NEW WAYS are being found to add value to the products obtained from an indigenous plant found throughout the Eastern Cape – the aloe. Summerpride Foods technical manager for new products, Len Bobbins, says aloe ferox has a host of health and nutritive qualities that could make aloe ferox products easy to market internationally – particularly to the Far East where people usually eat desserts as an aid to digestion rather than for the taste. The company is also experimenting with the textures that can be provided by the fleshy inner of the aloe leaves. One product is a dried fruit type cube which can be made with a pineapple, litchi, mango or strawberry flavouring. The company is canning cubed aloe in a light sugar syrup. It is experimenting with a health bar type of sweet which could become a must in all school lunchboxes. Another of the textures is a jelly-consistency jube jube. "The breakfast cereal market is another avenue we are examining as the trend at present is to market breakfast cereal with fruit inclusions and the aloe ferox items are ideal for that sort of application," says Bobbins. Summerpride is looking at making a health drink from the aloe extract which will also be flavoured. "We think the healthy properties of aloe ferox would make the drink a real hit in the Orient where people are keen on healthy tonics." Every 100 grams of dried aloe ferox leaves contains, according to the website aloeferoxafrica.com, 43 grams of insoluble fibre, 28,7g soluble fibre, 50g carbohydrates - and no sugar or fats. It also contains calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, sodium as well as 34 identified amino acids - which is why the aloe has a reputation as a great aid to digestion. According to Summerpride, the wholesome properties of aloe ferox include the ability to detoxify the body, lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure and improve blood circulation. It is also regarded as a booster to the immune system, an anti-inflammatory and can work against the hypoglycaemic effect in type two diabetes. Aloe ferox is also able to promote cell regeneration and speed up the healing of bones.