05 Oct 2009 --- Lal’Food, the functional food Business Unit of Lallemand in Europe is pleased to announce that several health claims concerning selenium have just been accepted by EFSA, the European Food Safety Agency.

Moreover, a consumer test confirms the acceptation of Lallemand yeast rich in selenium.

Selenium is today highly recognized for its many health benefits and antioxidant properties, supported by solid scientific documentation. This has prompted EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies to accept health claims linking the dietary intake of selenium to: “ protection of DNA, proteins and lipids from oxidative damage, normal function of the immune system, normal thyroid function and normal spermatogenesis.

LalminT Se, the company’s yeast rich in selenium, offers today opportunities for manufacturers who want to innovate in premium quality functional food. For example, they can now commercialise cereal bars or fruit juices bearing the claim: “contributes to the protection of cell constituents from oxidative damage” or “contributes to the normal function of the immune system”…

Ever since EFSA has issued its positive scientific opinion on the safety of selenium yeast in foods and acknowledged its superior bioavailability as compared to inorganic forms, Lal’Food has been intensifying the development of solutions integrating LalminTMSe into a range of food applications: cereals, cereal-based products, nutritional biscuits, drinks …

Moreover, a recent consumer test shows acceptance of a food product enriched with Lal’Food-Lallemand Lalmin Se yeast. An hedonic test has been conducted in partnership with the Laboratory of sensory analysis AgroTec, in Agen, France, with a panel of consumers on a fruit juice enriched with Lalmin Se.

The results turn out very positive: 83% of the jury did globally appreciate the product (color, texture, flavour, smell) and 82% the taste of the new fruit juice with antioxidant properties.

At the same time, the purchase intention of this juice has been evaluated; 70 % of the consumers are ready to buy the product for the antioxidant effect of the selenium and 75 % for the organic source used to enrich the juice.

As plants naturally do, yeast converts the mineral selenium into organically-bound selenium (selenomethionine, selenocystein) during its fermentation. LalminTM Se is an inactivated whole cell yeast rich in organic selenium (99% of the total selenium content).

It represents the most bioavailable source of selenium. In this form, selenium is easily available, that means better absorbed and retained by tissues and cells. Indeed, EFSA has concluded that yeast with high levels of organic selenium species, such as LalminTM Se, was up to twice as bioavailable than inorganic forms of selenium.

In addition to its superior bioavailability, Lalmin Se is a safer source of selenium according to toxicity studies, and offers innocuousness when compared to inorganic forms of selenium such as selenite or selenate.

Last but not least, Lalmin Se offers technological advantages. Thanks to its concentration, this product is much safer and easier to dose than inorganic forms and can be blended directly within the others ingredients of the final product. Lalmin Se is also resistant to high temperatures.

Altogether, Lalmin Se sensorial acceptance and technological characteristics offer food manufacturers great versatility in its applications. Lalmin Se can be incorporated in many food products, at any stage of the manufacturing process.

Finally, dose of incorporation to obtain a documented health effect (Selenium RDA is 55 µg/day) is really interesting.

In conclusion, Lalmin Se represents a natural and efficient innovative solution to meet the needs of today’s health-conscious consumers.