Wellness Foods - October 2007 - (Page 18)

Vitamins & Minerals citrates, potassium, potassium gluconate, potassium lactate, potassium phosphate Potassium compounds have a history of functionality in formulations, but the mineral is also critical for our body’s functionality, too. By Rebecca Jensen D ietary potassium keeps our bodies at a normal pH, maintains low blood pressure and helps our kidneys and muscles work more ef ciently. In processing, potassium maintains moisture in meats and cheeses and acts as a buffer or retarder in confectionary and other products. In the area of food safety, potassium derivatives are key ingredients in protecting products from spoilage. When fortifying a food or beverage with potassium, it is essential to consider the levels of other ingredients as well as the potassium. “Three aspects make them challenging,” explains Vince Rinaldi, principle scientist for PepsiCo’s Gatorade (www. gatorade.com), Chicago. “First, not all minerals are soluble. Others are soluble at acidic pH. The second challenge is avor. There are many [interfering] minerals - salts, phosphates, citrates. All provide sensoral challenges. That’s why you see combinations of (potassium) with citrates and phosphates. The third challenge is buffering. For a beverage, buffering is a concern. You have the potential for negative avor attributes with salts versus phosphates or citrates. Potassium chloride is a table salt substitute, but at higher levels, you get bitter and metallic tastes which is a challenge to overcome. As you do that, you have challenges with buffering and pH.” “There are a number of forms of potassium t for the purpose of a supplement to natural levels of potassium or for forti cation in products which do not have inherent sources of potassium. These sources can be used alone or in combination,” says Barbara Heidolph, market development manager for ICL Performance Products LP (www.astaris.com), St. Louis. Benephos, produced by ICL, is a polyphosphate with 70 percent of the sodium replaced with potassium. Benephos can be used as a dietary source of potassium, and it works in concert with preservatives like sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate so they can be used at lower levels. This allows the manufacturer to achieve equivalent shelf life with improved avor and reduced cost. Solubility is a key reason manufacturers choose potassium phosphates in place of sodium phosphates. “Potassium phosphates have better solubility than sodium phosphates,” says Amr Shaheed, senior scientist for Innophos Inc. (www. innophos.com), Cranbury, N.J., a supplier of food-grade potassium phosphates. “If you need rapid solubility, as in a drink mix, then the potassium phosphates dissolve much more rapidly than equal amounts of sodium.” Other combinations of potassium can serve nutritional as well as functional purposes. “Two different forms of potassium, potassium lactate and potassium gluconate, are both absorbable in the human body, highly soluble and easy to process,” according to Cam Reizner, food and nutrition account manager for Purac America Inc. (www.purac.com), Lincolnshire, Ill., which produces Purasal P potassium gluconate. Other major beverage companies also have joined the rush to market better waters and sports drinks. According to Ray Crockett, spokesperson for the Odwalla/Powerade divisions of Coca-Cola Co. (www.coca-cola.com), Atlanta, “Two of Coca-Cola’s healthy beverage choices provide signi cant amounts of potassium citrate and potassium phosphate.” Tropicana introduced a light orange juice, Light & Healthy, forti ed with potassium citrate so “consumers do not trade off fewer calories for less potassium,” explains Mark Andon, director of nutrition for Quaker-Tropicana-Gatorade. Kellogg’s Smart Start Health Heart cereals and bars also offer functional amounts of potassium. Yoplait developed a forti ed dairy “shot,” Yoplait Essence, which incorporates Multibene, a potassium cation from Glanbia Nutritionals, Kilkenny, Ireland. “Yoplait’s new low-fat yogurt ‘shot’ includes many different nutrients, including potassium,” says Denis Carrigan, head of consumer R&D for Glanbia. Fortifying foods and beverages with potassium compounds can provide greater functionality, but clearly also can increase a product’s marketability to health-conscious consumers. 18 | October 2007 www.wellnessfoodsonline.com Food Processing’s Wellness Foods™ http://www.innophos.com http://www.innophos.com http://www.gatorade.com http://www.gatorade.com http://www.purac.com http://www.coca-cola.com http://www.astaris.com http://www.wellnessfoodsonline.com

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Wellness Foods - October 2007 Diluting the Messages Healthbites New Ingredient Profiles Power Up! Ingredients for Energy and Immunity Beverages for Beauty Potassium Rocks Get Smart with Omegas On the Shelf Marketing to Facts vs. Myths

Wellness Foods - October 2007

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