NATURAL INGREDIENTS
legislative requirements and building regulatory assessment into the product brief from the outset. “This means defining what ‘cleaner label’ means for the specific product, consumer, and market – whether the objective is a shorter declaration, removal of artificial colours or flavours, use of recognisable ingredients, or alignment with a particular market or retailer standard,” she says. “Confectionery manufacturers should be clear about the target consumer, the desired eating experience, shelf-life expectations, price point, processing requirements, and intended claims before reformulation begins. R&D teams can then create a complete functionality map for the recipe, identifying the role of every ingredient and the potential consequences of removing, reducing or replacing it.” It is always advisable, therefore, to
involve regulatory specialists early in the process, especially when assessing processing aids and carry-over additives. In some circumstances, these may not need to appear on the final label, but only where the relevant legal conditions are met and the substance has no technological function in the finished product. Finally, Sara advised on the importance of validating the complete system at industrial scale, including the recipe, process, equipment, packaging, distribution, and shelf life.
cost, and production efficiency. Enzyme and fermentation technologies can offer new formulation pathways here by supporting texture, freshness, and stability alongside the switch to more label-friendly ingredients.” Clean-label innovation must also be
proven beyond the laboratory. During production, confectionery products will regularly encounter heat, mechanical stress, transportation, temperature variation, and extended storage throughout the supply chain. So, reformulated recipes need to be tested under real production conditions and throughout the intended shelf life to minimise product waste, returns, or production losses. Sara went on to emphasise the importance of ensuring compliance with
Replacing foundational ingredients Replacing foundational ingredients such as egg white or gelatine can introduce significant challenges for development teams according to Annalisa Segat, R&D Manager Nutritional and Functional Proteins at Kerry. She says: “Finding a natural alternative that replicates key technical and functional performance, such as consistent aeration, fine foam structure, and process tolerance, is not always easy. Additionally, maintaining foam stability across diverse pH environments can be demanding for natural applications.” Looking at the issue from a compliance
standpoint, Annalisa argued that animal welfare regulations and sustainability targets are rapidly reshaping the ingredient landscape and this can lead to an additional regulatory burden for producers. She pointed out that the EU has agreed to phase out caged eggs, with a full ban targeted by 2027. “This means that those relying on traditional egg whites may be exposed to
supply chain instability and ongoing price volatility,” she says. “To navigate these interconnected shifts, it is necessary to adopt proactive reformulation strategies. The most effective approach is to partner with ingredient experts to future-proof recipes, transitioning to versatile, label- friendly solutions like protein hydrolysates sourced from plant or dairy origins. By choosing allergen-free and vegan-suitable options, it is possible to achieve simple back-of-pack declarations while insulating operations against upcoming legislative bans,” says Annalisa. “Furthermore, adopting holistic solutions that reduce Scope 3 carbon emissions will help ensure that clean-label recipes actively support broader sustainability targets without sacrificing taste or cost.”
ONCE THE REFORMULATION OBJECTIVE IS CLEAR, THE NEXT QUESTION SHOULD BE HOW TO DELIVER THE SAME PRODUCT FUNCTIONS USING MORE NATURAL ALTERNATIVES OR A STREAMLINED INGREDIENT LIST
Variable by nature By their very nature, natural ingredients are variable, and confectionery is an unforgiving environment for variability. High processing temperatures – sugar boiling, chocolate tempering and extrusion – have a habit of stressing ingredients in ways a shelf-stable synthetic additive may have been specifically engineered to withstand. “In our own development work, heat and freeze stability was one of the first things we had to prove rather than assume; many natural fibres and colourants that perform well in a lab bench trial break down or shift under real production conditions,” explains Udi Alroy, CEO & Co-Founder at CarobWay. He
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2026 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • 19
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