Galam meets “soaring demand” with US$30M GOFOS production plant
Credit: Galam.19 Jan 2022 --- Speciality ingredients manufacturer Galam is investing US$30 million into a new Israel-based production plant for its prebiotic GOFOS.
The fermentable prebiotic fiber ingredient is a soluble short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides. It stimulates the growth and maintenance of beneficial gut bacteria, promoting healthy digestive and immune functions.
“Galam’s expansion supports the rising global demand for GOFOS. In order to meet the soaring consumer demand, we have decided to scale our production capacity,” Itay Vilder, vice president of global sales at Galam, tells NutritionInsight.
“The new plant that will be built next to the existing production plant in Israel will have the capacity to produce additional thousands of tons per year. GOFOS is produced from beet sugar by a proprietary unique enzymatic process.”
GOFOS can add to the fiber fraction of products and it can be combined with other sweeteners (Credit: Galam).
GOFOS adds to the fiber content of a product and can be combined with other sweeteners. The prebiotic can be combined with natural sweeteners such as stevia and high-intensity artificial sweeteners to improve sweetness profiles and mask aftertastes.
Production plant meets demand
Galam initially launched its fructooligosaccharides GOFOS in 2020 with production plants in Israel and Spain.
The Israel plant specializes in short-chain FOS production in powder form and exports worldwide, while the plant located in Spain specializes in liquid short-chain FOS for the European market.
Explaining why the new plant will be located in Israel, Vilder says: “As Galam manufactures beet sugar-based crystalline fructose, there is a production synergy between the fructose plant and the FOS plant and this supports the production efficiency.”
Galam has also launched an organic liquid GOFOS and is developing the next generation of GOFOS with higher prebiotic activity, explains Vilder.
Galam’s previous moves
Galam previously expanded its production facility in Spain to allow inulin and FOS blend to be included in its portfolio.
In response to a shortage in inulin, Galam introduced beet-derived short-chain FOS as a fiber fortification alternative to inulin.
Previously, California-based Ingredients by Nature teamed up with Galam to distribute its GOFOS ingredient.
By Nicole Kerr
