Sugar and Fat Pose Equal Health Threat for Middle Eastern Consumers

16 Feb 2016 --- The high level of fat and sugar in certain foods is becoming a really hot topic since a rise in levels of obesity brings an increase in associated diseases such as diabetes. Leading British-owned clean label ingredient specialist Ulrick & Short Ltd believes that both sugar and fat pose an equal threat to the health of consumers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Overall the region is a net importer of processed and packaged foods, and Ulrick & Short believes its market-leading ranges of clean label, non-GM, allergen-free ingredients could be instrumental in tackling issues at food manufacturing and processing level.

Director Adrian Short explained: “Bakery, confectionery and sauces are huge markets in the Middle East, turning out high volumes of cakes and other delicious treats. A number of Asian markets are already considering legislation or at least tighter regulation of the sugar content of certain food and beverage products in order to address growing concerns, highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO), about increasing levels of obesity and diabetes. The ingredients that U&S produces could have a massive impact on diets in the MENA area in the future.”

The Delyte range of functional ingredients from U&S can be actively used to reduce fat in a wide variety of foodstuffs – both sweet and savory – with no impact on the perception of indulgence. In fact, Delyte fat replacers perform better in taste tests than full-fat equivalents. Additionally, Ulrick & Short has developed an innovative range of sugar replacement ingredients that can reduce sugar content by up to 30 per cent in cereals, snack bars, cakes and muffins, amongst other products, with no effect on product quality and luxuriance.

Adrian Short added: “Transparency and clear label are now common terms in Europe but the concept of clean and clear label is still relatively novel in the MENA markets. Ulrick & Short has a unique proposition with fat and sugar replacement ingredients, all without additives or chemicals of any type and providing a consumer-friendly label declaration. We are confident enough in our ingredients to reach out to potential new customers and partners, in order to bring significant benefits to the diets of Middle Eastern consumers - and improve the bottom line for food manufacturers across the region.”

Ulrick & Short is the leading British-owned starch specialist, supplying household name food manufacturers across the world with naturally gluten-free non-GM ingredients, and innovating across a diverse range of food industry sectors including bakery, meat, dairy, soups and sauces. The company has a team of dedicated sector specialists and food technologists based in Yorkshire and works hand in hand with customers to maximize value from product development.