Arla develops natural concept for blood sugar control

26 Oct 2017 --- Arla Foods Ingredients has developed a high-protein Pre-Meal Shot concept that the company believes “highlights the potential for launching innovative products that deliver improved blood sugar control in a natural, tasty and convenient way.”

Arla Foods Ingredients’ new 100ml Pre-Meal Shot concept is high in fiber and contains 15g of Lacprodan whey protein. Results of a recent clinical trial cited by the company in its press release demonstrated that consumption of 15g of whey protein by people with Type 2 diabetes before a meal helped to keep their blood sugar levels within the normal glycemic range following the meal.

Created as a template to inspire new product development, the Pre-Meal Shot will make its debut at the forthcoming Food Ingredients Europe trade show in Frankfurt, Germany (November 28 to 30, 2017). Visitors to FiE 2017 will have the opportunity to see and taste the Arla Foods Ingredients concept for themselves, the company notes. They can also discover how it can be used as a template to create consumer-ready products fit for the modern age under their own brands.

“Enormous market opportunities” for diabetes solutions
Millions of people worldwide struggle to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, Arla Foods Ingredients notes, including the 400 million diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Another 300 million people, meanwhile, are estimated to be “pre-diabetic” and at high risk of developing diabetes.

Diabetics and pre-diabetics are susceptible to hyperglycemia – prolonged periods when levels of sugar in the blood are too high. Left untreated, this can lead to a number of serious health complications.

“The high prevalence and growth of diabetes and pre-diabetes is primarily due to a global rise in the prevalence of obesity associated with unhealthy lifestyles and a global aging population,” Peter Schouw Andersen, Head of Science & Sales Development at Arla Foods Ingredients, says. “There is an enormous market opportunity for health and functional food companies to offer natural solutions to help people living with the high blood sugar levels associated with these conditions.”

“The challenge is to find products that fit easily into people’s lifestyles in terms of convenience and nutrition,” Andersen continues. “Our application scientists have taken on this challenge to develop a natural, very low-volume and yet highly nutritious 100ml Pre-Meal Shot with 15g of high-quality whey proteins and fibers.”

“Such a high concentration of whey proteins in a beverage normally gels or results in a thick liquid,” Andersen adds. “But our application experts have developed Lacprodan DI-6820, a compound that beverage manufacturers can use to produce ultra-convenient, tasty UHT beverages containing high quantities of premium quality whey proteins.”

The potential implications of elevated blood sugar levels over a prolonged period are dangerous and include cardiovascular disease, kidney problems, blindness, nerve damage and complications in pregnancy. Hyperglycaemia can be managed through a healthy diet, weight loss and physical exercise.

The Pre-Meal Shot has been developed as part of Arla Foods Ingredients’ Nutrition for Life marketing campaign, which showcases how whey protein delivers important health benefits to people at all stages of life, from babies and toddlers through to seniors. The new initiative, set to take center stage for Arla Foods Ingredients at FIE 2017, places a particular focus on applications in pediatrics, health foods and medical nutrition.

“With diabetes on the rise worldwide, the health and nutrition needs of the millions of people affected are increasingly important," Andersen tells NutritionInsight. “The pre-meal shot concept offers them a simple way to help keep their blood sugar levels within the normal glycaemic range. It also meets growing consumer demand for naturality and convenience.”

In terms of commercial plans for the product, he notes: “This is a great solution both for the medical industry and for manufacturers offering healthy functional foods.”