Since its beginnings in 1855, the Nigay caramel factory is a company of enthusiasts with a wide caramel expertise! The Nigay team has always strived to create innovations and answer the economic, environmental and societal stakes of the food industry.

The word "caramel" is not limited to confectionery but refers to various products, depending on recipes and applications (food, ingredients for flavouring, additives and colouring). Caramel is widely used in the food industry. Over time the question of a link between caramel and consumer’s health has been raised. Caramel has not delivered all of its secrets yet, but Nigay is now proud to share with you the latest results of its researches.

Nigay has launched studies to demonstrate the positive effects of caramel on human’s health. This work focused on the antioxidant activity of these products and has resulted in the publication of a scientific article in the Journal of Functional Foods (available soon).
This article presents the positive results obtained by three complementary methods on aromatic caramels and caramel colours:

• The first study, carried out in-house, is a chemical method. A blue-colored molecule recognized as an oxidant (ABTS) is effectively deactivated by caramels.
• The second study, an in vitro method, was carried out in partnership with the Spiral laboratory (Couternon, France), concerns the resistance of blood cells subjected to radical attack and shows that caramels increase the lifespan of these cells.
• Finally, the latest study, an in vivo method, carried out in collaboration with the University of Lille (France), is a test on Caenorhabditis. elegans worms and demonstrates the effectiveness of caramels in improving the resistance of the worms in the event of an oxidative attack.

These first results opened an important field of research focused on the positive effects of molecules formed during the caramelization process.

A RANGE OF INGREDIENTS OPTIMIZED FROM A NUTRITIonAL POINT OF VIEW

Consumers became actors of their own consumption and their well-being. They are attentive to their diet.
To answer this trend, Nigay also has in its range :

• Milky caramel with low sugar (5%) & high fibers (32%)
• Caramel with date syrup ; reduced in saturated fats* (-30%) & high in fibers (twice more fibers than a standard filling)
• Vegan caramels for a balanced vegetable diet with no milk, no soy, no palm (caramel sauce, caramel filling and the latest: a caramel sauce with coco and mango)
• The milky caramel named CARATONIC® ; designed for effort and carbohydrate intake. It is intended to meet the needs of an immediate muscular effort performed during a competition (source of vitamin B1, calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc).

Nigay has proudly claimed its roots and passed on his passion for caramel. For more information on our research & development policy, we remain at your disposal (communication@nigay.com).