New Microencapsulated Iron Ingredient Creates Melt-in-Your-Mouth Supplement Prototype for Pregnant and Nursing Women

Photo © iStockphoto.com/Rinelle

Lipofoods (Barcelona) debuted a new iron supplement prototype for pregnant and nursing women that melts in the mouth at May’s Vitafoods Europe trade show in Geneva, Switzerland. At the show, Lipofoods showcased a prototype melt-in-your-mouth stick form of its new microencapsulated iron ingredient, called Lipofer. Thanks to microencapsulation, the company says Lipofer enables enhanced absorption and prevents the ingredietn from having the metallic taste often associated with iron supplements.

Lipofer provides 100% of the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for iron, says the company, making it ideal for consumers with iron deficiencies, as well as for pregnant and nursing women. Pregnant women require twice as much iron as non-pregnant women because much of the iron in the blood is used to supply blood to the fetus, Lipofoods explains. Iron is also necessary for producing hemoglobin, which transmits oxygen throughout the body.

Aside from its high iron content, Lipofer is also said to be water-dispersible, highly bioavailable, and highly stable. According to Isabel Gomez, marketing manager, Lipofoods, in a press release: “Its superiority is supported by clinical studies showing that it is more bioavailable, and more stable, than other iron sources.”

Lipofer is also formulated with vitamin C “to boost iron absorption and add aroma.” Gomez acknowledged that developing Lipofer came with a few formulating challenges. “Successfully combining high stability and pleasant taste into a formulation with a high dose of bioavailable iron was a difficult challenge,” she said. “Most iron sources tend to interact with vitamin C, leading to undesirable organoleptic changes in color and flavor of the final product.”

Typically, she adds, supplement formulators can only incorporate about 15% of the iron RDA into an edible supplement form because of the highly metallic taste. And, even with just 15% iron RDA, formulations often require artificial flavors to mask the off-taste. Lipofer, meanwhile, is formulated via the company’s microencapsulation technology without the use of artificial colors or preservatives.

While the melt-in-your-mouth stick is simply a prototype and not offered as a finished product, the company says that Lipofer can be easily incorporated into milk and dairy products, dietary supplements, bakery products, confectionery, cereal bars, and drinks, says the company.

The company says that the stick prototype of Lipofer is a quick, easy, and tasty way for consumers to meet their daily iron requirements. David Padro, business manager, Lipofoods, noted that “consumers-especially Millennials-are seeking new ideas for consuming vitamin and mineral supplements. The delivery must be easy to use, flavorful, and with a unique texture. And it has to be fun.”

Also at Vitafoods Europe, Lipofoods presented a new concept called the “microencapsulation experience,” which highlighted the benefits of its microencapsulated branded ingredients. According to the company, the presentation gave attendees the chance to sample its “simple, cleaner formulations,” including the Lipofer iron sticks.

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