BETA-CAROTENE THAT DOESN'T ADD COLOR UNVEILED

LYNN KUNTZ

NUTLEY, N.J. -- The market potential for beta-carotene-fortified foods is brightening. The ingredient is well publicized as one of the antioxidant nutrients -- those that retard the inevitable cellular breakdown that occurs as we age. However, from a practical standpoint, the incorporation of significant nutritive amounts in food has been limited to dark or highly colored products. Roche Vitamins & Fine Chemicals, a division of Hoffmann-La Roche, Nutley N.J., has just introduced a product -- Beta Carotene 10% B -- that minimally affects the product appearance.

Beta-carotene has been widely used as a natural (noncertified) yellow or yellow-orange colorant in food products for many years. When used as a nutritional additive, that feature remains. While this has a minimal impact on the appearance of brightly colored breakfast cereal, for example, it can drastically change the color of a whole-grain muffin. To eliminate this problem, Roche has designed a form of beta-carotene that provides the nutritional benefits without the colorant properties.

This product consists of beadlets of beta-carotene compounded with fructose, fish gelatin, corn starch, glycerol and natural antioxidants. One gram contains 100 milligrams of beta-carotene.

According to Amanda O'Brien, marketing manager, Roche's food ingredient unit, the beadlets may appear as tiny red-orange specks when added to foods, but, unlike traditional forms of beta-carotene, do not change the product color.

"There are still some products in which you wouldn't use it," said O'Brien. "In white cake, for example, you do notice the specks, but you wouldn't see them in a yellow cake. In beverages, the beadlets settle out and won't remain evenly dispersed. We see this being used in products where you want the nutritional aspects of beta-carotene without the color: baked products, pancake mixes, cereals and bars, even yogurt."