Enhancing the calcium content in food and drinks
A balanced diet with the right quantity of key minerals is a boost to human health.
Calcium is one of the most important minerals for the human body and has several important functions. A lack of it can lead to a number of serious health conditions in children and adults.
Eating a balanced diet with enough calcium and vitamin D helps to prevent osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) – a condition that our ever-increasing elderly populations can be affected with as they age. This will mean demand for calcium will rise significantly in the coming years.
As well as helping to build strong bones and teeth, calcium carbonate regulates our heartbeat, makes sure blood clots normally and supports the proper functioning of muscles and nerves.
Recognizing this critical role, Imerys produces I-Blum™ Precipitated Calcium Carbonate as a value-adding ingredient. Calcium fortification in food and beverages is essential for the health of many people, from babies and infants to those with calcium deficiencies or associated health risks.
Calcium-enriched products are also important for people who do not consume dairy products, such as milk.
A safe, pure and natural supply of calcium for the food industry
I-Blum™ enhances the calcium content in various food and beverage products, without compromising quality standards of taste and texture. It’s used in yoghurts, bakery snacks, dairy-based and plant-based beverages and powdered beverage mixes, as well as other items. The extra calcium is a nutritional boost that positively impacts the health and wellbeing of consumers.
I-Blum is all about pure Precipitated Calcium Carbonate directly sourced from Imerys-owned reserves, offering consistency of quality.
With ownership of the mineral reserves, Imerys has control over the entire process—from mine to customer—ensuring an increased level of safety and traceability.
Well-being is on everyone’s radar, and people are more aware of their personal health. Society is increasingly thinking in terms of more than the basic nutritional need to avoid deficiency. Consumers prefer food with added nutritional value rather than taking supplements to fill up their calcium needs. Enhanced foods and dietary supplements provide nutrients that may otherwise be consumed in less-than-recommended amounts. What it all comes down to is that consumers want meals and snacks that taste good, deliver good nutrition and may improve their health.
Articles you might be interested in
Achieving much more with less, or using less to achieve much more. That was the challenge Imerys experts set themselves in designing the next generation of specialty binders, designed for a market calling for greater performance with less product and lower environmental impact.
Diatomaceous earth has many practical household applications, but is also used for technical purposes in the chemical, agrifoods, cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors.
Fonducrete®* – an engineered calcium aluminate cement – is reducing costly maintenance and repair work in sugar mills.