Press Room

November 29, 2005

The recipe for a healthy business: just add Cognis
Visit Cognis Nutrition & Health – at FiE Stand M68, Hall 3

At Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) this year, Cognis reveals how technological expertise plus innovation in natural health ingredients equals the perfect recipe for successful products. As consumer appetites grow for tasty, convenient and nutritional foods and drinks, Cognis’ rare combination of special ingredients and technical know-how enables manufacturers to seize the opportunities offered by two fast-growing market segments: health and convenience.

Visitors to stand M68 can experience at first hand the versatility of Cognis ingredients with product sampling including a Vegapure^® sterol ester fruit-yoghurt drink; a Plantalin™ Rooibos fruit-tea drink and a blueberry cereal bar with Tonalin^® CLA.

“Research shows that consumers want health-on-the-go … food and drink products that not only taste good, but are also convenient and nutritious,” says Dr Franz Timmermann, Cognis Global Market Segment Manager, Functional Food. “We have over 40 years’ experience in this field: our food technology heritage combined with a progressive approach to functional health ingredients means we are ideally placed to help customers with tailor-made solutions for specific application needs.”

‘Health’ and ‘Convenience’ are mega-trends identified in recent market research, which revealed that 80% of US and European consumers feel it is important to improve health through diet; the trend should be set to continue, as Europe's young adults consume 36% more nutraceuticals than an average consumer. Researchers also found that time-saving products are important to 82% of European and US consumers, with prepared meal consumption forecast to double in ten years.*

“Our customers need to create innovative consumer products that are delicious and easy to prepare,” says Marion Schlude, Cognis Marketing Manager, Food. “They value the expertise of our food technologists who have been developing customized compounds for the world’s largest food makers for decades and have the know-how to improve product handling, appearance and shelf-life to ensure profitable sales.”

Just add Cognis – new at FiE:
Alongside their market-leading range of high quality, natural-source ingredients, new products in the Cognis Food Technology and Functional Food portfolios include: [see separate press releases for full details]:

• Nutrilife^® CCX enzymes: a new generation of high-performance, cost-effective enzymes for freshly-consumed, yeast raised baked goods. Nutrilife^® enzymes help customers to mix doughs that are dry, extensible and easy to handle, and to achieve higher baking volumes even when used in very low dosages. Nutrilife^® CCX further expands Cognis’ established range of special bakery enzyme compounds, designed for application in a wide variety of baked goods with varying shelf lives. Their application in yeast-raised products can be either on their own or as a component of bread improvers.
• Plantalin™ Rooibos and Honeybush plant extracts: Rooibos, rich in flavonoids and other potent antioxidants, is increasingly popular in Europe, Asia and the USA. In addition to its anti-ageing, free radical-fighting properties, rooibos – sometimes called red bush or red tea - is caffeine-free and low in tannins. Honeybush tea is traditionally used as a digestive aid and relaxant, with a naturally sweet, honey taste and aroma. Like the popular combination of honey and lemon, honeybush tea is also associated with relieving coughs and colds. Caffeine-free and low in tannins, it contains trace minerals and high levels of antioxidants.
• Seven new non-GM vitamin E oils for food supplements and functional foods. The new IP (identity-preserved), natural-source oils complement Cognis’ range of five highly successful Covitol^® and Covi-ox^® non-GM (not genetically modified) vitamin E and mixed tocopherol powders. The expanded portfolio includes Covitol^® F1000-2 EU, a top choice for encapsulators, along with F-1300 EU. Covitol^® oils composed of d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate include 1100 EU and 1250 EU. The three new mixed tocopherol oils are Covi-ox^® T-50 EU, and T-70 EU, and T-90 EU. These clear viscous oils have mild taste and aroma, are made from natural vegetable oils and use diluent oil derived from sunflowers.
• Xangold^® 30% natural lutein ester oils and Xangold^® 10% GFB, a vegetarian lutein esters beadlet.
  - Xangold^® 10% GFB, Cognis’ first vegetarian lutein esters beadlet, is intended for use in food supplements as well as a range of baked goods including bars, crackers and cereals, offering manufacturing advantages along with nutritional value to dry food formulators worldwide.
  - Xangold^® 30%, provides an excellent, bioavailable source of lutein, intended for use in food supplements and oil-based food products such as yoghurt and spreads.
  Lamequick^® CP637, a whipping agent for freeze-thaw stable creams. Deep-frozen cakes require stable cream that does not collapse during thawing. Light and creamy with a fine foam structure, Lamequick^® CP 637 is tolerant for whipping at any liquid temperature from 5-25°C and ideal for decorating and filling cakes. A Kosher form is also available.

