Industry-leading formula may change the way you produce bakery products

DIABETIC bread, anyone?

Biotech company Holista CollTech Limited has scientific proof its new blend of ingredients can reduce high blood sugar caused by consumption of white bread and other baked goods.

An Australian university conducted a clinical study on Holista’s proprietary GI Lite formula in December last year, together with Switzerland-based Veripan AG, Europe’s largest independent supplier of specialty baking ingredients. It concluded that Holista’s blend of extracts derived from okra (ladies’ fingers), dhal (lentils), barley and fenugreek, in combination with Veripan’s natural sourdough PANATURA® recorded a Glycemic Index (GI) reading of 53, said to be the lowest level achieved by any clean-label white bread. (A GI rating of 0-55 is considered low.)

(Photo: Dreamstime.com)

“Diabetic bread”

The new PANATURA® GI will enable manufacturers to produce clean-label, low-GI white bread, which Holista and Veripan call “diabetic bread”. The ingredients will add a fraction to production cost and comprise about 5-7 percent of the final formulation.

A market for healthier staple food

The consumption of white flour-based products partly contributes to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Healthier ingredients will help reduce the impact brought about by staples like bread.

Dato’ Dr. Rajen Marnicka, Chairman and CEO of Holista, said: “This is a major breakthrough at a time of growing concerns surrounding high blood sugar caused by increased consumption of processed foods including bread, pizzas and noodles. Now, for the first time, consumers can make healthier choices that do not compromise on taste or quality.”

Meiert J. Grootes, Chairman of Veripan, said: “As an expert in the baking industry, I can say with conviction that this is the best thing since sliced bread. With Holista’s expertise and our business networks, we intend to make this revolutionary ingredient available to food manufacturers around the world.”

PANATURA® GI  will be available to customers of Holista and Veripan in Australia, then in Europe, North America, China, India and the rest of Asia.