Playing the Claim Game

Fortifying foods to meet approved health claims can twist developers’ minds as easily as a complicated song twists the tongue. But with the right technologies and techniques, you’ll have health-conscious consumers singing your products’ praises.

Pass on the salt

According to the American Heart Association, Dallas, our bodies require about 500 mg of sodium per day. FDA’s Daily Reference Value (DRV) for sodium—the uppermost limit considered desirable—is 2,400 mg. Yet, the average American consumes 2,900 to 4,300 mg daily.

High sodium levels can lead to increased risk of high blood pressure and hypertension, both of which increase heart disease and stroke risk. So, food processors are eager to reach the 140 mg or less per serving required for applying a “low sodium” claim, as well as a health claim relating sodium reduction to reduced risk of hypertension.

Reducing sodium in foods is no simple task as it has become a necessary functional component in countless applications. Baked products often contain the leavening agent sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda. Salt brines provide textural attributes to processed meats. Sodium nitrite adds color and microbial stability to cured meats. Sodium benzoate is a popular, effective preservative, and monosodium glutamate enhances flavor in countless applications.

Potassium chloride, a common sodium chloride replacer, can impart a metallic or bitter note, so other strategies are welcome. Changing salt-crystal conformation can make less salt go a longer way. Hollow crystals with irregular shapes cling to surfaces (and other ingredients) more effectively than traditional salt, while dissolving more rapidly in the mouth. This combination of characteristics yields a big, salty burst without big usage levels.

Reduced sodium can also reduce overall flavor perception. Natural yeast extracts can help compensate. Naturally occurring nucleotides like guanosine-5'-monophosphate (GMP) and inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP) work with a food’s own amino acids to provide flavor enhancement similar to that of salt.

Innovative leavening-system options come from the realm of phosphates. Calcium acid pyrophosphate provides a sodium-free means of controlled leavening and potential textural improvement via calcium-protein interactions.

Roll the bones

For roughly 10 million Americans over the age of 50, insufficient calcium intake has contributed to the development of osteoporosis. With most consumers only getting half of the recommended three servings per day, calcium fortification has become an important area of development.

Inorganic calcium salts include calcium carbonates and calcium phosphates. Both salts provide high levels of calcium —carbonate at 40% and phosphates ranging from 23% to 40%—making them very economical. Use of these, however, is limited by insolubility that can cause gritty texture, chalky taste and cloudiness in beverages. Calcium phosphates do provide phosphorous plus calcium, both of which are crucial to bone health.

Organic salts such as calcium lactates, gluconates and lactogluconates are extremely soluble and deliver calcium levels ranging from 9% to 13%. With virtually no impact on flavor, these products are popular choices for delicately flavored systems.

Calcium citrates have higher calcium levels, about 21%. Unlike other organic salts, citrate’s solubility increases as temperature decreases, making it well-suited for cold-processed applications. Reduced reactivity at elevated temperatures also reduces the chances for adverse interactions during thermal processing.

Combinations of calcium salts can provide solutions for unique challenges. In milk systems, combining calcium carbonate with calcium lactate and insoluble calcium phosphate (acting as a buffer), prevents calcium-carbonate precipitation. Specialized products made from anhydrous and monohydrate forms of monocalcium phosphate provide enhanced solubility of calcium-rich phosphates for beverages, fruit spreads, yogurts, acidic sauces and dressings. (For more information on calcium and bone health, see “Them Bones,” Nov. 2007, Food Product Design.)

Trans-figuration

In Jan. 2006, food manufacturers were required to include trans fats on their nutrition information panel. Hydrogenation, reacting hydrogen gas with an oil, causes trans isomers that result in a more-stable oil that imparts desirable taste and improved shelf life. Trans fatty acids have, however, been shown to increase low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol while depleting high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol, which increases cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Processors have struggled to find alternative oils that provide similar taste and texture as the once-favored trans fats. Although partially hydrogenated oils were popular for replacing saturated fats, current research indicates that saturated fats from plant sources are less detrimental to health than those of animal origin.

Palmitic acid, the primary saturated fat in palm oil, forms small (about 1 µm long), stable beta-prime crystals. These crystals impart a smooth texture to creams and fillings, and stable air entrapment for aerated products. Palm oil is available at a price point similar to the partially hydrogenated oils it replaces.

America’s first commercially produced vegetable oil, cottonseed oil (CSO), has a bland to “nutty” flavor, making it ideal for use as a salad oil. As with palm oil, saturated fat in CSO provides stability without hydrogenation, eliminating “hydrogenated” on the label. Approximately two-thirds of the naturally occurring tocopherols in crude CSO survive refining processes. This increases the stability in deep-frying operations, reducing the turnover frequency.

Amber waves of grains

Consumer awareness of whole-grain’s healthful effects has fueled expansion in the development arena. According to the Global New Products Database from Mintel, Chicago, whole-grain product introductions increased tenfold from 2000 to 2006, each trying to gain the attention of shoppers with claims of nutritional value. For many developers, though, interpreting the sometimes-tricky guidelines for labeling whole-grain foods is as challenging as developing the product itself.

FDA is undecided as to the nature of whole grains— nutrient or ingredient—and requires a recommended daily intake (DRI) or daily value (DV) before allowing a nutrient-content claim. While the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (developed jointly by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and USDA) recommends three or more ounce equivalents of wholegrain products per day, neither an DRI nor a DV for whole grains exists.

