Thai claim approval for Sensus’ prebiotic chicory root fibers

03 Jul 2020 --- Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has approved a health claim for the effect of Sensus’ prebiotic chicory root fiber in terms of increasing bifidobacterium in the intestine. The approval aims to cater to the increasingly health-conscious Thai consumers, who are simultaneously paying more attention to nutrition labels and ingredient formulations. Moreover, the claim enables the manufacturer to better inform its target audience about how digestive health goes “beyond bowel movement” – a health issue that local consumers predominantly associate dietary fiber with, Sensus states.

The new health claim may be formulated on the packaging according to the TFDA guideline: “Inulin / Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) / Oligofructose / Short-chain inulin from chicory helps to increase bifidobacteria in the intestine.” Sensus provided the application for the claim with supporting scientific evidence in cooperation with its business partner DKSH Thailand. 

“Before the approval, chicory root fiber could only be declared as dietary fiber, [but not for] differentiation from other fibers, such as synthetic fiber or insoluble fiber. This was also regardless of whether [the type of] fiber has prebiotic benefits or not,” Sing Sing Tiong, Technical Sales Manager at Sensus Asia, tells NutritionInsight.

She further notes that this claim also supports the Sensus product name of Frutafit inulin and Frutalose oligofructose on-label, which helps in strengthening reputational value and reinforces the Sensus market position in the Thai food, nutrition and health industries. 

The health claim applies exclusively to Sensus Frutafit inulin and Frutalose FOS from chicory roots for various applications. These include dairy, soy-based products, breakfast cereal, beverages without caffeine and food supplements. The exclusivity of the claim supports the ingredient declaration as Frutafit inulin and Frutalose FOS on the product labelling and all advertising materials.

Chicory root fiber consumption helps to increase the Bifidobacteria in the intestine.Strict approval process
At present, the number of health claims approved in Thailand is limited. “TFDA is being very cautious and stringent on the Health Claim to protect Thai consumers. Health Claim registration in Thailand requires a massive amount of human clinical studies. On top of that, the approval is based on the category of the application used in the respective clinical studies,” the spokesperson maintains. 

However, upon the experts’ review, TFDA granted Sensus the health claim in the consideration that its chicory root fiber is backed by numerous scientific studies in various applications to support the registration. 

The Thai consumer demographic is “unwilling to compromise on taste for health benefits,” Sensus further explains. Meanwhile, Sensus affirms the Thai consumer demographic is also “very much open to trying new things” and willing to pay more for healthier foods. This aligns with Innova Market Insights’s top leading trend “Discovery: The Adventurous Consumer” from last year and this year’s fifth Top Trend “Tapping into Texture.” Consumers increasingly recognize the influence of texture on food and beverages, allowing a heightened sensory experience and often a greater feeling of indulgence.

Digestive health awareness on the rise
To improve consumer awareness and education on the role of dietary fiber in feeding the good bacteria to the gut microbiome, the scientific community and industry have been working hand in hand. In light of World Microbiome Day, EUFIC published a report on the overarching importance of dietary fiber for stimulating microbial health and growth. 

“Besides being an effective fat and sugar replacer, chicory root fiber contributes to a healthy intestinal microbiome. Notably, it significantly increases the beneficial microbes Bifidobacteria in the intestinal tract, which underlies its prebiotic effects in terms of digestive health,” details Paul Vennik, Director Marketing & Sales at Sensus. 

In relevant headlines from recent weeks, the Digestive Disease Week and the American Society for Nutrition hosted virtual events to address enhanced research on digestive health. Meanwhile, Kerry published a report that explores food fortification with probiotics for food service venues. The dairy ingredient supplier’s research institute also held a webinar examining the science behind fermentation.

Chicory root fiber consumption helps to increase the Bifidobacteria in the intestine, which can be beneficial for the microbiome in the long term. Fiber trends have seen overall new highs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has placed wellness and immunity boosting at top of mind. 

Innova Market Insights also highlights the resugring consumer focus of fiber in a new webinar, sharing how dairy applications are also tapping into this lucrative space.

By Anni Schleicher