July 2007 New Ingredient Profiles

June 20, 2007
June/July's nutraceutical ingredient profiles include ribose habanero flavors, a flaxseed-fish oil combination, imitation bacon bits and pycnogenol.

NEW INGREDIENT REVIEW: Ribose Shows Sweet Possibilities

Ribose holds some of the most distinguished positions in cellular metabolism; it's the base sugar for both DNA and RNA, and the building block for adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell's energy currency. Under normal circumstances, ATP is replenished readily. But in patients suffering from coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure, the heart can be deprived of the oxygen critical to recharging the cell's ATP, severely depleting ATP and its precursors. That means weaker contractions. That's a bad thing.

Recent evidence suggests that in severely stressed, ATP-depleted muscles, ribose supplementation can reenergize depleted cells. Bioenergy Life Science Inc. provides Corvalen brand pure powdered ribose. "D-Ribose is already being used in a range of nutritional products, including PepsiCo MDX, SoBe Andrenaline Rush, Glaceau Vitamin Water and Arizona Beverage Co.'s Rocket Fuel Drink," notes Steve Pletsch, Bioenergy's vice president for nutrition sales and marketing.

Ribose isn't metabolized as fuel like other carbohydrates -- and it won't satisfy a sweet tooth. But given its ability to strengthen oxygen-starved heart muscle, can it enhance the performance of an athlete's oxygen-stressed skeletal muscles? Many say yes. According to Joanne Ingwall, Ph.D. Professor of Medicine (physiology), Harvard Medical School, "What ribose, in fact, does is put tissue in better physiological condition during and following stress. To an athlete, this means greater performance over time, but does not mean a short-term ergogenic effect. For heart patients, it means better diastolic cardiac function, increased ventilatory efficiency and increased exercise tolerance." As more studies appear in peer-reviewed journals, don't be surprised to see ribose grow to be a major functional food ingredient.

Bioenergy Life Science; Minneapolis
866-267-8253;
www.bioenergy.com

- Mark Anthony, Ph.D.

INGREDIENT PROFILES

Habanero Flavor Sizzles

Treatt USA Inc. introduces Habanero Pepper TreattaromeTM 9815, distilled from fresh, top-grade habanero peppers, one of the hottest chili pepper varieties. Beyond its piquancy, Habanero Pepper Treattarome 9815 offers an unusual and complex flavor profile suitable for a variety of applications. Using specialist, proprietary technology, Treatt ensures maximum flavor extraction, capturing the habanero flavor without the heat usually associated with capsicum. Developers can therefore incorporate an authentic, well-rounded pepper flavor, controlling spice levels to suit their requirements. Dosage levels can be varied to suit diverse flavor profiles. At 0.1%, for example, it offers an intense fresh, fruity habanero flavor, while at 0.01% or less, deep-roasted pepper flavors can be achieved. With spicy sauces becoming increasingly popular, successful applications for Habanero Pepper Treattarome 9815 include salsas and pepper sauces. However, with its tropical fruit front-end flavors, it is also an interesting addition to beverages.

Treatt USA Inc.; Lakeland, Fla.
863-668-9500;
www.treatt.com

Omega 3 Surf & Turf

Pizzey's Milling introduces an innovative new flaxseed-fish oil combination Omega-3 product to its premium line of MeadowPure milled flaxseeds. Food manufacturers can now offer their consumers the benefits of all three Omega 3's -- ALA from flaxseed, along with DHA and EPA from fish oil. Pizzey's MeadowPure O3 Ultra starts with premium selected flaxseeds. The very high antioxidant acid content of this flaxseed acts as a natural stabilizer for the fish oil, providing a shelf life of up to a year. O3 Ultra does not compromise the taste or aroma of food formulations   even delicate baked goods such as chocolate chip cookies.

Pizzey's Milling; Angusville, Manitoba
800-804-6433;
www.pizzeys.com

Fakin' Bacon

Cargill Texturizing Solutions introduces Prosante Plus imitation bacon bits made from textured soy flour. These  Identity Preserved (IP) imitation bacon bits are rich in the soy protein recognized in health claims authorized by the UK Joint Health Claims Initiative (JHCI), the U.S. FDA, the American Heart Association for lowering blood cholesterol and helping to reduce the risk of heart disease. They contain no cholesterol and no trans fat. In addition, food developers can incorporate the soy-based bacon bits as a high-quality protein source at an economical price. Cargill's imitation bacon bits appeal to consumers because they are similar in appearance, taste and texture to fried, crumbled bacon.

Cargill Texturizing Solutions; Minneapolis
877-650-7080;
www.cargilltexturizing.com

Eye On: Pycnogenol Pine Bark Extract

Pycnogenol is a potent, natural antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the maritime pine tree that grows along the coast of southwest France. It has received attention as a supplement for its extensive natural health benefits via a unique combination of procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids. The extract has been widely studied for the past 35 years and has more than 220 published studies and review articles ensuring safety and efficacy as an ingredient. A recent study showed a capacity to reduce edema, a common side-effect of antihypertensive medications, by 36 percent in patients taking these medications. Another just-released study shows the extract can delay the uptake of glucose from a meal 190 times more than prescription medications, preventing the typical high-glucose peak in the blood stream after a meal. The study revealed the pine bark is more potent for suppressing carbohydrate absorption in diabetes than synthetic prescription alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. Now Natural Health Science Inc. presents pycnogenol for use in certain food and beverage applications. The company is the North American distributor for the pine bark extract produced by Horphag Research Ltd., Guernsey, U.K. Processors developing formulations designed for diabetes and cardiovascular health management will make this an ingredient worth keeping an eye on.

Natural Health Science Inc.; Hoboken, N.J.;
201-459-0300;
www.pycnogenol.com

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