GTC launches ‘high-purity’ prebiotic

The firm, a business unit of Corn Products International, said its Purimune branded ingredient is a 90 percent prebiotic GOS.

GTC Nutrition marketing and public relations manager, Trina O’Brien, told NutraIngredients-USA.com this compared with the market standard of about 55 per cent.​​

She said the ingredient is self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognised as safe) and will be marketed in Europe.​​

Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that encourage the activity of probiotics. Probiotics are ‘good’ bacteria that improve the balance of intestinal microflora to benefit gut health and boost the immune system.

GOS is currently considered to be one of the main forms of prebiotics – the others being fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) – inulin – and lactulose.

Stable​

GTC said its new Purimune ingredient is “stable in extreme processing conditions”​, including high temperature and low PH.

Such processing environments have been traditionally avoided by manufacturers of foods and drinks containing probiotics – with which prebiotics are often used in combination – because the live bacteria are not able to withstand these harsh conditions.

However, new technologies have recently opened up the route for probiotics to be used in some products that undergo high temperatures in manufacturing. This, in turn, opens up a market for stable prebiotics to be used in a symbiotic application – which is a combination of pro- and prebiotics.

Purimune, which comes in powder form, is also said to be “highly soluble”​ and can deliver “desirable” ​textural and sensory properties.

According to the firm, potential applications for the new prebiotic include infant formulas, baby foods, functional beverages and supplements.

Korean manufacture ​

GTC said it would manufacture its Purimune ingredient in South Korea, at Corn Products’ Icheon plant.

GTC, which is Corn Products’ ‘health and wellness’ business unit, will distribute the ingredient globally.