Chicago’s McCormick Place was buzzing with food technology last week. Between new product launches and discussions of how to move toward a sustainable future, companies agreed that consumers are expecting more out of their food, and it’s up to the industry to deliver. Here are a few trends to expect later this year.
Industry fighting ultra-processed foods
Between minimally processed, processed and now ultra-processed foods, consumers are confused about what the different terms mean.
Ajinomoto Health and Nutrition North America, a manufacturer of amino-acid based products of food and health solutions, hosted an interactive discussion on the topic.
Food products, such as Chobani yogurt, Fairlife milk and other products considered nutrient dense, were on display to demonstrate how the meaning of ultra processed foods is sometimes not what consumers perceive.
“The key problem is that there is very limited data to support the claims that are being made around ultra processed foods, so there have been some epidemiological studies alleging that there are negative health outcomes and people eat over-processed foods, and these are all observational,” said Julien Lafleur, deputy secretary general of the International Food & Beverage Association at the event.
The European Institute of Innovation found in a recent study that 56% of consumers said they actively avoid foods marked as ultra-processed despite 65% not knowing what they are.
“The challenge is this label really stigmatizes healthy food products and that bothers many people in the industry because there are a lot of functional foods that are considered ultra processed, despite them having the potential to be really impactful,” said Lafleur.
Higher expectations from food
More consumers are looking to the foods they eat to provide them with long lasting health effects, and others are looking to make a positive impact on the environment with the food they eat.
Ingredion’s new chief innovation officer, Mike Leonard, said that in the two months of his role, he has been keeping a keen eye on this trend and looking to make better solutions for healthier food products.
“We’re very interested in being part of the nutrition and health community and working with influencers and thought leaders in that space to inform our innovation strategy,” said Leonard.
Between healthy aging, sugar reduction and protein intake, consumers want more out of the food they eat, he said, and ingredients companies need to make sure they are innovating while also being well informed in those areas.
Some of these expectations though, like clean ingredient decks and whole ingredients, will come at a higher price tag, which some companies said they are being mindful of.
Clean labels always will have a premium; it will never be the cheaper option. But that being said, “we do try to meet our consumer and our customers at like this middle point of we’re giving them additional value, whether that be a cleaner label, or a product that makes a certain food healthier,” said Kourtney Schwartz, marketing director at Kemin Food Technologies in an interview with Food Dive.
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Alternate sweeteners
Food manufacturers, such as Ingredion and DSM-Firmenich, have been innovating with alternative sweeteners as more consumers want to cut back on sugar but are not willing to sacrifice either flavor or texture.
Leonard said Ingredion was prioritizing working with nutritionists, health influencers and other experts in the space in terms of innovation to ensure the company is delivering on what it says it will.
In terms of sustainability, the production process of cane sugar uses a “mind-boggling” amount of water, said Dr. Srini Subramanian, director of Business Development at DSM-Firmenich during his presentation on how product developers can use innovative strategies and solutions to reduce sugar content while maintaining flavor.
Stevia, the most widely used plant-based sweetener, and monk fruit, a zero-calorie sweetener that comes from the Chinese siraitia grosvenorii plant, are both growing in popularity, according to Subramanian.
Sugar reduction is multi-dimensional, said Subramanian, and there are many things it can change in a food product — texture, mouthfeel and flavor being a few. These are all factors that companies need to consider as they innovate.
Taste is king, which means texture is too
It doesn’t matter how better-for-you a food product is if no one will eat it, according to Leonard.
At the Ingredion booth, the company showcased its aim to create better solutions to create healthy food products with its new pea protein. Other companies, such as AAK and Kemin, debuted innovative stabilizers and products to improve texture.
Taste has always been the most important variable for nutritious products, said Leonard. But there is now an increased focus on texture as well, as consumers look to elevate the entire eating experience while also feeling good about what they put into their bodies.
Kemin unveiled its new Shield V product, a clean-label solution that helps inhibit and delay mold growth by combining the preservation properties of buffered vinegar with botanical extracts.
“The new product helps manufacturers meet the demands of health-conscious consumers with great heat stability and no compromising on taste or sensory attributes,” said Schwartz. “It’s perfect for not only a wide range of bakery applications, but also for sauces, dressings, and fillings.”
AAK also has been innovated with plant-based oil and fat solutions. The company sampled one of their non-lauric filling fats, which is used as a replacement for cocoa butter, in a raspberry white truffle filling.
“We hope these concepts spark conversations that carry through to our customer base,” said Ryan Branch, senior marketing manager at AAK.