Ingredients by Nature and Galam introduce new prebiotic fiber

12-Nov-2020 - Last updated on 25-Nov-2020 at 15:37 GMT

Getty Images / Denise Hasse

California-based Ingredients by Nature (IBN) recently announced its partnership with Israel-based Galam to distribute a new prebiotic fiber, GOFOS. IBN said they will be distributing the ingredient solely to the nutraceutical industry.

GOFOS, a short chain fructo-oligosaccharide (sc-FOS), acts as a soluble, prebiotic, non-digestible fiber. Produced from non-GMO beet sugar by a proprietary enzymatic process, GOFOS promotes the growth and activity of beneficial gut microbiota and helps maintain a healthy gut.

“GOFOS sc-FOS is manufactured from beet sugar as raw material employing an enzymatic bioconversion of sucrose to a high-quality soluble prebiotic with short chain fructo-oligosaccharides components,” explained IBN’s president, Rob Brewster. “The process uses state of the art purification methods such as SMB chromatography to assure a high purity and reliable composition of active oligosaccharides.”

Pour some beet sugar on me

“Beet sugar is currently one of the highest purity raw materials for production of scFOS. And a large amount of the clinical work done on sc-FOS is based on product produced from beet sugar as a starting material,” noted Brewster.

Beet-derived sc-FOS are being positioned as a viable alternative to inulin for fiber fortification. Chicory root fiber, which inulin is derived from, saw a significant decrease this year. The company said this shortage of inulin on the market has paved the way for GOFOS, presenting a strong alternative for fiber fortification.

While the year has been challenging for many, Galam is not experiencing any supply issues. “We have actually seen an increase in the demand for prebiotic products in order to support gut health and the immune system. So, we are in a good position to provide sufficient GOFOS to the market without the typical worries that have come with the pandemic,” said Brewster.

A match made in prebiotic Heaven

“The partnership of IBN with Galam is a perfect match to bring this superior prebiotic to the American nutraceuticals market,” said Brewster. “In addition to providing GOFOS on its own, we will also be distributing the newly created GOFOS with ‘low water activity’ designed for greater stability when blended with our high-quality Brewster Brand probiotics, which have a symbiotic effect for enhanced immune support.”

Brewster told NutraIngredients-USA that GOFOS with ‘low water activity’ is specially manufactured by Galam to serve the food supplement and nutraceuticals market. “It’s used where compatibility with other low water activity ingredients is crucial for product integrity, manufacturing and shelf life—such as for symbiotic products.”

Benefits

GOFOS promotes growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, weight management, blood sugar management, and immunity support. Another benefit is that sc-FOS helps the body better absorb calcium and magnesium, creating an opportunity for the ingredient to be included in mineral blends as well.

At a dosage as 2.5g per day, GOFOS offers a clean sweet taste, with 30% the sweetness of sucrose, and is highly soluble. It is GRAS and FSMA approved, Non-GMO, allergen-free, kosher and halal, and meets the FCC monograph for Fructo-oligosaccharides.

Prebiotic popularity

In June, Galam cashed in on the prebiotic demand by introducing two new production plants. The $20 million expansion included a new facility in Israel, specializing in sc-FOS production in powder form and exports worldwide. The other plant, located in Spain, specializes in liquid sc-FOS production for the European market.