Upcycled carrot: NutriLeads targets label-friendly immunity demand with BeniCaros roll-out

01 Oct 2021 --- After six years in development, NutriLeads has unveiled its immunity-boosting upcycled carrot ingredient, now known as BeniCaros.

The health ingredient has now launched in the US, while the company is working on rolling out the item in Europe for healthy adults looking for year-round immunity benefits, CEO Erik Dam tells NutritionInsight.

“There are many immune health ingredient options out there, but very few that work like BeniCaros and even fewer that work with the same efficacy to support immune function,” Dr. Ruud Albers, chief scientific officer of Nutrileads says.

“At a time when demand has surged for immune health solutions, we see BeniCaros as a clear and unique way to improve health and wellness.” 

The Netherlands-based company has secured its first agreements with food companies who will use the health ingredient to strengthen their functional food and supplement portfolio. 

Further discussions are also underway with several food companies and supplement manufacturers.

A sustainable, upcycled product
BeniCaros is a soluble fiber made from upcycled carrot pomace, a side stream of carrot juice production. It is a tasteless and odorless powder, meaning it can be incorporated into most foods, beverages, and supplements. It also has no artificial additives, thus making it a label-friendly ingredient. 

This transparency is increasingly important as consumers seek out easily understandable ingredients. Three in five global consumers say that they are interested in “learning more about where their food comes from and how it is made,” according to Innova Market Insights. 

Sustainability is key for the firm, with NutriLeads securing production with local, sustainable suppliers, Dam notes. “We use upcycling for eco-friendly, sustainability benefits, not for the cost effectiveness. It is still a complex process to capture our unique ingredient from these side streams.”As little as 0.3 g of BeniCaros helps safeguard immunity.

Immune support via the gut
BeniCaros supports the immune system, making it more responsive to potential threats and challenges while also stimulating beneficial gut microorganisms and their metabolites. This, in turn, also supports immune responses.

“There is no better way to get these benefits. While you can eat carrots, and RG-I is a natural component of carrots, it requires our proprietary technology to fully unlock RG-I from the carrot and make it available in the gut where it can do its work. BeniCaros delivers superior benefits for optimal health outcomes at a time when consumers want and need it most,” Dam says 

“Having worked with the NutriLeads team on the development of BeniCaros since 2015, I am thrilled that we can now launch BeniCaros and make its benefits available to consumers together with our partners, the food, beverage and supplement companies,” Dam says.

A previous clinical trial, which was described as “pivotal,” found that as little as 0.3 g per day was shown to be effective in supporting the immune system to become more responsive to potential threats. 

The ingredient, formerly known as Xtramune, secured a €6.5 million (US$7.7 million) series B financing round, with contributors including DSM Venturing for the product in 2020. 

By Andria Kades