredients marketing and selling the product internationally. In addition, First Milk will continue to manufacture whey protein concentrate powder, WPC80, and market it through its existing partnership.

DolCas Biotech attained two Health Canada natural product licenses, one for its concentrated turmeric extract, Curcugen, and the other for Ginfort, a powerful ginger extract in powdered format. Produced by Olene Life Sciences, the two ingredient brands are research-backed for clinical efficacy and safety and are solely distributed by DolCas. Products with such licenses have been assessed by Health Canada and found to be safe, effective, and of high quality under their recommended conditions of use.

RESEARCH

Prebiotic Carrot Fiber

New clinical research demonstrates that a soluble prebiotic carrot fiber known as RG-I (Rhamnogalacturonan-I), which is branded as BeniCaros and has been introduced by NutriLeads, strengthens healthy immune responses.

BeniCaros is sourced from upcycled carrot pomace. Clinical test data showed that subjects taking 300 mg of BeniCaros reported statistically significant reductions in symptom severity (20%–33%) and duration (28%–43%) compared with the placebo group after being exposed to a common cold virus.

BeniCaros also significantly reduced the negative impact of a common cold on quality of life. In comparison with the placebo group, BeniCaros subjects reported that their colds interfered 10%–30% less with their quality of life. BeniCaros has a dual mode of action that trains the immune system to respond faster, preparing innate immune cells for a heightened state of readiness, and selectively increases beneficial gut microorganisms and their metabolites that support immune responses.

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