The technology brings natural taste performance in dairy products, enabling up to 50% sugar reduction in yogurt and other dairy products without the use of sweeteners. The solution is available through Firmenich affiliates in all major markets worldwide.
“We are seeing a significant shift, with consumers ranking reducing sugar as the #1 health consideration in their food and beverage choices,” said Emmanuel Butstraen, president of flavors at Firmenich.
“Building on our industry leading, proprietary sugar reduction capabilities, we have joined forces with Novozymes, to develop uniquely optimized dairy solutions for our customers that are both delicious and nutritionally balanced.”
“We are happy to be in this joint collaboration with Firmenich, which has quickly resulted in bringing a new, unique innovation to the market. Our companies’ combined strengths help dairy companies improve their existing products and develop new ones for the growing number of health-conscious consumers looking for dairy products with improved nutritional properties including less sugar and calories,” said Claus Crone Fuglsang, chief science officer at Novozymes.
A synergy is achieved when Firmenich’s sugar reduction solution TasteGEM is combined with lactase solution Saphera. The patent-pending technology unlocks the naturally occurring sweetness of milk and bridges the sensorial gaps that arise when added sugar is removed. The companies said TasteGEM SWL with Saphera lactase delivers “a superior tasting product and enhanced eating experience with authentic sweetness and increased creaminess and the added benefit of lower lactose levels.”
Last year, Firmenich sugar reduction technologies helped customers save an estimated 300,000 metric tonnes of sugar, equating to over 1 trillion calories.