Superfoods are increasingly popular according to industry sources; 56% of European consumers use superfoods to improve their health with food or drink. Currently, consumers are much more conscious and aware about health and many share the perception that the onset of many chronic diseases can be prevented with the proper intake of nutritious diet. Functional foods and supplements are not only being consumed for just meeting the recommended dietary allowance but also as a mechanism for performance enhancement and disease prevention. In addition to the above-mentioned changes, consumers’ preference has now undergone a paradigm shift from synthetic ingredients toward natural and organic foods, beverages and supplements. Present day’s consumers are more informed, and this could be attributed to current day media, which keeps consumers abreast of the latest scientific developments in health and wellness. Consumers are now moving towards food products that are obtained from natural non-genetically modified organism extracts.
Carobs are cultivated mainly in Mediterranean countries, particularly Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Malta, Cyprus, Morocco and Turkey, which together account for approximately 92% of the global production Nowadays carob market is focused on the products generated from carob seed, deeming carob pulp as a low-value product using in animal feed. However, raw carob pulp is considered as “superfood” due to their bioactive components and their beneficial properties for health: antioxidant, energetic, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, antidiahorrea, antihyperlipidemia, etc. In fact, carob is included in the priority list of wild-collected medicinal and aromatic plants as novel food.
Carob is directly collected from the ground when harvested, which implies it being contaminated by several microorganisms; therefore a further specific treatment is needed to stabilise its microbiological profile, to be able to commercialise it at a food level. Currently only ‘roasted carob flour’ is used directly for human consumption, however the ‘high temperature roasting process’ has a negative effect in the product altering its bioactive and nutritional properties (a reduction of total phenolic content and the total antioxidant activity). Raw carob pulp is used directly in animal feed, which means that the beneficial properties of raw carob pulp are not being exploited for human food.
PEDRO PEREZ is a SME located in Valencia (Spain), dedicated exclusively to the production and processing of carob. The mission of the company is to produce “high added value” products from the carob pulp. The company has more than 40 years of experience in the carob market and an international implementation, commercializing carob worldwide.
PEDRO PÉREZ, has developed a new product Beflesh carob powder, a new 100% natural carob superfood rich in bioactive compounds and has a health promoting effect.
Beflesh is a new natural ingredient with functional properties (antioxidant, energetic, anticarcinogenic, antidiabetic, gluten free, etc.) produced from carob fruit. Beflesh is a highly energetic, rich in fibre and in minerals such as: potassium, calcium, phosphorous and magnesium. It has a natural sweet taste, is gluten and caffeine free.
Beflesh is raw carob powder with the original bioactive compounds and nutritional properties of the carob fruit. It is produced with a very innovative dehydration process, at low temperature, to respect its original composition and bioactive capacity. This dehydration process makes Beflesh acrylamide free and richer in vitamins B9 and D2 compared to other commercial roasted carob powder products.
Beflesh is the healthy substitute of cocoa powder; being free from added sugars, rich in antioxidants and 0% fat. It contains more carbohydrates and fibre than cocoa powder and can be used directly
needing no additional sweetener.
