Alpi and BENEO Present First Sugar-Free Perfume Candy in Europe

Press Release

5840056b April 2011

A Sweet Scent-sation Alpi and BENEO present first sugar-free ‘perfume’ candy in Europe

Sugar-free, fragrance-transmitting candy is now available for the first time in Europe. Thanks to an idea that was developed by BENEO within its Candy Innovation Matrix, the innovative concept was picked up by Alpi, a confectionery company from Bulgaria. The functional ingredients manufacturer worked closely with Alpi to help them be the first to realise it for the market. The rose-scented boiled sweet, called Deo, contains BENEO’s ISOMALT and will not only taste good, but after consuming, will transmit an attractive rose fragrance through the skin.

BENEO has given a new meaning to functional confectionery with Alpi’s Deo; using ISOMALT, which is the only sugar replacer naturally derived from sugar beet, the boiled sweet is sugar-free, low in calories, low glycaemic and toothfriendly. Due to ISOMALT’s slow dissolution properties, the taste experience is enhanced by the prolonged transmission of the subtle flavour of rose in the mouth, and also through longer lasting rose-scented fragrance on the skin.

This form of nutricosmetics (nutritional supplements which can support the function and the structure of the skin) is down to the ingredient geraniol, an acrylic monoterpene-alcohol, which is a colourless liquid that can be found in plants such as rose, lavender and vanilla. Geraniol is a natural antioxidant and its fragrance, once consumed as a candy, leaves the body through its pores, creating a naturally sweet smell that can last for hours.

Wim Dries, Area Sales Manager, BENEO commented: “We are delighted to have realised one of our first innovative candy ideas with Alpi. Our continued hard work together shows that, particularly in the field of boiled sweets, new ideas do come to fruition and allow everyone to come up smelling of roses – literally!”

Eng. Ventseslav Peychev, owner of Alpi said: “We are proud to be the first manufacturer of perfumed candy in Europe. BENEO is an innovative partner and the team supported us with Press Release

profound technical and nutritional knowledge. It was a pleasure working closely with them and only such a strong collaboration could have turned the two years of development into this successful product launch.”

Deo is currently available in Bulgaria but the idea for ‘perfume’ sweets first launched in Japan, where experts researched the idea and confirmed that fragrance was released through the skin as a result of the consumption of geraniol. A similar, and more familiar way an ingredient transmits an odor is through ingestion of garlic; its strong-smelling sulfur compounds form Allyl Methyl Sulfide, which cannot be digested and is eventually excreted through the skin.

Wim Dries adds: “Many people like garlic, and it’s especially popular in European diets, but the tell-tale smell lingers for some time after a meal. Deo is the perfect antidote.”

For further information on BENEO and its ingredients, please visit: www.beneo.com

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The BENEO product portfolio consists of functional ingredients with nutritional and technical advantages, derived from chicory roots, beet sugar, rice and wheat. BENEO is the ideal partner to help improve the health (weight management, energy for mental & physical performance, digestive, bone and dental health), taste, texture and nutritional value (fat and sugar replacement/fibre enrichment) of a product. Through a unique chain of expertise, including the BENEO-Institute, BENEO actively supports (industry partners in) the development of more balanced and healthy food products.

BENEO is a division of the Südzucker Group, employs almost 900 people and has production units in Belgium, Chile, Germany and Italy. www.BENEO.com

For further press information, please contact: Catherine Hamou, Beth Milsom or Jo Kent at Publicasity Tel: +44 1442 261199 Email: [email protected]

For further information please contact: Tim Van der Schraelen, Marketing Communication Manager BENEO Aandorenstraat 1, 3300 Tienen, Belgium, Tel: +32 16 801 301, Fax: +32 16 801 308 Email: [email protected]