Rising levels of obesity and physical inactivity have contributed to a growing prevalence of diabetes over the last decades. To better manage blood sugar levels and nutritional needs, health conscious individuals may use a food’s glycemic index (GI) as a guide when choosing what to eat.
Low GI food products refer to carbohydrate containing food that will produce a steady rise in blood glucose instead of sudden spikes in blood sugar from eating high GI food. Persistent blood sugar spikes can lead to health complications such as diabetes and heart disease.
Singapore food tech start-up Bountifood was interested to explore new technologies to create nutritious food products without affecting the taste and texture. It connected with the National University of Singapore (NUS) at TechInnovation 2017 when the latter showcased its food technology solution that could lower the GI of starch-rich food items like bread and rice.
Discussions followed and Boutifood signed an exclusive license with NUS to develop and market the technology in November 2017. A year later, Bountifood returned to TechInnovation 2018 as an exhibitor with Carbolight, its new product which lowers starch digestibility and slows down sugar release.
“Bountifood has unlocked new opportunities through participating at TechInnovation. In-licensing technology from NUS has enabled us to accelerate product development and time-to-market significantly,” said Barnabas Chan, Managing Director of Bountifood.
“In addition, we have collaborated with DayFood Plus Food to incorporate Carbolight into buns that reduce the rate of sugar release from the buns in the body. This product is also exported and sold in Hong Kong. We look forward to developing innovative functional food ingredients that will tackle health-related challenges for Singapore and the world,” he added.
With rising rates of obesity and physical inactivity, diabetes has become an increasing concern worldwide, including in Singapore. Managing blood sugar levels is critical for preventing complications such as diabetes and heart disease. Many consumers turn to the glycemic index (GI) as a guide to select foods that will not cause rapid spikes in blood glucose. However, most staple carbohydrate-rich foods like bread and rice are high on the GI scale, leading to sudden increases in blood sugar after consumption. Persistent blood sugar spikes are linked to long-term health issues, making it challenging for individuals to maintain a healthy diet while enjoying common staples. Bountifood recognised the need to develop innovative food products that could help manage blood sugar levels without sacrificing taste or texture. The company sought new technologies that would enable the creation of low-GI foods, addressing both nutritional needs and consumer preferences.
IPI Singapore connected Bountifood with the National University of Singapore (NUS) at TechInnovation 2017, where NUS showcased a novel food technology capable of lowering the glycemic index of starch-rich foods such as bread and rice. Through IPI's TechInnovation platform, Bountifood was able to identify and access this promising technology solution. Following discussions facilitated by IPI Singapore, Bountifood signed an exclusive license agreement with NUS in November 2017 to develop and commercialise the technology. This collaboration enabled Bountifood to accelerate its product development process and bring Carbolight—a new ingredient that lowers starch digestibility and slows sugar release—to market more rapidly. The partnership also paved the way for further collaborations, such as incorporating Carbolight into buns with DayFood Plus Food, expanding the reach and impact of the innovation.
"Bountifood has unlocked new opportunities through participating at TechInnovation. In-licensing technology from NUS has enabled us to accelerate product development and time-to-market significantly."
"In addition, we have collaborated with DayFood Plus Food to incorporate Carbolight into buns that reduce the rate of sugar release from the buns in the body. This product is also exported and sold in Hong Kong. We look forward to developing innovative functional food ingredients that will tackle health-related challenges for Singapore and the world."
Bountifood is a Singapore-based food technology start-up focused on developing nutritious food products that cater to health-conscious consumers. The company aims to create foods that support better blood sugar management without compromising on taste or texture.