Tereos, the world’s third largest sugar producer, used Health Ingredients Europe (HiE) to help manufacturers to reduce sugar and/or calories in new foods and beverages. Likewise, Tereos highlighted the company’s wheat proteins and soluble fibers for nutritional improvement. 

Tereos is the sugar group with the widest range of sweetening solutions—from bulk to high intensity sweeteners. Meanwhile, Tereo’s extensive knowledge and expertise ensure that the company can address everything—from consumer interests in “natural” to manufacturers’ interests in raw materials origin, technological and sensory properties. This expertise exists in Tereos’ R&D center, which develops applications combining sucrose, fructose, polyols, Actilight® fiber, as well as PureCircle® stevia extracts.

Tereos used HiE to highlight several beverage sweetening solutions. The company’s HiE booth included a health bar showcasing drink prototypes with sugar reduced by as much as 15% to 50%. Examples included…

… Mango Juice-Based Drink. This drink apple had 50% less sugars and calories than a standard offering. The sweetening formulation is a combination of fructose syrup, sucrose and selected stevia extracts. 

… Yuzu Flavored Ice Tea. This offering had 15% less sugars and calories than the reference product. The sweetening formulation is a combination of sucrose, fructose syrup and natural flavors from stevia.

… Chocolate Milk. Tereos experts formulated this sample with Actilight® fibre and stevia extracts—to achieve a product that has a high fiber content with reduced sugar (-30%).

Tereos tests, adjusts and validates all product trials with sensory trials at its R&D Center.

Sweetening Solutions

•Fructose – Sucrose Synergies

Tereos helps customers adapt the total sugars content in beverages by using fructose as an alternative sweetener. Fructose provides a high sweetness intensity and positively contributes to mouthfeel. Besides, the taste profile of a sugar-fructose formulation is enhanced by the synergies between these two types of sugars.

•New Perspectives in Stevia Extracts

Tereos distributes PureCircle® stevia extracts in 11 European countries. Tereos recently introduced “Sigma Beverage,” a new category-specific product with a sugar-like taste adapted to beverages. Recent modifications to European regulations (November 2016) give Tereos the opportunity to provide and test a wider range of PureCircle® stevia extracts.  This process now takes taste optimization of European recipes with stevia extracts—to the next level.

Improve Nutrition with Wheat Protein, Soluble Fiber

Tereos also used its HiE booth to sample guilt-free treats and high protein snacks. Product prototypes included…

… Shortbreads. Tereos used Actilight® fiber to reduce sugars (-30%) and enrich the product’s overall fiber content.  

… Jelly Candies.  Tereos’ jelly candies are sugar free as they contain maltitol syrup and stevia extracts as sweeteners.

… Cereal Bars, Crackers. Tereos formulators used Meripro® soluble wheat protein to achieve a high protein level in both cereal bars and crackers.

Actilight® For Fiber Enrichment, Reduced Glycemia

Actilight® fibre (oligofructose) not only provides fiber enrichment but it also helps formulators reduce sugar and calories. It is a soluble fiber whose rheological properties are very similar to sugar, which facilitates its use in a wide range of recipes. Actilight® fiber enhances flavors and masks the aftertastes of intense sweeteners.

Since june 2016, the health claim on glycemia reduction by non-digestible carbohydrates is allowed in Europe and applicable to Actilight® fiber. For the health claim to be applicable, food and drinks should contain at least 30% fewer sugars compared to the reference containing sugars.

The health benefits of the usage of Actilight® fiber (in partial or total replacement of sugars) to reduce glycemia has been demonstrated in two major clinical studies. These studies, published in peer-reviewed journals, demonstrate that recipes using FOS for sugars replacement could lower the blood glucose rise compared to the reference recipes (Lecerf et al., 2015; Respondek et al., 2014). This effect was observed without any increase of insulin blood level. This condition proves the health benefit, as recommended by the EFSA experts.

Actilight® is the most active prebiotic fiber. More than 200 studies have demonstrated clear health benefits. Tereos continues developing scientific evidence with a focus on obesity and diabetes (glycemia, glucose tolerance, fat mass reduction), gut health (digestive comfort, transit), early life nutrition and immunity.

Meripro® Soluble Wheat Protein for Muscle Mass Growth, Maintenance

Beneficial effects of both animal and vegetal proteins on muscle mass growth or maintenance are officially recognized by European authorities. Meripro® is a neutral tasting vegetable protein concentrate. This wheat protein is easy to incorporate as it shows superior dispersibility and solubility on a wide pH range. It has an excellent digestibility compared to other protein sources, and constitutes an outstanding source of glutamine, an amino-acid which becomes an essential amino acid in case of high intensity training. Recent scientific data show that Meripro® also is a good candidate of protein source to stimulate muscle protein synthesis in view of muscle mass maintenance in elderly (Gorissen et al, 2016).

Visit http://www.tereos-starchsweeteners.com for more information.

About Tereos Starch & Sweeteners 

Tereos Starch & Sweeteners is the cereal division of Tereos, which is an agro-industrial cooperative specializing in the primary processing of sugar beet, sugar cane and cereal grains. Tereos Starch & Sweeteners processes corn, wheat, potato and cassava to manufacture a wide range of value added products (native and modified starches, glucose syrups, dextrose, maltodextrines, polyols and alcohols) in compliance with the current and future requirements of the food, pharmaceutical, green chemistry, animal nutrition, paper and corrugated board industries. 

Tereos Starch & Sweeteners Europe has annual turnover of € 1.5 billion and processes 3.9 Mt of cereals in nine plants and employs a staff of 1,700 people. The company operates plants and sales offices in France, United Kingdom, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Brazil and China.

Tereos Starch & Sweeteners offers a reliable and consistent supply to the market, through the backing of its secure shareholding with the international sugar group Tereos and its grain stockholder partners.

About Tereos 

The long-term vision of Tereos is the valorization of agricultural raw materials and the development of quality food products. Tereos is a leader in the sugar, alcohol and starch markets. The group's commitments to society and the environment contribute to the company's performance in the long term while strengthening its contribution as a responsible actor. The cooperative group Tereos is a union of 12,000 farmers and has recognized know-how in the processing of beet, sugarcane and cereals. Through 49 industrial sites in 16 countries and the commitment of its 24,000 employees, Tereos supports its customers close to their markets with a broad and complementary range of products. In 2015/16, the group achieved a turnover of €4.2 billion.