Leading functional ingredients manufacturer, BENEO has announced it will showcase the first toffees containing its functional carbohydrate, Palatinose at this year’s Prosweets/ISM trade fair, which opens today (Sunday) in Cologne.
According to the company, the new product concept has been created to offer consumers a healthier toffee alternative. Palatinose is derived from sugarbeet and has similar technological properties as sucrose. It replaces more than 30% of the high glycaemic sugars contained in a standard toffee recipe, supporting a lower blood glucose response.
The increasing global focus on healthy nutrition means that more and more consumers are searching for guilt-free indulgence, says BENEO, highlighting market research that shows: one third (34%) of UK consumers, always or most of the time, feel guilty when they are snacking. Half of German consumers and nearly two thirds of consumers in Spain, Poland and France agreeing that there aren’t enough healthy sweets available.
Healthier toffee
Experts at BENEO-Technology Center created ‘a healthier toffee supporting a lower blood glucose response as alternative to existing toffee products on the market which can contain up to 65% of high glycaemic sugars’.
This development demonstrates an opportunity for confectionery producers looking to develop healthier alternatives as the toffee and fudge category continues to grow worldwide.
Thomas Schmidt, Marketing Director at BENEO said: “Traditionally toffees conjure up pure indulgence and nostalgia but at the same time a relatively unhealthy image for consumers. However, the new toffees with Palatinose that BENEO presents at ISM preserve the traditionally creamy-sweet taste and the pleasant bite and mouthfeel of their traditional counterparts. But they have a significantly better nutritional profile, with a lower blood glucose response. This is BENEO’s answer to growing consumers interest in “better carbs” and their wish to balance blood sugar levels whilst enjoying an indulgent treat.”
Those attending ProSweets 2019 can sample the new toffees at the BENEO booth: 10.2G77.