FLAVOURS & TRENDS
resulted in a wealth of research into new ingredients and processes to create functional foods. This trend has coincided with the rise of tailored diets and individual health profiles, while consumers also seem generally more interested in trying new products. This is particularly the case for products that are natural, support wellness or are made using traditional processes.
An appetite for fermented foods Fermentation is an ancient, natural process that has been used for millennia to produce bread and beer. More recently, it has been shown that fermented products can help digestion and promote healthy bacteria in the gut. Research into the gut microbiome, particularly concerning the alleviation of metabolic syndrome, also suggests that fermented foods could be beneficial for weight loss, due to the microbiome’s role in fat storage. Probiotics, which are often found in fermented foods, have been shown to support healthy gut flora and reduce irritation. While yoghurt remains one of the most popular sources of probiotics, demand for plant-based food is growing as people become more aware of the benefits of a vegan diet and soya-based versions of strained, high-protein, low-fat yoghurts are becoming more widespread.
Another probiotic-rich product that has seen a surge in popularity in recent years is kombucha. Kombucha started as a word-of-mouth, artisanal product, and its growth was largely driven by start- ups and small producers. Its steady rise to fame offers a snapshot of how the development of a new product begins with small-scale producers and ends with it being taken up by the wider industry. It shows, too, how a traditional technique can be used to create a new category of products, and how consumer interest drives development. Once a product becomes mainstream, it’s a matter of scaling up processing without losing the product’s unique properties that were its selling point initially. The protection of intellectual property becomes more important, as does the need to differentiate and create an individual identity for the brand, which becomes stronger as the category widens. If it becomes a large enough category, then a specific industry standard may be developed and compliance then becomes the driver of progress.
The transition from a small-scale, craft-driven process to a large-scale one is not inevitable, the
success of microbrewing being a case in point, particularly as consumers equate this artisanal process with a premium product. As the emphasis on the individual consumer becomes stronger, so do opportunities for creating bespoke products.
Super seaweed
When the growing interest in nutrition coincides with an interest in new functions, something that is a traditional ingredient in one market or application may become a new, novel ingredient in another.
Seaweed is a traditional ingredient in many countries, but it is only recently that it started to be added to soft drinks due to its health benefits. Edible seaweed and algae are becoming more widely available as both ingredients and finished products, as they are rich in B-vitamins – particularly B12 – iodine, and minerals including iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium and calcium. They can also be used as a functional ingredient, providing both colour and nutritional benefits.
“When the growing interest in nutrition coincides with an interest in new functions, something that is a traditional ingredient in one market or application may become a new, novel ingredient in another. ”
Due to similarities with the nutritional profile of watercress, concerns have been raised about potentially high levels of heavy metals (especially cadmium, lead and mercury) in seaweed. Both species can rapidly accumulate high concentrations of metals, but this can be overcome through responsible sourcing and environmental protection of growing sites.
Just add colour
Plant-based colours and flavours like seaweed have grown in importance as the demand for natural ingredients has risen. Strongly coloured food concentrates, created from crops selectively bred to give higher-pigment yields, have become more important as the demand for clean label soft drinks has risen. They have a technical advantage in that they tend to be more stable than colours extracted from fruit materials,
Beverage Essentials Handbook | 9
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
