Page 9 - Vol.37-No.2

AGRANA

BETAINE THE NATURAL JEWEL FROM SUGAR BEETS

In Austria near Tulln the third opera- overall cellular activity is significantly
tion plant to crystallize natural betaine reduced. Betaine prevents cell dehydra-
has started operation in August 2020. tion in the absence of water and is used
Three areas of applications are target- to regulate cell hydration. Especially the
ed – beside the classical feed segment, increase of hot periods in summer poses
betaine is produced as food and per- a great challenge to the supply of ani-
sonal care grade. mals, also in the European area.
In feeding, betaine has been known for
a long time and acts as a multifunctional
nutrient in poultry feeding. Betaine is not
only used in animal nutrition but also in
fertilizers during hot periods. AGRANA wants you as sales
The plant can absorb betaine very representative!
quickly through the leaf and rapidly A unique, modern technology is used
counteract environmental stresses such in the production of the crystalline be-
as heat, cold and drought. When using taine to maintain the properties of the
betaine as a foliar fertilizer, the plant natural beet, while at the same time high
requires less water, which is a limiting
Beside the operating sugar factory in factor in many areas of the earth. Betaine quality and safety is assured.
Austria near Vienna, the crystallization increases plant stress tolerance and im- To meet customer requirements
plant for betaine was put into operation proves plant nitrogen supply by provid- AGRANA’s high quality standards are
in August 2020. Construction of the crys- ing the plant with the amino acid glycine applied. AGRANAs natural betaine im-
tallization plant was completed in just betaine. presses through its characteristics such
over a year despite difficult construction as GMO-free, 100% plant based and
conditions during the Corona pandem- Areas of application - naturalness. As a leading supplier of re-
ic in the summer. The new plant makes Feed & Fertilizer / Food / fined agricultural raw materials for food
Tulln the third production site worldwide Personal Care industry, AGRANA has earned a reputa-
to manufacture natural high-quality crys- tion of high product quality, traceability
talline betaine. The production capacity The purified form of anhydrous natu- and innovative product concepts making
is around 8,500 tons per year. ral betaine serves as a multifunctional it a supplier of choice for customers in
Natural Betaine as ingredient for various food, beverage, the industry.
and nutritional applications. Therefore
anti-heat stress agent AGRANA produces betaine in several
concentrations for the personal care and
Sugar beets are also grown in Egypt
for many decades. Besides sugar, sug- food sector as well as for the feed and
ar beets contain an interesting nutrient fertilizer sector. Worldwide distribution
called betaine. Many people may ask is carried out in the 3 segments Feed &
what betaine is. Betaine is a multifunc- Fertilizer / Food / Personal Care. AGRA-
tional nutrient, like an amino acid or a NA is currently working intensively on
vitamin. In the body, betaine is a break- the market launch with own brands such
down product of choline. Plants and or- as DuraBeet® for the food sector, Pu-
ganisms can accumulate betaine to limit raBeet® for the personal care and cos-
their water loss. So, we can summarize, metics sector and ActiBeet® for the feed
betaine fulfills two essential biological sector.
functions. On the one hand, it acts as a Food manufacturers mix betaine main-
methyl group donor and on the other, as ly in sports drinks, sports bars or use it
an organic osmotic regulator. as a raw material for food supplements.
In methyl donation, free methyl groups In the personal care and cosmetic sec-
are generated for several metabolic re- tor, betaine is used in several products
actions, and used for many physiological from head to toe. Betaine is mainly used
processes ranging from genetic activity as a natural plant based moisturizer as
to protein provision. well as for protecting the skin barrier
e.g. in shampoos, tooth pastes, creams,..
The second essential function of beta-
ine is to maintain the animal’s water bal-
ance and prevent dehydration.
Dehydration occurs when the body
loses more water than it receives. Diar- In the Arab region, sales representa-
rhea, the use of medications, decreased tives are still being sought in many coun-
water intake, or profuse sweating can all tries. For further information check out
lead to dehydration. When the body is our website www.agrana.com or write
dehydrated, cells can lose 28% or more us an e-mail betaine@agrana.com.
of their water supply. Due to this, the
Circle 6 on enquiry card
Vol. 37 No. 2 7