Dear customer

You have probably heard of Baobab Fruit Powder. But even if you are one of the health-conscious consumers who eat Baobab every day or you have formulated and sold products with Baobab as an ingredient, we are willing to bet you could still use a little more info. And that’s why we’re here! Every few weeks we release a newsletter focused on a different attribute of Baobab to help expand your knowledge. As a leading Baobab Fruit Powder producer, we have made it our mission to educate the food and beverage industries about this remarkable fruit so that you can begin to understand the exciting new product development opportunities that Baobab can deliver to your company.

So if you work for a finished product brand, co-manufacturer or co-packer, or your role is in product formulation, R&D, NPD or food science, then this Introductory Guide to Baobab is definitely for you!

Three reasons why is Baobab called The African Superfruit

(1) Nutrition: one of the most nutrient-dense fruits on the planet

Baobab Fruit Powder, often called “the African Superfruit”, has earned its place in the superfood category due to its extraordinarily rich nutrient profile. Bursting with vitamin C, fiber, electrolytes and antioxidants, it beats other superfoods such as goji berries, blueberries and chia seeds making it one of the world's most nutritious fruits.

Figure 1: Superfood Comparisons

(2) Glycemic Index: low GI bakery ingredient and blood sugar regulator

In a clinical study, researchers found that adding just 2% Baobab Fruit Powder to the dry baking mix of white bread significantly lowered its glycemic index (GI). They also analysed the impact of a Baobab smoothie on the blood glucose spikes brought on by consuming white bread. They found that Baobab considerably lowered the blood glucose spikes in human subjects compared to the control group. The researchers concluded that this glycemic regulatory effect came from the combination of polyphenols and soluble dietary fiber in the Baobab.

Figure 2: The change in blood glucose response using Baobab (Oxford Brookes University)

(3) Gut Health: prebiotic activity promotes growth of Bifidobacteria

Baobab has a notably high dietary fiber content (around 55%), the soluble portion of which has been found in studies to have a strong prebiotic effect on probiotic gut bacteria (in particular bifidobacteria). Also recent research into the Hadza, a hunter-gatherer tribe in Tanzania, found that they have one of the healthiest gut microbiomes on the planet. Researchers have suggested that this is due to the high amount of tubers and Baobab Fruit in their diet, both of which are rich in soluble fiber.

Figure 3: In vitro activity on the promotion of symbiotic bacteria growth (University of Ferrara)

What products are being developed with Baobab?

In its pure form, Baobab Fruit Powder is sold in health food stores across Europe, North America and Australasia alongside similar products such as spirulina powder. In food and beverage production, it is now being used as an ingredient in a surprisingly wide range of products. Baobab has a tangy, citric taste which combines readily with other flavours in sweet and savoury applications. And its format as soluble powder makes it extremely versatile as an ingredient for new product development.

Although it started out as a niche product, Baobab has moved swiftly into the mainstream with many companies adopting it as a "hero ingredient". Its increasing popularity is being driven by food and beverage brands looking to capitalise on Baobab's reputation as a natural and functional alternative to processed food ingredients.

Figure 4: Product Categories containing Baobab

What Nutrient Content (Nutrition) Claims can you make?

Baobab also provides opportunities for brands to make Nutrient Content Claims in the US and Nutrition Claims in the European Union (EU) on their products. The following tables summarize the claims using Baobab that can be made.

Figure 5: US Nutrient Content Claims

Figure 6: EU Nutrition Claims

How does Baobab production create positive social impacts in Africa?

Africa's Baobab trees are almost unique in that their fruit occurs naturally as a dry powder - the fruit pods dehydrating and hardening on the branch throughout the dry season. It is thought that this process of natural dehydration concentrates the nutrients in the pods producing one of the most nutrient-dense fruits on the planet.

We only buy our Baobab fruit direct from organically-certified rural harvesters we have trained and contracted in advance. We never go through intermediate traders and can therefore guarantee full traceability throughout our supply chain. We are a member of the Union for Ethical BioTrade and are the only Baobab producer to carry the prestigious Fair Wild certification, reflecting our commitment to both Fair Trade practices and environmentally sustainable harvesting techniques. Our Baobab has a great back-story in terms of social impact and environmental sustainability at the grass roots level in Africa. We work with over 4,500 registered rural harvesters in Zimbabwe (80% of whom are women). As each harvester comes from an average household of 5 people, our production indirectly supports over 20,000 people. When you buy our Baobab, you are supporting  economic growth and women’s empowerment in one of the poorest regions in Africa.

During processing, the powder is simply separated from the seeds and internal fibers of the pod and then sieved. This means that Baobab Fruit Powder is actually a completely raw fruit, having undergone no heat treatment, irradiation, spray-drying or freeze-drying. Once processed, the powder is tested by external accredited laboratories to ensure it is within microbiological, heavy metal and pesticide limits before being packed and exported globally.

Order a free sample!

Reply to this email requesting a sample and we will get back to you shortly to arrange free delivery of a 100g sample of Organic Baobab Fruit Powder.

About EcoProducts B'Ayoba

A joint venture between two leading Baobab Fruit producers, EcoProducts B’Ayoba is Africa's only FairWild, Organic and FSSC 22000 Version 4.1 certified Baobab operation. We have impeccable social-impact credentials, helping to create sustainable incomes for over 4,500 registered rural African harvesters and their families. Our supply chains are fully traceable and sustainable, with environmental and training programs in place to protect the Baobab tree populations. As a result, we are a member of the Union for Ethical Biotrade. We are a global supplier with warehouses in the USA, Netherlands and South Africa.

Kind regards