• Demand from consumers and governments for healthy food products becoming mainstream


• Roquette's MALTISORB^® maltitol meets market and production challenges


• Sugar-free: the quiet revolution continues


• Roquette's pioneering MALTISORB^® maltitol leads the sugar-free breakthrough

Demand from consumers and governments for healthy food products becoming mainstream

With obesity and diabetes increasing at a phenomenal rate worldwide, even in developing countries, public health authorities are putting pressure on consumers to reduce their consumption of sugar.

The success of  "low-carb" products - e.g. the Atkins' Diet in the US - is perhaps the most spectacular example of consumer response to the trend. Now sugar-free, low-calorie and low-carbohydrate foods are becoming mainstream, with considerable potential in internationally emerging markets.

This obviously affects confectionery products but also an array of other foods like chocolate, cookies, ice cream, sauces and fruit products.

Roquette's MALTISORB^® maltitol meets market and production challenges

Consumer acceptance of such products depends critically on the formulator finding an ideal sugar substitute that would retain sugar's clean taste and valuable functional properties but none of the unhealthy ones. MALTISORB^® maltitol helps food processors meet this challenge.

With technological and sensory properties very close to sugar's, MALTISORB^® maltitol has proved itself to be a user-friendly sugar substitute for the production of healthy foodstuffs that give consumers the taste experience they are looking for.

Tooth-friendly; calorie-reduced; minimal impact on glycemia; slow energy release: MALTISORB^®-based products are powerful tools in the management of dental and overweight problems, as well as the risks associated with diabetes and obesity in the context of a well-balanced diet.

For more than 20 years Roquette has conducted comprehensive studies into cariogenicity, the glycemic index and other dietetic aspects to obtain strictly scientific support for MALTISORB^®'s health effects. Today, the company is carrying out further investigations to identify the exciting new opportunities to make use of MALTISORB^®'s nutritional strengths.

Sugar-free: the quiet revolution continues

Consumers' nutritional concerns first began to affect food sales seriously in the 1980s. At that time, the focus was on dental cavities, which had resulted in many companies being urged to produce the sugar-free alternatives that would help to protect teeth.

The 'quiet sugar-free revolution' affected confectionery first, with the focus primarily on chewing gum. Today, sugar-free gum outperforms sugar lines, attaining higher than 80% penetration in many European countries. The trend is rapidly spreading to the rest of the world and increasingly encompasses other kinds of confectionery products.

With an estimated five billion people worldwide experiencing dental cavities (WHO figures), tooth decay remains a serious health issue, which can only intensify the call for more sugar-free confectionery.

The main reason for the expansion of the sugar-free sector has been the development of effective sugar substitutes, not least polyols.

Roquette's pioneering MALTISORB^® maltitol leads the sugar-free breakthrough

As an originator of non-sugar bulk sweeteners, Roquette has built up special expertise in sugar-free formulation, thanks in particular to the comprehensiveness of its range of polyols.

Among Roquette's innovations, MALTISORB^® maltitol represents a valuable breakthrough, being the main reason for the success of today's sugar-free pellet gum, now largely replacing sticks.

1984 : Roquette R & D developed and patented a process for the production of MALTISORB^® crystalline maltitol.

1985 : An innovative process for the production of sugar-free coating based on MALTISORB^® was developed.

1993 : Constant dialogue with customers over the years led to significant optimization of the coating process in terms of quality and time saving, thanks to Roquette's LYCOAT^® technology.

Innovations like these, combined with Roquette's sustained working relationships with confectioners, has made MALTISORB^® the world's leading sugar-free coating product.

In 20 years, Roquette has filed more than 20 patents aimed at improving MALTISORB^®'s properties and related processes, or at enlarging the scope of its food applications.

Backed by the large-scale deployment of the latest research expertise and techniques, Roquette is permanently committed to evaluating new properties and processes to help customers keep ahead of product trends and in touch with the latest manufacturing priorities.