A Perth biotechnology company is claiming a breakthrough in the GI levels of white bread.
Holista Colltech's shares have skyrocketed after the company announced the formation of a mix of natural ingredients that can “significantly reduce blood sugar levels caused by consuming white bread and other bakery products”.
Holista said the product, called GI, when mixed with a natural sourdough, achieved a glycemic index (GI) reading of 53 – that is, “the lowest level ever achieved worldwide in a clean-label white bread”.
The product has been tested at an unnamed local university, with Switzerland-based Veripan AG, Europe's largest independent supplier of specialty bakery ingredients.
Holista said it planned to mix its GI Lite formula – made from extracts of okra, dhal (lentils), barley and fenugreek – with Veripan’s natural sourdough called Panatura, which in turn recorded the low GI level.
GI is an indicator of the ability of different types of foods that contain carbohydrates to raise the blood glucose.
Holista chiarman and chief executive Dr Rajen Marnicka said it was a “major breakthrough in food science”.
“Amidst rising concerns of rising blood sugar levels due to consumption of processed foods including bread, pizzas and noodles, [consumers] of flour products can now make healthier choices that don't compromise on taste or quality,” he said.
Formerly Colltech, the company merged with Malaysian company Holista in 2010 and has since been working on developing “natural healthstyle products”.
