Is it possible to efficiently bring high-end carbohydrates to market at a low cost? According to Biorefining Inc., Golden Valley, MN, the answer to that question would be a resounding yes. In fact, it is the company’s development of the patented Biorefining Process that makes such a feat possible and is the impetus behind the company’s mission in the nutraceuticals market.

The goal of Biorefining Inc. specifically is to develop proprietary processes that convert residual plant material into value-added products-mainly carbohydrates-for use in the nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and functional food markets. To do this, the company seeks to provide ingredients to the nutraceuticals marketplace by licensing its proprietary technology (or technologies) to agricultural processors, who may then supply nutraceutical distributors these raw materials. According to the company, that is how it can offer distributors higher quality, lower cost and functionally enhanced products. According to Dr. Doug Van Thorre, president, chief technical officer and director, the result of using the Biorefining Process is raw materials that are minimally processed through the use of very little heat and chemicals. Mr. Van Thorre said this enables the inherent functionalities of the raw material to remain intact.

The company’s processes are all natural and environmentally friendly, using minimal water, heat and energy, zero chemicals and ending in minimal waste. The softness of the technology, along with the biological origin of the products, allows for the extraction of bio-based ingredients with dramatically increased functionality. In addition, the efficiencies of the process allow for the economical extraction of previously difficult to process carbohydrates, fractioning out as many as 30 different carbohydrates or specialty sugars. Along with these sugars, other components such as amino acids and fatty acids may also be fractioned out from a single raw material source. Mr. Van Thorre commented, “We are going to bring to the market products that have functionality beyond what’s out there today to the point where we will actually be able to patent those products and offer licenses for those products because of their added functionality.”

At the moment the company doesn’t have a commercial product offering to sell yet. However, it broke ground on a new facility in October to commercially produce carbohydrates such as D-mannose, D-xylose, L-arabinose and D-galactose, which should be available by October 2004. The company touts a range of health benefits for these products, including improved immune function, prebiotic capabilities and the prevention of tooth decay and plaque formation. And while the company will develop and maintain its own arsenal of ingredients, its main focus is becoming an intellectual property (IP) company with the ability to license out the technologies it develops.

Biorefining feels that it is at the right place at the right time due to consumers’ growing interest in living a healthy lifestyle and transitioning toward more preventive approaches to health. Kelly Iisakka, marketing associate, said she believes that preventive care is the answer and that carbohydrates, such as the ones that Biorefining is capable of producing, are going to play a significant role in that move forward. “There is a blurring line between patent medicine and the nutraceutical market and we feel that the market will gradually trend toward the carbohydrate area,” she said.-R.M.W.