BENEO’s sustainable mind-set starts at the very beginning of the supply chain. It can be traced from its fields, farms and factories, to the substantiated consumer health benefits its ingredients provide. 

At Health Ingredients Europe 2016, BENEO showcased how this sustainable approach reaches from farm to fork and beyond—and provides ingredients that promote a healthy lifestyle, in a truly holistic way.

BENEO is committed to sustainable farming as it develops high quality ingredients derived from chicory root and beet sugar. BENEO’s dedication to the conscious sourcing of rice and wheat also supports biodiversity, reducing water pollution and soil erosion. The company’s continuous investment in state-of-the-art factories ensures high-level energy efficiency, while BENEO’s strong focus on corporate social responsibility has been verified as exceeding industry standards and is regularly proven through excellent results in audits across all the factories.

Commitment to sustainable performance flows throughout the BENEO business and as consumer demands continue to evolve, BENEO is constantly working to improve and develop both existing and new applications, as well as the health properties of its ingredients.  In order to achieve this, BENEO invests heavily in research and development, with a budget six times higher than the European food industry average.  This forms a crucial foundation on which BENEO’s business performance is built.

The characteristics of BENEO’s ingredients complete the company’s sustainable approach. These ingredients provide short-, mid- and long-term dietary solutions to help fight against the growing prevalence of metabolic syndrome, obesity and diabetes. The company’s unique chain of expertise qualifies BENEO to develop weight management solutions that are scientifically proven, technically feasible, tasty and in line with consumer trends and expectations.

Typical examples of how BENEO’s ingredients support weight management and a healthy metabolism in a sustainable way are its chicory root fibers and functional carbohydrates. These ingredients help health-conscious consumers to lower blood glucose spikes and therefore reduce insulin release in their bodies. Lower levels of insulin are key to managing weight effectively. This healthy attribute of BENEO’s ingredients strongly contrasts with the very commonly used high glycemic oligo- or polysaccharides, which reduce sugar on the label, but nevertheless release high amounts of insulin that can lead to consumers being overweight in the long run.

HiE Offerings

BENEO’s stand at HiE sampled products that benefit from a lower blood glucose effect using less or no sucrose and, as a result, contribute sustainably to weight management. The range of samples included:

• Sugar Reduced Strawberry Yogurt: While maintaining taste, texture and sweetness, BENEO’s chicory root fiber, oligofructose, reduces the total sugar content of this fruit yogurt by at least 20%. BENEO’s rice starch increases the stability of the fruit preparation and also provides pure taste and creamy mouthfeel to the end product.

• No Added Sugar Milk Chocolate: This milk chocolate variant with a reduced blood glucose response can carry a “no added sugar” claim. Due to the inclusion of BENEO’s sugar replacer ISOMALT and chicory root fibrer inulin, the sugar content could be reduced by more than two-thirds. At the same time, it conveys the same taste as the full-sugar equivalent.

• Low Glycemic Non-Carbonated Isotonic Drink: Thanks to the inclusion of BENEO’s next generation sugar, Palatinose™, this orange-flavored sports beverage contains 30% less high glycemic sugars and can carry a “low glycemic” claim. It provides a pleasant sweet taste, as well as sustained and balanced energy in the form of glucose – essential for anyone enjoying an active lifestyle.

“Sustainable approaches in the food industry must go far beyond cosmetic label adjustments,” notes Dominique Speleers, a member of BENEO’s executive board. “For us at BENEO, this means attaining a sustainable position in every single aspect, first and foremost when it comes to health benefits. Our commitment includes—but is not limited to—product positioning, sourcing and supplying. We are proud of our achievements and are working hard across the entire organization to ensure that our ingredients continue to contribute to well-being and long-term health.”

BENEO is a division of the Südzucker Group, employs almost 900 people and has production units in Belgium, Chile, Germany and Italy.  For further information on BENEO and its ingredients, please visit: www.beneo.com and www.beneonews.com.