Naturex Samples Drink Mixes, Energy Chews at IFT

The last day of the Institute of Food Technologists’ Annual Meeting and Food Expo is today. Visitors won’t want to miss new product concepts offered by Naturex (Avignon, France) at its booth #2338.

First, the company is serving up new “Zest” instant drink mixes that highlight the company’s botanical ingredients.

Zest Body is a low-calorie, weight-management drink that contains Naturex’s Svetol decaffeinated green coffee bean extract. The company says Svetol is clinically shown to inhibit glucose-6-phosphatase and increase the rate of fat release from adipose tissue. Zest Body also contains Naturex’s Talin “taste enhancer” that can be paired with high-intensity sweeteners such as stevia in low-calorie products.

A second Zest beverage, the energy-boosting Zest Power, combines ginseng root and maca from the company’s NAT healthy ingredient line.

Naturex has also created a new energy chew prototype to “show confectionery manufacturers the potential for creating functional candy concepts with great taste and wide appeal among consumers, especially the growing numbers who are looking for a natural pick-me-up.”

The citrus-flavored energy chews contain the energizing extracts guarana andPanax ginseng from Naturex’s NAT healthy line. Natural coloring is provided by paprika, and texture comes courtesy of pectin.

“Functional confectionery is an emerging trend right now, and energy remains a popular benefit among U.S. consumers. We’ve seen a number of successful energy confectionery launches in recent times, and we’ve developed our energy chews to demonstrate how we can help manufacturers and marketers looking to enter this exciting market,” said Naturex’s business manager, Amandine De Santi, in a press release.