ATCHISON, Kan., March 5, 2013—It is widely recognized that diet can play a critical role in a wide range of health conditions. Adverse health conditions associated with eating habits include hypertension, stroke, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. To support food manufacturers in literally bringing health and wellness product offerings to the table, MGP continues to focus efforts on providing ingredient innovations that deliver nutritional, as well as functional and sensory, benefits for a host of applications.
“The mathematics of consumers’ health and wellness might aptly be described as the addition to foods and beverages of beneficial ingredients like proteins, dietary fibers, whole grains, vitamins and minerals and the subtraction of unhealthy additives like salt, sugar and saturated fats,” said Ody Maningat, Ph.D., MGP’s vice president of applications technology and technical services. “As a result, our efforts are aimed at ways to raise overall nutrient content in retail packaged food and beverage products without adversely affecting shelf-life, appearance, taste, texture and other sensory attributes.”
Demand for foods that not only taste great, but also complement consumers’ desire for developing and maintaining healthy lifestyles “has gone from being a trend in certain segments of society to becoming much more mainstream,” said Mike Lasater, vice president of ingredients sales and marketing. “In response, our ingredient development and commercialization initiatives are targeted on solutions that enhance nutrition delivery, as well as total product quality. Stated very simply, our top priority is adding more goodness to food.”
Fiber Enhancement
Partly because of government initiatives for increasing fiber and whole grain consumption, the market has seen a significant rise in high fiber product launches in recent years. For instance, according to Mintel’s Global New Products Database, the number of new bakery products with high or added fiber tripled in 2011 compared to 2010, while the number of new breakfast cereals with high or added fiber increased two-fold during that same period. Looking ahead, a 2012 report from Global Industry Analysts predicts that the global market for high fiber and whole grain foods will reach $27.6 billion by 2017.
“Heightened demand for fiber reflects consumer interest in the specific benefits of fiber,” Dr. Maningat noted. “These include digestive health, gut health, satiety, weight management, blood glucose and insulin control, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, cholesterol reduction, heart health, boosting calcium absorption, bone health, strengthening immunity and reducing cancer risk,” he explained.
Recent reports have indicated that resistant starch as a component of dietary fiber has acquired an aura of healthiness and might be considered the “new power nutrient,” Lasater said. MGP’s unique resistant wheat starch, Fibersym® RW, exhibits physiological benefits associated with dietary fibers, including blood glucose and insulin control, caloric reduction and the production of beneficial and energy-yielding metabolites through colonic fermentation. Scientific evidence for these physiological effects can be found in a number of studies conducted by several universities, including the University of Toronto, Kansas State University, and the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in collaboration with MGP. (Results of these studies can be accessed on MGP’s website under the Knowledge Center on the home page.)
Protein Enrichment
Protein represents the second leading component of wheat behind starch. In general, proteins supply the amino acids important for muscle growth, development and maintenance. Foods and beverages high in protein meet a variety of consumer needs like satiety aid, weight loss and building muscle. “Recent reports indicated that high protein foods have a high Satiety Index, leaving people more satisfied after eating and diminishing their craving to consume more food,” Dr. Maningat said. “Evidence also suggests that protein may be an important nutrient during exercise as shown by the reduction in muscle damage and enhanced muscle recovery among physically-active individuals using protein supplements,” he added.
MGP’s wheat protein isolates, Arise® 5000, Arise® 6000 and Arise® 8000, can be effectively formulated in high protein bakery and other food products, such as pasta and noodles, as demonstrated in a project conducted with the American Institute of Baking International and as described in MGP’s patent portfolio. "High protein white and whole wheat bread products formulated with Arise® 5000 can deliver 17-18 grams of protein per 100 grams of bread, whereas the corresponding unfortified breads only contain 8-12 grams of protein per 100 grams of bread,” according to Dr. Maningat.
Similarly, MGP’s TruTex™ (formerly Wheatex®) textured wheat proteins are distinguished by their high protein levels, as well as their uniquely pleasing structural and sensory properties. Traditionally marketed by the company for use in meat enhancement applications and vegetarian products, such as burger-like patties, TruTex™ “can also provide a protein-rich solution for certain types of snack foods and breakfast cereals,” Lasater said.
Clinical studies, meanwhile, are being conducted to determine specific health benefits of MGP’s hydrolyzed wheat protein. This ingredient contains high levels of peptide-bonded glutamine, which makes it unique compared to other plant and animal protein sources. Possible applications include health bars, nutritional beverages and meal replacement powders.
Sodium Reduction
High sodium intake is associated with increased risk of hypertension and potentially increasing the incidence of heart attacks and strokes, especially for middle-aged and older adults. MGP’s Midsol™ 46, a modified wheat starch, is an excellent thickener in processed foods like soups, sauces, gravies and salad dressings. Indirectly, because of its neutral flavor and absence of flavor-masking property, it shows significant promise in contributing to sodium reduction by decreasing the need for added salt to enhance the finished product’s taste.
Technical Support
To further assist the product development initiatives of consumer packaged goods manufacturers, MGP offers technical support to customers. Expertise is provided in the areas of recipe formulations and product/process improvements. Experts are available for on-site demonstrations and presentations with food companies, as well as scientific organizations. Also, technical articles have been and continue to be published in various journals, providing additional details on the functional and health attributes of MGP’s specialty ingredients.
“Scientific advances in the food industry happen at an accelerated pace,” Dr. Maningat said. “MGP is pleased to contribute to these advances through the work we do in starch and protein science, and ultimately by our ability to provide ingredient solutions for foods that aren’t only delicious, but promote healthier lifestyles for consumers.”
About MGP
MGP is a leading independent supplier of premium spirits, offering flavor innovations and custom distillery blends to the beverage alcohol industry. The company also produces high quality food grade industrial alcohol and formulates grain-based starches and proteins into nutritional and highly functional ingredients for the branded consumer packaged goods industry. The company is headquartered in Atchison, Kansas, where a variety of distilled alcohol products and food ingredients are manufactured. Distilled spirits are also produced at company facilities in the adjacent towns of Lawrenceburg and Greendale, Indiana.