BENEO, a leading global supplier in functional ingredients, will focus on healthier snacks at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Food Expo in Las Vegas from June 25-28. Visitors to IFT booth #4023 will learn how small bites to eat throughout the day can be made healthier—in tune with today’s consumer requirements.

BENEO’s IFT theme will be “A Better Day with BENEO” and the company will present a range of healthier snacks that are natural, clean label and respond to current consumer trends. These include products for sugar replacement, a healthy weight, the microbiome (digestive health) as well as improved energy supply.  With a versatile portfolio of ingredients from nature, BENEO helps to improve a snack’s nutritional profile and add proven health benefits.

Visitors to BENEO’s booth #4023 will enjoy a nutritious low sugar, high fiber and protein bar from the U.S. company NuGo Nutrition. NuGo Slim has a low glycemic index of 24.  This is the lowest tested and published glycemic index of any low sugar or sugar-free protein bar.  Sweetened only with BENEO’s chicory root fiber (no maltitol or artificial sweeteners) and coated in dark chocolate, NuGo Slim helps keep blood sugar steady and supports weight management efforts.  

Snack Attack

Research shows that snacks have taken center stage among consumers’ preferences.  Ninety-percent of consumers eat multiple times a day and 7% say that they forego meals altogether in favor of all-day snacking (Hartman Group, 2013).  Additionally, every third US consumer says they experience fatigue, (particularly in the morning and afternoon), and rely on in-between-meals to bridge that energy gap to maintain optimal function during the day (Ipsos Research 2016). Consumers also are concerned about artificial ingredients in many food products.  

“Many US consumers today, particularly Millennials, are tending to skip meals completely in favor of snacking all day,” says Jon Peters, President of BENEO Inc. “They are looking for fast and healthy options that contain benefits beyond just basic nutrition to help sustain their busy lifestyles.  This means foods that deliver a beneficial impact on weight and energy management as well as digestive health.” 

By replacing high glycemic sugars, BENEO’s all natural prebiotic chicory fiber and the slow-release carbohydrate Palatinose™ (isomaltulose) help support a healthier metabolism which effectively supports weight management. 

Including chicory root fiber in snack products helps to cut sugar and calories but also adds a valuable source of prebiotic fiber that beneficially influences gut microbiota composition and improves overall well-being.  Consumers associate digestive health, regularity and feeling fuller for longer as the main benefits provided by fiber.  

BENEO’s Palatinose™ offers functional benefits that matter for athletes as well as consumers with busy lifestyles and multiple demands from jobs, households and family lives. Palatinose™ is a slow-release carbohydrate that provides full energy in a sustained way and promotes fat burning during physical activity. Its generic name is isomaltulose that occurs naturally in honey. Palatinose™ itself is derived from non-GMO sugar beet. By replacing high glycemic sugars, it makes snack products such as bakery, cereals, beverages or confectionery healthier. 

BENEO’s portfolio of clean label rice starches has proven successful as a texturizer in versatile applications such as bakery, confectionery, dairy, convenience foods, and gluten-free applications. For example, BENEO’s new native rice starch Remypure confirmed its high performance in products which are processed under demanding conditions including soups and sauces, fruit preparations or desserts. 

About BENEO

BENEO offers functional ingredients derived from chicory roots, beet sugar, rice and wheat. BENEO is the ideal partner to help improve a product in its nutritional and technological characteristics. Key nutritional benefits are ‘less fat’, ‘less sugar’, ‘less calories’, ‘added fiber’, ‘gluten-free’ and dairy alternatives as well as energy management, digestive, bone and dental health. Key technological benefits focus on taste and texture improvements. Through a unique chain of expertise, including the BENEO-Institute that provides decisive insights into nutrition science and legislation, and the BENEO-Technology Center that consults in application technology, BENEO actively supports customers in the development of more balanced and healthy food products.

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 or follow BENEO on Twitter: @_BENEO or LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/beneo