Trip to Food Valley

After two full days of manufacturing and innovation presentations (35 in total), delegates welcomed a change of scenery and were whisked away to what is commonly described as "the Silicon Valley of the food world". But Food Valley, as it is aptly named, comes with its obvious differences - and instead of innovators competing to commercialise the latest developments in silicon chips, it is more concerned with the potato variety.

Food Valley is a region in the Netherlands which is home to international food companies, research institutes and the Wageningen University and Research Centre. In total over 15,000 professionals work in the area, collaborating to use science and technology to bring innovation to the industry. Food giants such as Heinz, Nestlé, Mars and Heineken can be found in Food Valley.

Food research company, Nizo, is nestled in-between these. But unlike Silicon Valley, which is littered with tall, impersonal buildings, Nizo is more reminiscent of a red brick university and, apart from its pilot plant, inside it is not so different either with endless corridors, labs and curious-looking science equipment.

But before delegates were let loose around Nizo's facilities, they were required to sit through another round of presentations. These were kicked off by Dr Jeroen Kiers, business development manager at Nizo, who gave delegates an insight into various approaches to satiety.

The dilemma, he said, is that obesity is now the big issue, but manufacturers striving to reformulate products to reduce fat and sugar levels must maintain consumer satisfaction: "The market, to a large extent, is driven by consumer experience and pleasure plays a huge role in this. So manufacturers cannot afford to compromise on taste or quality.

"And on the issue of satiety, this is also far from being straightforward - it's not like you can just buy a magic ingredient. I am going to concentrate on four satiation triggers in the body," he continued. "If products target all or some of these, then it is possible to manipulate the body and brain into thinking that it is full."

Weight management

The first of the triggers is in the mouth and nose and includes taste, aroma and mouthfeel. Specific flavour compounds can contribute to a high-fat perception. Clean label emulsifying agents can also add to the sensation of creaminess in the mouth and on the surface of the tongue.

"Through interaction with saliva and the mucus layer at the tongue surface, formation of a smooth coating at the tongue is formed by the deposition and spreading of emulsion droplets. In conjunction with maximising the aroma of fat, it gives the impression that there are higher levels of fat in the product than is actually the case, and people tend to eat less of the product as a result," Kiers said.

The second satiation trigger is in the stomach. It is possible to modulate the clotting behaviour of proteins in the stomach, which affects its emptying rate. The slower the emptying rate of the stomach, the more the body and brain thinks that it is full.

Casein proteins clot more in the stomach than whey proteins for example, making someone feel fuller for longer. "But if the pH levels in its environment are changed, then it is possible to make whey proteins act much slower, adding to the feeling of satiation," Kiers continued.

The third satiety trigger is in the small intestine. Here digestive enzymes break down the food and the nutrients are absorbed. The rate of nutrient release has an impact on satiety, as small hormone receptors in the intestinal wall tell the brain whether to stop eating or not.

Nizo has developed encapsulation methods, which ensure that more nutrients are released in the intestine, rather than earlier in the digestive system. "For example," Kiers said, "if a larger quantity of fat is absorbed in the intestine, then the brain will tell you that you've eaten too much."

The final trigger is found in the large intestine, he continued. "This is where a lot of research has shown that macrobiotics can play a role in weight management. And here fibre also acts as a bulking agent, releasing hormones telling the brain to stop eating.

"We have worked with a lot of manufacturers in the area of satiety. We compile research for clients and develop technologies for further improvement of products and production processes. Moreover, companies can engage Nizo food research for independent scientific support of health claims connected with products," added Kiers.

New product development

When the presentations came to a close, delegates were invited to look around Nizo's facilities. And in its recently opened industrial food design kitchen researchers revealed the details of one of its current projects.

Dr Stacy Pyett, senior scientist, said that Nizo was working with a large beverage manufacturer to reduce the levels of sugar in apple juice. By adding an extra flavour to the drink, Nizo claimed that it was able to reduce sugar content without compromising the sweet taste of the product.

"Although we have found that professional taste testers can easily detect the extra flavour, our consumer tests have shown that consumers don't really taste the difference. They can only detect extra sweetness not the extra flavour," claimed Pyett.

To try it for themselves, delegates were given a before and after sample of the apple juice. After a long build up to the product, they picked up the two small paper cups and sniffed at the liquid inside. After tasting the drink, which had been hailed as an important innovative solution to the age-old fight against sugar reduction, a look of bemusement spread throughout the kitchen.

When one of the researchers asked: "So what do you think?" The question was greeted by a wall of silence, and like a classroom after a teacher has asked a difficult question, most delegates looked down at their feet and avoided eye contact.

The silence continued until one of the researchers said: "OK then, we'll move on to the pilot plant now."

During the short walk to the plant, one of the delegates whispered: "Well, I didn't like that. I've had no formal taste training, but even I know that their version doesn't taste like apple juice anymore. The extra flavour made it taste more like flowery perfume."

His sense of cynicism, however, melted away when the party arrived at the pilot plant. At home among the production lines and machinery, he said, no longer whispering: "I wasn't expecting this, it's much bigger than I thought it would be. It's actually bigger than some of the commercial factories I've seen."

Nizo's food-grade pilot plant occupies over 2,500m2. To mention just a few of the functions in its liquid and powder processing unit, operations include heating, emulsifying, drying, encapsulation, mixing, separation, fermentation and hydrolysation.

The plant allows for the leap to be made from laboratory set-up to production level - bridging the all-important gap between science and food manufacturing. It is available to manufacturers to test potential new production processes before committing to investment in new equipment or processes.

Its facilities have enabled the research firm to work with a wide range of leading firms. And last year it produced food applications including pre- and probiotics, vitamins, isoflavones, bioactive peptides and so on.

Research partnerships

"On a project basis, we assist clients with developing and improving functional benefits such as excellent taste and texture combined with optimal health properties and shelf-life," added Pyett.

One of partnerships and products that Nizo is most proud of, she told delegates, was development of a sports drink with DSM. The drink was made exclusively for the Dutch team at the Olympic Games in Athens.

The active ingredient in PeptoPro Sports was a protein hydrolysate, which contains peptides. Peptides stimulate the production of insulin which in turn facilitates transport of glucose from the blood to the muscle cells. In effect, this enhances the refuelling of the muscles after intense exercise.

But new product development is never as simple as it sounds. And hydrolysates are well known for their bitter taste. After discovering an enzyme that can reduce this bitter taste to acceptable levels, DSM conducted a series of experiments with Nizo. Nizo also proposed flavours to help offset the bitter taste.

"The drink still tastes a little bit bitter - but it is intended to be for serious athletes rather than a drink that is made for enjoyment's sake," added Pyett. "But still, through enzyme treatment and carefully selecting flavours, we have changed the taste from being completely intolerable to being widely acceptable. It won't be the best thing ever tasted but it's fair to say the difference is remarkable.

"We deliver improvements in our customers' products, because we have the knowledge and technology. We proactively approach them with fresh ideas because we constantly search for ways to improve foods." FM