Maurten Launches World's First Hydrogel Sports Fuel with Caffeine
New technology enables Swedish food tech start-up to make a caffeine based sports fuel that is almost tasteless, without additives
GÖTEBORG, Sweden, Sept. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Caffeine is widely used by athletes during races and prolonged sessions. Science has shown that it increases alertness and reduces the perceived effort – properties that can aid athletes in almost any sport. But, pure caffeine tastes bitter – something the sports nutrition industry has struggled with when making gels that contain caffeine. Historically, brands have tried to hide the ingredient's bitterness by adding flavors and acids, or by simply keeping the levels of caffeine low. Swedish tech-startup Maurten has gone in another direction with their latest product, the GEL 100 CAF 100.
"Athletes want a dose of caffeine that is large enough, but they don't want artificial flavors or colorants. So, we decided to simply circumvent the problem. Instead of masking the taste with other ingredients, we've encapsulated the caffeine in a true hydrogel – almost totally eliminating the bitterness," says Olof Sköld, CEO of Maurten.
Maurten's GEL 100 CAF 100 contains 100 mg of caffeine – the equivalent of 1.5 espressos. According to the company, other caffeine gels typically deliver around half of that amount.
"From a scientific perspective, low levels of caffeine won't really aid you. And there's no point loading with too much. The new product hits that sweet spot, both in terms of caffeine and carbohydrates," says Sköld.
World class athletes like Mo Farah and Jan Frodeno have been involved in the development of the product, providing feedback around the texture and taste. Besides caffeine, the product also contains 25 grams of carbohydrates, through a blend of fructose and glucose (ratio of 0.8:1). The development of the hydrogel technology started in 2015. Today, the company offers four different sports fuel products that use hydrogel as a means of transport for the carbohydrates.
"The new product really showcases what the hydrogel innovation is all about – we're able to remove much of the taste, not just mask it," continued Sköld. "We've just scratched the surface of the potential with this technology."
About the GEL 100 CAF 100
Each serving of GEL 100 CAF 100 contains 100 mg of caffeine and delivers 25 grams of carbohydrates. It contains seven ingredients – no added colorants, preservatives or flavors. It's vegan-friendly. The product is used by both Jan Frodeno and Mo Farah. Available in USA and EU through maurten.com and selected retailers.
Price: €48,38/$50 per box (12 servings).
About Maurten
Maurten is a sports nutrition company that in 2017 introduced natural hydrogel technology as a way to improve sports fuels. Maurten fueled Eliud Kipchoge's 2 hours and 25 seconds marathon during the Nike Breaking2 Project and later his marathon World Record in 2018. Other Maurten ambassadors include Keitany, EF Pro Cycling Team and Tottenham Hotspur. The company is based in Göteborg, Sweden.
SOURCE Maurten
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