Introducing Energy 4.0 functional “Sunfiber® Cola”

Sugar-free and high in fiber, the new Energy 4.0 cola from TAIYO, SINALCO and SWEETHOUSE boosts enzymatic energy production and offers multiple benefits

Schwelm, Germany, September 2019 – Collaboration partners SINALCO, SWEETHOUSE and health-promoting ingredients expert TAIYO have launched their second beverage concept – a functional Energy 4.0 cola that’s sugar-free and enriched with guar bean dietary fibers.

Classic soft drinks, colas and energy drinks are still in vogue. However, they all contain a lot of sugar (Energy 1.0) and caffeine (Energy 2.0) that stimulate the nervous system to produce more energy. Now that these two energy sources have lost their mass appeal, the sugar-sweetened soft drinks market is under threat.

Sunfiber® Cola is sugar-free. Sweetened with the innovative ingredient, Qorus® Dolce, from SWEETHOUSE, Sunfiber® Cola closely mimics the taste and mouthfeel of the sugar-sweetened original. It displays a natural, sugar-like profile with no aftertaste and allows for calorie-free pleasure without noticeably raising blood glucose levels. Secondly, Sunfiber® Cola contains TAIYO’s 100% natural guar bean Sunfiber®. This dietary fiber is absolutely tasteless, odorless and water soluble, and has no effect on the taste, mouthfeel or appearance of the end product.

Dietary fiber and energy

The dietary fiber in Sunfiber® Cola is fermented by bacteria in the large intestine to provide a form of sugar-free slow-release energy. Broken down into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are absorbed by the mucosa and into the bloodstream, its Energy 4.0 effect is induced by activating AMPK (adenosine monophosphate kinase), which stimulates the production of ATP, the body’s main cellular energy molecule.

Normally, AMPK is activated during exercise or by fasting, which is why we feel energized after a workout or 2–3 days of not eating. Conversely, it’s inhibited by alcohol and its functionality decreases with age. However, AMPK can be activated by natural ingredients and nutrients such as green tea polyphenols, curcumin or dietary fibers. As such, a light meal that’s rich in dietary fiber may actually be more energizing than a high calorie dish with lots of sugar and fat. At the same time, Sunfiber® also has a satiating, appetite-inhibiting effect and enhances digestion and the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

Today, considering that one in three adults worldwide is overweight (IHME, 2015) and more and more young people are struggling with obesity problems, Sunfiber® Cola can both increase fiber uptake and reduce calorie intake — both of which are associated with a weight-reducing effect and were recently confirmed in a crossover study with 32 healthy volunteers.

Divided into three groups (no, Sunfiber®-free or Sunfiber®-containing beverages), participants were asked to consume two drinks per day between breakfast and lunch for two weeks with a washout phase between phases. Results showed that drinking Sunfiber®-containing beverages significantly increased feelings of satiety and reduced the energy intake of the next meal by 70–100 calories.

Sunfiber® Cola will be presented for the first time at the "Innovation in Non-Alcoholic Beverages Congress" event in London, UK, in September 2019. The product is commercially available at New drinks.com (https://www.new-drinks.com/sunfiber) and more beverage concepts with other health ingredients are already under preparation.

SINALCO, SWEETHOUSE and TAIYO forge a strategic partnership 

In 2018 the iconic brand SINALCO, TAIYO and SWEETHOUSE are joining forces to jointly develop new and innovative beverage concepts for the international market. 

SINALCO is known for its decades of experience in the beverage industry, with a broad portfolio of products in classic beverage categories including limonades, colas, fruit spritzers and mineral water. 

TAIYO GmbH, based in Schwelm, represents the long-established Japanese company Taiyo Kagaku in Europe. Taiyo Kagaku has been producing and selling health-promoting ingredients for the food and beverage industry since its founding in 1946. 

SWEETHOUSE, the third member of the strategic partnership, is specialized in reducing sugar content as well as sugar substitutes, for which the company offers a range of concepts and products. 

Beverage production is a significant sector within the food and beverage industry that is subject to high margin and price pressure. In addition to the price and, above all, the taste of beverages, the ingredients they contain and their impact on consumers’ health are increasingly relevant issues. 

In this context, reducing the sugar content of beverages is just one of many major topics. Lifestyle choices, nutrition and in particular the reduction of fat, sugar and salt have been much discussed in politics and the media for years now. A growing of countries, including Portugal, France, Ireland, Hungary and Great Britain, have started taxing sugar in response. 

SINALCO, SWEETHOUSE and TAIYO have now forged a partnership for jointly developing, producing and selling innovative new beverage concepts. 

While developing reduced-sugar beverages is one key focus of the partnership, developing beverages that also feature additional health benefits on top is also core goal. Each partner brings a distinctive strength to the table: SINALCO’s deep experience in beverage production, TAIYO’s functional ingredients and SWEETHOUSE’s sweeting systems.

The first new beverage concepts are already in the works; the first newcomers are set to be presented at Innovation in Non-Alcoholic Beverages Congress from 26 to 27 September in London.

http://www.arena-international.com/innovation-in-non-alcoholic-beverages

TAIYO is a silver sponsor of the congress and will be introducing the new beverages in a plenary talk while SINALCO will offer tastings at its stand for visitors to sample.

SWEETHOUSE is available for discussions about latest technologies in sugar reduction or sugar replacement.

Soft drinks are a still the leading beverage segment and soft drink consumption is still high. Nutritionally the soft drinks are under pressure due to supporting weight gain and causing obesity and diabetes due to the high sugar content...