So, how can you call attention to whole-grain products? In Feb. 2006, FDA published a list of guidelines for processors. The Whole Grains Council, Boston, created the Whole Grain Stamp program to provide an easily recognized indicator of products’ whole-grain levels. The American Heart Association has also begun “stamping” products with a red-and-white heart-check mark, indicating it contains 51% or more whole grains, meets the minimum requirement for dietary fiber, and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Fiberworks

Long hailed as the natural route to regularity, fiber’s potential positive effects on conditions, including weight management, cholesterol reduction, CHD, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, are well documented. Consumers fall short, however, of the DV of 25 grams for a 2,000 calorie diet, and 30 grams for a 2,500 calorie diet. This deficit is, perhaps, driving consumers to seek out foods bearing FDA-approved indicators of fiber level.

A product with 5 grams fiber or more per serving qualifies as an “excellent source” of fiber, while 2.5 to 5 grams qualifies as a “good source.” Products indicating soluble fiber’s potential effect of reducing risk of CVD must be low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, and must contain one or more eligible sources of ß-glucan fiber, such as oat bran, rolled oats, whole oat flour, Oatrim, whole grain barley, dry milled barley, or psyllium husk (see Federal Register, Dec. 23, 2005, Vol. 70, No. 246, or Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 101.81 for details). Reaching required levels can be challenging, as fibers can affect characteristics such as viscosity, thixotropy, opacity, mouthfeel and flavor.

Beverages offer an excellent medium for delivery of high levels of fiber due to their large serving size. Low-viscosity beverages can, however, become as thick as syrup with the addition of soluble fiber. Ingredients like gum arabic and inulin provide developers with low viscosity that allows for high loading without organoleptic effects. (For more information on fiber in beverages, see “Fiber Goes With the Flow,” Oct. 2007, Food Product Design.)

Enriching bread systems with fiber can make gluten structures too weak to stay “risen.” Specialized gum blends, such as guar and methylcellulose, replace a portion of the flour and prevent fiber (soluble and insoluble) from interfering with gluten’s structure. The key is to replace the protein in the replaced flour. (For more on fiber-enriched breads, see “Better Bread Through Fortification,” May 2007, Food Product Design.)

Soy to the world

Carnivores have only recently caught up with vegetarians in recognizing soy’s health benefits. Since 1999, when FDA approved a health claim linking soy protein to reduced CVD risk, the perception of and demand for soy has changed significantly.

In addition to qualifying for labeling as low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, products formulated for soy protein and CVD claims must provide at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving. Reaching this level can be challenging, as soy’s inherent beany taste can impact finished product flavor. Jean Heggie, marketing director, The Solae Company, St. Louis, suggests that flavor hurdles are more easily overcome in certain systems. “Ready-todrink neutral beverages, nutrition bars, meat alternatives, ready-to-eat cereals and certain bakery systems are among the best applications for formulating to meet the soy protein health-claim requirements,” she says.

Again, beverages’ large serving sizes offer developers an excellent vehicle for claim-worthy levels. Acidic systems, such as a juice-based drink, require specialized ingredients to meet the nutritional, functional and organoleptic needs of the beverage. “We have developed soy proteins that combine high solubility with stabilized calcium technology to deliver excellent protein suspension and stability in an acidic beverage,” notes Heggie.

Fishing for healthy oils

In 2004, FDA approved a qualified health claim for products containing omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). While not essential fatty acids—the body can synthesize them from shorter-chain omega- 3s—research indicates there may be a link between these compounds and reduced risk of CVD.

EPA and DHA are mainly found in oily fish such as tuna, salmon, herring and lake trout. And, while their origins do present the potential for fishy tastes and odors, it is their structure that poses the greatest potential for undesirable flavor development. Long-chain (18, 20 and 22 carbons) polyunsaturated fatty acids containing 2-6 double bonds are extremely susceptible to oxidative rancidity, even at room temperature.

Formulating omega-3s into a product is neither easy nor impossible. Encapsulation isolates the oils from other components in a food system as well as from the environment. Spray-drying omega-3s can provide protection from processing and the environment by combining the oil with carriers such as starches, proteins and antioxidants. Dry forms of omega-3s can also improve dispersibility into non-oil media. Addition of antioxidants such as ascorbates or tocopherols can protect against oxidation, as can delaying incorporation of the oils as long as possible. Omega-3s should be stored in closed, opaque containers and refrigerated or frozen.

Alternate sources can help developers avoid the potential flavor issues associated with fish-derived material. Crypthecodinium cohnii and Schizochytrium are microalgae capable of producing large amounts of DHA. Although it is an excellent option for vegetarian applications, note that products bearing the qualified health claim must contain both DHA and EPA. (For more information on omega-3 fatty acids, see “Catching the Omega-3 Wave,” May 2007, Food Product Design.)

That’s stan-ol folks!

Plants do not contain cholesterol, but they do contain phytosterols, compounds that are similar in chemical structure and function. Evidence that two such compounds, stanols and sterols, can interfere with intestinal absorption of cholesterol led FDA to approve a claim linking stanols and sterols to reduced risk of CVD.

First introduced in a vegetable-oil spread, phytosterols’ hydrophobicity initially limited their application potential. But phytosterol technology has yielded ingredients that can be incorporated into products such as milk, juice, bars and bread. Esterification with vegetable-oil distillates provides stability and dispersability in fat-containing systems. Spray-dried products combine the phytosterols with water-soluble carriers and stabilizers. Emulsions with flavoring systems allow for addition to functional beverages.

R. J. Foster is a wordsmith with a B.S. in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and over 15 years of experience in the food industry. He can be reached by email at askrjfoster@sbcglobal.net.