The Singaporean company, which is affiliated with the Compass Group, offers conventional sucrose esters for food emulsification and SoluClear monosters for making oils soluble.
The new tasteless, odorless addition, called Habo Monoester P90, falls into the latter category as it is used in conjunction with the SoluClear process. This process is intended for making clear beverages that have more authentic citrus and mint flavors, contain water-soluble carotenoid based colors without the use of polysorbates, or are fortified with fat soluble nutraceuticals.
The new Habo Monoester P90 ingredient has been long in development, as the company first began working on the patented process behind it some eight years ago. The culmination of this work and regulatory approval in key global markets is the commissioning of a 200 tonnes/year production facility in Singapore.
The company says SoluClear the process allows for clear, stable beverages with natural flavours and colours using only very small proportions of sucrose monoester. Emulsifier to oil ratios can be less than 0.5:1.
The process, which involves stabilizing volatile and sensitive compounds
through micelle encapsulation and anti-oxidant technologies, is also said to boost nutraceutical bioavailability in beverages and softgel dietary supplements.
Compass does not just supply the ingredient but has a technical team that can help manufacturers with the development of emulsion systems.
Cornstock said in a statement that it is expected to appeal to manufacturers targeting the natural trend in beverages.
“With the natural trend continuing to gain momentum, our product and associated technology will assist companies to address the consumer’s demand for more appealing, healthier and better tasting beverages.”
European approval
The first markets where Compass obtained approval were the US and Southeast Asia countries including China and Japan.
European approval was granted in 2010 following a positive opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) 12 months ago.
Sucrose esters of fatty acids are already permitted in the EU, after being assessed in 1992 and assigned the E-number E473. However the earlier approval relates to sucrose esters of fatty acids and sucroglycerides from palm oil, lard, and tallow fatty acids, while Compass applied in 2008 for approval to market sucrose esters from monoesters of lauric acid, mysteristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid.
These sucrose esters are produced via a different process, by reacting sucrose and vinyl esters of fatty acids.
This is said to result in very tiny residues of vinyl esters of fatty acid, acetaldehyde, and p-methoxyphenol – but these were not seen to be at a level to raise concern for EFSA’s panel.