Sweet news for low-GI food products

Derived from sucrose and maltose, the syrup allows manufacturers to replace multiple sweeteners and bulking agents in many formulations, allowing ingredient labels to be simplified.

Xtend Isomaltulose, another variant in the firm's slowly digestible sweeteners range, already has novel foods approval in Europe. Xtend Isomaltulose is obtained from sucrose by enzymatic conversion. It provides the full energy of both glucose and fructose, but is released over a longer period of time, says Cargill.

The slow energy release from Xtend Isomaltulose supports a balanced energy supply to muscle and brain, making the product suitable for use in sports drinks, energy drinks and tablets, cereal bars and meal replacements.

Anne Mollerus, Cargill's global product line manager, has no doubt that Xtend Sucromalt will be welcomed in Europe. "We are confident of gaining novel foods approval next year," she says.

"Together, Xtend Isomaltulose and Xtend Sucromalt fill a functional gap between full-calorie sweeteners and reduced-calorie sweeteners such as polyols. The potential benefit of slow digestibility is a sustained energy supply, resulting in a blunted glycaemic response. This presents opportunities for food manufacturers to create low-GI [glycaemic index] products."

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