Cognis’ new high-tech production facility
In July 2005, as further evidence of its commitment to invest in market growth, Cognis Nutrition & Health opened a new €20 million high-performance facility in Illertissen, Germany. Reinforcing its leading position in the worldwide supply of Vegapure^® plant sterol esters and Tonalin^® conjugated linoleic acids, Cognis’ new facility represents the greatest single investment the company has made since it was founded in 1999. As an industry leader, Cognis has set a benchmark by using proprietary technologies and guaranteeing the highest possible standards of quality and safety.

Comments Paul Allen, Group Vice President Nutrition & Health: “The state-of-the-art production facility in Illertissen is a powerful symbol of our commitment to serving the global wellness trend. By offering natural-source products that are tailored the precise needs of consumers, we can help customers to enter new markets successfully and give them a significant competitive advantage.”

Dr. Ralf Zink, Director Global Technology for Nutrition & Health, agrees: “We have the technical and scientific expertise to help our customers develop and market innovative products and concepts that meet consumer demands in the 21st century.”

The new facility at Illertissen will also strengthen Cognis’ leadership position in meeting the rapidly increasing demand for Vegapure^® non-GM plant sterol esters. Cognis provides the plant sterol ester ingredient for a number of well-known consumer brands and there is still enormous market potential worldwide. Scientific research has demonstrated the cholesterol-lowering properties of plant sterol esters, which are the only ingredients for which the European Commission has approved a distinct health claim. In Europe, where recent regulatory approvals have led to several new product launches, Cognis is marketing Vegapure^® for a wide range of food products: not only yellow fat spreads, yogurt and milk-type products, but also cheese-type products, soya drinks and dressings.

Just add Cognis: products featured at FIE
The wide range of Cognis products featured at FiE clearly demonstrates that it is now possible to add value and appeal – technologically and nutritionally – to both traditional and innovative food and beverage products. Cognis’ health ingredients are sourced from nature, providing manufacturers and retailers with a marketing edge as consumers become increasingly more label-conscious in their purchasing decisions. Cognis’ functional ingredients improve the performance of food and beverages – from convenience to appearance and shelf-life. The Nutrition & Health portfolio includes:

Health-Enhancing Ingredients:

• Tonalin^® CLA** – the most thoroughly researched CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) in relation to body composition, Tonalin^® CLA is safe, effective and clinically proven to help reduce body fat while maintaining lean body mass, and to help prevent fat regain.
• Xangold^® Natural Lutein Esters – An effective source of lutein, Xangold^® helps to maintain eye health. Range extensions include:
  - Xangold^® 10% GFB, Cognis’ first vegetarian lutein esters beadlet, is intended for use in food supplements, as well as a range of baked goods including bars, crackers and cereals, offering manufacturing advantages along with nutritional value to dry food formulators worldwide.
  - Xangold^® 30%, provides an excellent, bioavailable source of lutein, intended for use in food supplements and oil-based food products such as yoghurt and spreads.
• Vegapure^® Plant Sterols and Sterol Esters – Cognis, the world’s largest sterols producer, offers oil-soluble and water-dispersible forms that are GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) for a broad range of foods and drinks. The products are notified in the EU for all approved food applications.
• Plantalin™ is a range of high-quality plant extracts for a wide variety of food and drink applications, particularly where solubility plays an important role. New additions to the range at FiE are:
  - Rooibos – a herbal tea which has been widely consumed in its native South Africa for over a century. Rich in flavonoids and other potent antioxidants, rooibos is becoming increasingly popular in Europe, Asia and the USA. In addition to its anti-ageing, free radical-fighting properties, rooibos – sometimes called red bush or red tea – is caffeine-free and low in tannins.
  - Honeybush tea – traditionally used as a digestive aid and relaxant, with a naturally sweet, honey taste and aroma. Caffeine-free and low in tannins, it contains trace minerals and high levels of antioxidants. Honey and lemon are widely associated with relieving coughs and colds and so also is Honeybush tea in South Africa, from where it originates.
• Covitol^® Natural-Source Vitamin E and Covi-ox^® Natural Mixed Tocopherols* – New at FIE: seven new non-GM oils to complement Cognis’ range of highly successful powders. Research shows that vitamin E contributes to healthy ageing and Cognis offers the most complete line of natural-source vitamin E products available. Covi-ox^® includes the market’s highest concentration of mixed tocopherols, the natural forms of vitamin E provided in their unaltered tocopherol ratios. *GRAS for specific food applications
• Betatene^® Natural Mixed Carotenoids – Consumers are increasingly interested in this natural form of beta-carotene as a safe source of vitamin A, for eye health, and to bridge the food gap. Betatene^® natural mixed carotenoids, produced from Australian algae, may be used as a colour additive in a range of food products.
• Delios^® Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) – More digestible than normal vegetable oils with long chain fatty acids, MCTs can even be absorbed without being hydrolyzed in the intestine. MCT oils are therefore well established in infant and medical nutrition. Delios^® MCTs have excellent oxidative stability and a low viscosity which makes them ideal oils for flavour diluents or release agents for confectionary and baked goods.

