Sensus given green light
Frutafit inulin fibre, said to promote gut health, from the US Food
and Drug Administration.
Sensus America, the subsidiary of Netherlands-based Sensus, has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) status of its Frutafit inulin.
Sensus is currently working with food manufacturers on various applications of its partially hydrolysed inulins.
"There are already many successful products in the market and we expect many more with the final FDA-approval for the Frutafit inulin," said Sally Brain, vice president of sales and marketing for Sensus North-America, based in New Jersey.
The Frutafit and Frutalose inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) marketed by Sensus can be used in a wide variety of foods and beverages. Inulin is a soluble, prebiotic fibre and is used to develop fibre-enriched and low-carbohydrate foods, to improve calcium uptake in the body and promote a healthy micro-flora and immune function in the colon.
Frutafit and Frutalose inulin are also said to enhance mouth-feel and taste in dairy-based products, beverages and spreads.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the FDA has also approved the use of inulin as a water binder, emulsifier, stabiliser and texturiser at a level between 2 and 5 per cent in non-standardised meat food products, according to Sensus. FSIS is in the process of completing rule-making that would permit the use of any safe and suitable binder in foods that already permit the addition of binders, such as hot dogs.
Earlier this year Netherlands-based Bakkerij Veenhuis' received approval for a gut health claim for the Vitaalbrood Flora range of bread products containing Sensus' Frutafit inulin.
The Sensus GRAS Submission has been listed as No. GRN 00018.
