Starch ingredients company Cerestar formally launched a bio-organic sweetener at Health Ingredients Europe in Paris this week.
Produced in a new plant in Switzerland, CBio-Sweet is derived from bio-organic wheat and hydrolysed with non-GMO enzymes. It has been certified by BioSuisse, said to be one of the strictest regulators of organic products in the world.
Cerestar, which was recently acquired by US company Cargill, said the product had a wide range of applications such as sauces, cakes, baked goods, confectionery and processed foods.
Thomas Draguhn, product manager of the Nutritional Ingredients unit, said: "This product has a bio-organic source, bio-organic processing and bio-organic approval. It will be a useful product for anyone who needs to use the bio-organic term in their marketing."
He added that the bio-organic sector today comprises 1 - 2 per cent of the current food market but with a growth of 7 - 10 per cent each year, the company is expecting significant growth in this market.
"As a producer of starches, this product completes our offer to customers. Those clients wishing to differentiate their products with organic claims can now do so with the bio-organic sweetener," added Draguhn.
The ingredient is said to offer excellent mouthfeel and and be good in spray-dried products such as baby food and porridge. It also improves shelf-life of confectionery products.
Cerestar launched its CActiStar Resistant Starch at FiE in London last year. Under new ownership however the health market will become increasingly important. "Cargill are putting a strong emphasis on health products at the moment, and although we are already involved in that market, I think we will see additional activities in Europe," said Draguhn.