End to “hard times”? Arla Foods Ingredients debuts new protein bar softener

02 Jul 2018 --- Arla Foods Ingredients has developed a single whey protein solution to address the problem of textural deterioration in protein bars: Lacprodan TexturePro. The technology is said to deliver high amino acid content and should be easily incorporated into existing protein bar recipes.

The company touts the technology as retaining a “superior texture” in the protein bars and ensuring a softer bite for longer. Arla Foods Ingredients states that there is a risk with protein bars that they will become “unpleasantly hard” which could result in consumer complaints to retailers and the potential that they will swap to different brands.

With TexturePro in shelf-life tests, a protein bar containing five percent of this new ingredient delivered 45 percent improved texture and 60 percent reduced hardness after 15 to 18 months, compared to a bar made with standard whey protein.

“With the number of protein bars on the market proliferating, it’s important to ensure your product stays in the best possible condition throughout its shelf life. Consumers who have a negative experience with a product are less likely to buy it again. TexturePro makes it possible to maintain a nice soft texture in a protein bar with dramatically reduced hardness, avoiding the risk of disappointing your customers,” says Inge Lise Povlsen, Senior Category Manager at Arla Foods Ingredients.

High-protein foods, such as protein bars, have cemented themselves as true driving forces that will only continue, according to Lu Anne Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights. Data from Innova Market Insights further cements this, showing a +28 percent CAGR reported in products with “added protein” or “high/source of protein” positioning from 2012-2016. It could be said that in market that is so highly demanding protein, consumer preferences over texture and taste are likely to dictate which products prove the most popular.

The technology will debut at the forthcoming Institute of Food Technologists 2018 (IFT 2018).