Ask-the-Expert: how can food and beverage manufacturers support healthy blood glucose levels?

Sugar intake in modern diets

• High-glycaemic carbohydrates are found in foods such as white bread, potatoes and pasta, which are hugely popular in modern diets. When digested, these so-called ‘fast carbs and sugars’ can cause spikes in blood glucose levels.
• To help individuals manage their blood glucose levels, food and beverage and dietary supplement manufacturers can now access a new, unique ingredient - Reducose® - which helps to reduce the impact of high glycaemic carbohydrates.
• This World Diabetes Day, we speak to Paolo Moroni, Global Innovation Project Manager at DSM, about the next generation of solutions available to support healthy blood glucose levels.

A new solution for healthy blood glucose levels

Elevated blood glucose levels are one of the main causes of diabetes, one of the world’s fastest growing chronic diseases according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). An estimated 425 million adults globally are affected by diabetes and the incidence of pre-diabetes is even higher, with an estimated 390 million prediabetic adults in China alone. With up to 20% of countries’ healthcare budgets being spent on diabetes and its consequences, there’s a need for a solution.

Reducing the intake of high glycaemic foods i.e. foods that are high in sugar or refined carbohydrates is key to maintaining healthy blood sugar and avoiding sugar peaks. Reducose® is a naturally sourced solution that reduces the impact of high-glycaemic carbohydrates found in many foods in modern diets. In recognition of World Diabetes Day, we spoke to to Paolo Moroni, Global Innovation Project Manager at DSM about how Reducose® can help food and beverage manufacturers support consumers in achieving healthy blood glucose levels.

Expert views on next generation solutions
How does Reducose® address the need manage healthy blood glucose levels?

To understand the potential impact of Reducose®, it’s important to first understand the need for it. Today, there are around 800 million individuals worldwide with unhealthy blood sugar levels. In the US alone, a third of individuals have issues related to blood sugar levels as a result of dietary and lifestyle choices.

Reducose® is a safe, natural and efficient solution for managing healthy blood glucose levels. Taken at the start of a meal, it strongly reduces the digestion of carbohydrates into glucose by up to 40%. It has been shown to help modulate blood glucose after eating and maintain healthy levels. We need carbohydrates as part of a healthy, balanced diet – they can’t just be cut out entirely, and Reducose® is a specific solution for converting fast carbs into slower ones.

What makes Reducose® different to other solutions available on the market?

Reducose® is an extract of white mulberry leaves (Morus alba) which have been part of traditional oriental medicine for centuries and are widely used in foods and dietary supplements. The leaves contain deoxynojirimycin, an active ingredient that is extracted through a patented process which, unlike other products available on the market, does not require the use of organic solvents. Moreover, Reducose® does not cause any unwanted digestive side effects.

What are the properties of Reducose® that mean only small doses are required?

Reducose® is available in 2 product forms, 1% and 5%, and just a 250mg dose of Reducose® 5% is required per serving. This single serving is effective for an entire meal and the effects last for up to two hours, making it an ideal solution for individuals looking to control potential spikes in their blood glucose levels following a high GI meal. The active ingredient in Reducose® is a bioactive ingredient that is very similar to glucose, making it easier to block digestive enzymes which is why only a small dose is required.

What food and beverage applications do you expect Reducose® to be widely used for and why?

It is designed for use in dietary supplements and it is also suitable for various food and beverage applications, depending on local regulatory status. As a free-flowing brown powder, it can be sprinkled onto meals offering a convenient solution for consumers. We have a long list of food and beverages that we’re testing but examples include bars, cookies and rice. We’re looking at drinks and flour too. Ultimately, the end applications will be driven by consumer demand, but the fact that Reducose® is water soluble and has limited sensory impact means there is great flexibility for incorporating it into food and beverages.

How will DSM work with customers to bring the benefits of Reducose® to market?

We have a number of ongoing projects with customers on a regional basis to explore opportunities to take Reducose® to market. As a true solutions partner, we offer support from marketing to regulatory to help customers incorporate this novel ingredient into finished products.

We are also committed to educating pharmacies and healthcare professionals around the benefits of Reducose® and it’s potential to help individuals manage their blood glucose levels. Of course, a holistic approach needs to be taken when looking at how consumers can make healthier diet and lifestyle choices to prevent spikes in their blood sugar, but we’re excited to be offering a solution that can be easily integrated into diets.

What are your future predictions for solutions to tackle diabetes worldwide?

Diabetes management encompasses a range of lifestyle, nutritional and medical measures. In the nutritional space, there’s a big opportunity to make processed food healthier. Ingredients from DSM like Reducose® and OatWell® - a bioactive oat beta-glucan that has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels – can have a positive impact when incorporated into high GI foods. As consumer awareness of the impact of high blood glucose levels grows, we can expect to see a growing demand for easily accessible and even personalized solutions. Ultimately, any solutions to tackle diabetes need to be easily integrated into consumer diets and lifestyles.

Contact us to develop science-backed nutritional products to help manage healthy blood glucose levels.