High-fructose, low-GI foods to ride wave of positive support

Products containing fructose-rich ingredients could benefit from recent positive support for low glycaemic index (GI) diets and slow release energy, Taura Natural Ingredients says.

At the recent International Scientific Consensus Summit on Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load and Glycemic Response, leading nutrition scientists voiced their support of GI as a reliable measure of the effect a food has on blood sugar levels.

The scientists said low-GI foods could also be helpful in weight management programs and reduce the risk of people developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease. They called for GI ratings to be included as part of the nutrition information on food labels.

Further support for low-GI foods has also come from the European Commission, which has adopted into law an EFSA-approved health claim: “Consumption of foods containing fructose leads to a lower blood glucose rise compared to foods containing sucrose or glucose”. A condition of using the claim is that the sucrose or glucose content in the product in question should be at least 30% lower than in a comparative product.

“We’re witnessing a perfect storm of science demonstrating both that low-GI diets are beneficial and that some fruit ingredients are low-GI foods,” said Peter Dehasque, CEO of Taura Natural Ingredients.

“In combination, these factors highlight that high-quality fruit ingredients are at the vanguard of the GI revolution and poised to play a key role in how it shapes nutritional thinking over the coming months and years.

“Support for the glycemic index - and the benefits of a low-GI diet - is growing fast in nutrition and regulatory circles, and it’s a great time for food manufacturers to get on board and start adding fruit to their products to take advantage of this.”

Taura has good reason to be pleased with the positive public attention low-GI foods are receiving: independent testing has recently demonstrated that two of its biggest selling URC (Ultra Rapid Concentration) products are low-GI.

Nutrition researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand recorded scores of below 45 for Taura’s JusFruit URC Apple Strawberry and JusFruit URC Mixed Berry ingredients and ready-to-eat fruit snacks. To be classified as low GI, foods must register a score of less than 55.

“With their high fructose content, many of Taura’s URC ingredients can help manufacturers ride this wave of opportunity by producing delicious low-GI products consumers will love,” Dehasque said.