Cerestar invests in isomalt

Increasing market demand has led Cerestar​ to expand its isomaltproduction in Krefeld, Germany, expanding its capacity to meet worldwide consumer needs for confectionery sugar-free sweetener.

The company says that the move will significantly boost its strongposition in this global market.

Ralph Appel, business unit leader for Cerestar Food & Pharma SpecialtiesEurope, said: "Demand for isomalt is driven by strong consumer trends.Consumer demand for sugar-free and low-calorie confectionery products isincreasing due to growing awareness of the relationship between diet andhealth. Food and confectionery manufacturers want to produce sugar-free andlow-calorie products that have the same or improved structure, texture, stability and taste. As one of the family of specialty polyols, isomalt is an important ingredient that can satisfy these needs."​

In recent years sugar-free confectionery has moved into the mainstream confectionery aisle,helped by an increasing number of people with diabetes and by concern overobesity and health; sugar-free hard sweets are one of the leading productsin the confectionery industry. Since the sweets are no longer individuallywrapped, stability of the candies is essential to avoid stickiness once thebox is opened. Cerestar claims that C*Isomaltidex has been proven to provide the necessaryfunctional characteristics for this type of sugar-free confectionery.

Isomalt can be combined with other polyols or specialty ingredients tocreate high-value ingredient systems and offer the necessary flexibility fordifferent types of sugar-free confectionery products.

Isomalt's main functional benefits are its low calorific value as a bulking agent, its similarity to sucrose, with 50 per cent of sweetness and its high stability. It is non-hygroscopic, odourless, non-cariogenic, suitable for diabetics and globally food approved. In addition to its main applications in sugar-free hard candy it is used in chewy candy, chewing gum, chocolate and bakery products.

Cerestar Food & Pharma Specialties first entered the isomalt market in 1998 and now offers a full range of specialty polyols to foodand confectionery manufacturers. The company says it regards the isomalt expansion as part ofthe business‚ overall growth strategy and demonstration of its commitment tohelp customers achieve development of value-added sugar-free confectionery products.

Background on Cerestar Food & Pharma Specialties Europe. Cerestar Food & Pharma Specialties Europe is a market leader in starch based specialty products. It is part of the Cargill's Food System Design Initiative in which food businesses.

Cerestar Food & Pharma Specialties Europe is a business unit of US-based Cargill. Cargill, Incorporated is an international marketer, processor anddistributor of agricultural, food, financial and industrial products andservices with 98,000 employees in 61 countries.