LONG BEACH, Calif., April 26, 2010 — Ingredient supplier BI Nutraceuticals today announced it has added two new ingredients to its library: quinoa, a gluten-free “ancient” grain that is rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients; and maqui, an antioxidant-rich, dark-purple berry native to Chile.
Available in whole seed or powder form for use in breads, pastas, cereals and more, quinoa boasts several dietary benefits. Quinoa contains 18 percent protein, which is significantly higher than other grains including oat, corn and rice. It is also a “complete” vegetarian source of protein delivering all 8 essential amino acids, a unique advantage when compared to other vegetarian protein sources. Additionally, quinoa is completely gluten-free and nutrient dense, making it an excellent option for use in gluten-free foods, as they can sometimes be limited in nutritional quality. Finally, quinoa’s high fiber, iron and folate content make it especially valuable for consumers needing extra nutrition including children, pregnant women and the elderly.
The maqui berry is a rich source of antioxidants, boasting significantly higher levels than pomegranate, red wine and even acai. Recent scientific research in humans has demonstrated that maqui berries and their antioxidant compounds have anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties. Maqui has historically been consumed by the Mapuche Indians of Chile to treat health ailments. To ensure the highest quality, BI sources its maqui powders directly from Chile for use in dietary supplements.
“As consumers continue seeking products to meet their specialized health needs, such as gluten-free and antioxidant-rich diets, manufacturers can turn to BI for high-quality ingredients such as quinoa and the maqui berry to use in new product innovations,” commented BI Nutraceuticals president and CEO, George Pontiakos.
Quinoa and maqui join elderberry, rosemary, mangosteen and yerba mate as the newest ingredients to BI”s catalog, which contains 600+ ingredients, more than 200 of which have been deemed GRAS by the FDA or FEMA, the Flavors and Extracts Manufacturers Association.
About BI Nutraceuticals:
BI Nutraceuticals is a global full-service supplier of dietary supplement and functional food ingredients including whole herb powders and teas, standardized and drug ratio extracts, custom blends, vitamins, minerals, drum to hopper custom blends, granular ingredients and other specialty processes including time released and encapsulated ingredients. Since 2002, BI has been an innovator in steam sterilization and the company”s Protexx HP(R) process is currently the industry”s only species-specific, organic sterilization method. All BI ingredients undergo stringent quality analysis that includes heavy metal, pesticide and irradiation testing. All herbal powder ingredients are also tested under the company”s Identilok(R) species identification process. The company has also developed a proprietary process, UltraHD(R), which creates high-density herbal powders allowing for superior flow and less dusting during the manufacturing process. For more information, visit www.binutraceuticals.com.