Symrise to scale up nutraceuticals portfolio

Symrise's first venture into nutraceuticals occurred in 2006 when it acquired Kaden Biochemcials Gmbh.

And 2008 saw the flavour specialist enter into a strategic partnership with cardiovascular diagnostics firm, Cambridge Theranostics, so its experts could identify products from Symrise's extracts and compounds portfolio that would best protect plasma lipoproteins from oxidative damage and afford effective protection against cardiovascular diseases.

The Germany based flavour house said its new business unit will create a structure for the expansion of its functional foods and supplement portfolio, and it said it anticipates a higher annual growth rate for the health orientated segment as compared to the traditional flavours and fragrances sector based on the fact that its sees an increase in consumer desire to slow down the ageing process.

Health categories​

Symrise spokesperson Bernhard Kott told Nutraingredients.com that the company was focusing on health categories such as heart health, gut health and bone health in particular and that the acceleration of its health and wellness strategy comes on the back of the success of its Taste for Life range.

“We see a lot of synergy between the general ingredients side of our business and our accelerated focus on developing health orientated products as the trends towards natural, as well as low in sugar, salt and fat is informing all our food and beverage flavour concepts,”​ he continued.

Botanical extracts​

And Kott explained that Symrise is developing botanical extracts with specified ingredients having proven dosage/effect relations. Extracts from superfruits such as cranberry, bilberry and aronia are set to play a major role in the new functional ingredient push, he added.

He said that the business unit will be supported in its work by the Symrise Competence Centre for Health and Nutrition, which will provide scientific and nutritional insights to aid innovative product development.

According to Kott, the company will launch its new functional ingredients for dietary supplements in 2010, and will trial the new ingredients with supplement and food manufacturers following the R&D phase.

When asked whether the current health claims environment in Europe will impact the development of the nutraceuticals side of the business, Kott said that the flavour producer supported the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) regulatory approach, and that the company anticipated that a closer working relationship between member states, industry and regulators in the near future would benefit the claims process.