Bunge launches Betapol Organic OPO for manufacturers of organic infant milk formula
Inspired by the natural composition of human breast milk, Betapol Organic is the latest offering in the company’s infant nutrition portfolio.
“As the inventor of the OPO category, and as part of our ongoing innovation efforts, we are proud to announce that our Betapol product is now Certified Organic,” said Dr Emiliano Rial Verde, vice president of Bunge Loders Croklaan Nutrition.
“We’ve seen the demand for organic infant milk formula growing, but clinically proven ingredients with organic certification are lacking. Now, we are the first in the market to offer our customers a premium OPO ingredient with dual EU and Chinese Organic certifications.”
The market intelligence agency Mintel reported the global number of organic IMF product launches has grown from 5% in 2015 to 13% in 2021. The Asian organic baby food market constitutes 20% of the global market and has been growing at 12% a year since 2015. China is fueling this with a year-over-year growth of more than 20% in organic baby food, and 30% in organic IMF. Stricter standards for organic certification have also led to a rise in consumer confidence and thus demand for organic products. With the introduction of Betapol Organic, Bunge Loders Croklaan said it is working to meet these market demands.
Betapol from Bunge Loders Croklaan, is an established infant formula ingredient with clinical benefits proven since the 1990s. OPO is a uniquely-structured lipid naturally present in mother’s milk. The presence of palmitic acid in the middle position (SN-2 palmitate) has been clinically proven to improve energy intake, reduce constipation, increase bone mineral density, positively affect healthy gut bacteria, improve fine motor skills, reduce crying and result in better sleep.
Betapol Organic allows the production of organic infant milk formulas with the clinically proven benefits of OPO which, until now, were only available to conventional formulas.
Next to infant milk formula ingredients, Bunge Loders Croklaan is growing its organic portfolio, offering a steady and scalable supply chain of organic oils and fats, ranging from sunflower, rapeseed, soy and palm to shea and coconut. The company is also broadening its network of organic farmers to develop reliable organic supply chains.
