The Sunphenon extract is clean label and intended for use in non-carbonated beverages and will be officially launched to global markets at Vitafoods 2012 in Geneva this May.
An important selling point for this product is that it is taste-free, Josef Skrna, marketing manager at Taiyo GmbH, the European branch, said.
“Green tea carries a characteristic bitter taste, which can affect the final taste profile of a consumer product,” Skrna told FoodNavigator.com.
“The absence of this taste in Sunphenon XLB-100 offers a distinct advantage for manufacturers, who can now offer the health benefits of green tea without having to counterbalance the bitterness,” he added.
“In supplying this truly ‘tasteless’ ingredient, we hope to expand the new product development business possibilities of our customers,” he said.
Healthy extracts
The extract offers antioxidant, anti-microbial, deodorant and fat burning activities, however Skrna noted that “at present, there is no health claim in Europe” for this product.
Derived from the camilia sinesis plant through water extraction followed by a special treatment, the product has been in development for around one year, he explained.
“Advances in science and technology have furthered our understanding of the body and its responses to develop ingredients that meet the on-going demand for improved health and wellbeing,” he said.
The new extract will form part of Taiyo’s wider portfolio of green tea derivatives and is the latest addition to the range.
Its green tea extract collection includes a product that promotes concentration and reduces reaction to stress, a natural soluble fibre and a zinc delivery system for beverages and supplements.
“These products contain highly purified green tea polyphenols, shown to have numerous biochemical and physiological benefits,” the company said.
“This latest addition to the portfolio of health ingredients for food and beverages highlights Taiyo’s commitment to providing manufacturers with ingredient solutions which mirror consumer demand for health, without forfeiting taste,” it added.