Glanbia Nutritionals launches new nutrient tech platform
Launched at trade show Vitafoods last month, the platform provides customers nutrient solutions with stability enhancements, the ability to mask flavors or colors; and solubility/flowability improvements.
Microencapsulated nutrients
The in-house technologies within the TechVantage platform are NutraShield Microcencapsulations, UniTrit Triturations and GranulPlex Granulations, each of which have their own benefits.
- NutraShield microencapsulated nutrients provide a protective matrix around each nutrient, enhancing their impact and function in a number of ways — including masking odours and flavours, improving stability, controlling color intensity, converting oils to powders and delaying the release of nutrients.
- UniTrit triturated nutrients are standardised on a carrier for homogeneous delivery of nutrients, allowing for easier distribution of nutrients in the final blend and for ease of scaling with less overages.
- GranulPlex granulated nutrients are formed through creating single particles from multiple small and large particles, allowing for improved instantization, dispersibility and a better performing compressible powder.
TechVantage’s nutrient technologies cover a plethora of challenges and demands such as optimising the color, clarity, taste, stability, dispersibility and bioavailability of products, says Glanbia Nutritionals.
It covers a wide variety of categories, including vitamins, minerals, botanicals, amino acids, sweeteners, carbohydrates, fats (oils), botanicals, fibres and acids. This portfolio provides dramatic improvements to manufacturers’ production of tablets, chewables, effervescents, gummies, powder drink mixes, beverages and more.
In beverages, the NutraShield microencapsulation offers beverages a particular advantage when it comes to formulating drinks with caffeine. Here, the microencapsulation tech's role in masking flavors can cut down the bitter taste of caffeine.
Meanwhile, the tech can help in categories such as functional water where the color can be affected by functional ingredients.
Josh Stewart, Senior Product Manager, Premix Solutions at Glanbia Nutritionals, says:
“The development and creation of our TechVantage platform leverages decades of microencapsulation, granulation and trituration knowledge and experience, and we have created it with the challenges and demands faced by many of our customers in mind. TechVantage will give our partners greater end-product functionality while mitigating formulation difficulties and production headaches in the manufacturing of their products.”