Food Technology Ingredients:

• Nutrilife^® CCX – a new generation of high-performance, cost-effective enzymes for freshly consumed, yeast raised baked goods. Nutrilife^® enzymes help customers to mix doughs that are dry, extensible and easy to handle, and to achieve higher baking volumes, even when used in very low dosages. Nutrilife^® CCX further expands Cognis’ established range of special bakery enzyme compounds, designed for application in a wide variety of baked goods with varying shelf lives. The enzymes are obtained in precisely managed and controlled fermentation processes. Their application in yeast-raised products can be either on their own or as a component of bread improvers.
• Lamequick^® Whipping Agents – Cognis supplies the industry’s largest range of whipping agents; these spray-dried powders are based on vegetable fat with aerating emulsifiers and milk protein. When whipped with milk or water, they produce light and creamy foams. Lamequick^® is used in ready-to-eat mousses and provides basic functionality for desserts, cake decorating, filling cream and soft-serve ice-cream. Lamequick^® CP637 is a whipping agent for freeze-thaw stable cake fillings and decorations.
• Spongolit^® Aerating Emulsifiers – Used in whipped batters for all types of cakes, Spongolit^® ensures excellent stability, volume, and consistently good crumb structure; all components may be added at the same time and whipped together. It is ideal for small bakeries, large-scale cake manufacturing, and home-use cake mixes. Spongolit^® ELC offers a technically sophisticated and practical solution for egg-free bakery applications and products. Spongolit^® aerating emulsifiers are available in paste form or as spray-dried powders.

For more information about Cognis’ products, visit www.cognis.com or for information in Europe, call +49 7303 13326, e-mail functional.food@cognis.com or food.technology@cognis.com.

For North America, please call 800.673.3702, e-mail cognis.custserv@cognis-us.com, or fax 513.482.3576.

ENDS
* Datamonitor research 2005
** Tonalin^® CLA is an exclusively registered trademark of the Cognis Group

About Cognis
Cognis (www.Cognis.com) is a worldwide supplier of innovative specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients. It employs about 8,100 people, and has production sites and service centers in 30 countries. The company has dedicated its activities to a high level of sustainability and delivers natural source raw materials and ingredients for food, nutrition and healthcare markets, and the cosmetics, detergents and cleaners industries. Additionally, Cognis provides solutions for a number of other industries, such as coatings and inks, lubricants, textiles and plastics, as well as agriculture and mining. Cognis is owned by private equity funds advised by Permira, GS Capital Partners, and Schroder Ventures Life Sciences. In 2004, Cognis recorded sales of 3.07 billion Euros and an operating profit before depreciation, amortization and exceptional items (EBITDA adjusted) of 362 million Euros.

Media Contact Europe:
Val Holmes
Phone: +44-20-8979-2333
E-mail: valerieholmes@btinternet.com
Internet: www.cognis.com