“Formula reengineering” responds to consumer demands for better-for-you foods, highlights roundtable

13 Jan 2022 --- Food fortification and reformulation are both popular ways to ensure that essential nourishment is included in foods to improve dietary content, while less healthy elements are reduced. 

NutritionInsight speaks to industry experts who detail the key drivers for ingredient fortification and reformulation while shedding light on trending offerings.

“Nutritional reformulation is essential for the readjustment of processed foods to reduce salt, sugar and saturated fat or increase the content of fruits, vegetables and fiber to meet consumers’ needs for food health,” details Sherry Tao, marketing planner at Angel Yeast.

Nutritional fortification has the advantage of increasing food's nutrient density and making it more acceptable for persons with nutritional deficits, she affirms.

“The benefit of formula reengineering is that it can optimize the nutritional ratio of food and make it healthier. Also, it is essential to verify food safety for the fortification and reformulation processes.”

Consumers’ nutritional needs
In detailing the demands from consumers, marketing executive at Vaneeghen, Snezhana Kirina, states that “the biggest driver for the growth in recent years is that consumers are more aware of their nutritional needs.”

Innova Market Insights’ data reveals that the top ingredient used in F&B with mineral or vitamin claims was vitamin C.

“Additionally, health is something that is top of mind for most people. One ingredient in demand is kale, which is rich in iron. And, of course, it’s very good for brain development in immunity and implementation,” says Kirina.Trends currently taking place in the food fortification and reformulation industry include reductionism, naturalism and functionalism.

The drive for fortified and reformulated foods is explained by Kirina, who adds that formulators are now “opening their eyes.” “They want to improve their formulations to something that makes a difference in the world.”

Kirina adds that safety, quality ingredients and bioavailability are essential during ingredient formulation and fortification. Concerning trends, healthy brain development and immunity remain key.

Insight into emerging trends
Innova Market Insights emphasizes that COVID-19 is driving consumers’ renewed interest in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, often reducing their sugar intake.

The demand for natural sweeteners is rising due to consumer demand for clean and natural products.

Recent examples in this space include Ingredion’s erythritol polyol sweetener which is marketed under the brand Erysta. Also, DouxMatok’s Incredo Sugar is a sugar-based solution that enables 30 to 50% sugar reduction.

Additionally, Innova Market Insights reports that consumers have personalized health strategies:

• Reductionism: Limiting or reducing products/ingredients that are bad for their health (for example, products high in sugar, fat and salt).
• Naturalism: Choosing natural products to avoid additives and preservatives as much as possible.
• Functionalism: Choosing products that positively boost nutrition or benefit the body’s functions (for example, products high in protein or superfoods).

Taking a look at the market researchers 2022 Top Ten Trends, “Gut Glory” is listed as the sixth trend for this year and it details that “the microbiome has the potential to be a game-changer in how consumers manage their health, with advancing knowledge of probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics and symbiotics. These ingredients can be added to products to increase health benefits.

Additionally, Innova Market Insights highlights that “connecting ingredients that boost the gut microbiome with those that target other areas offers holistic solutions to multifaceted concerns. If it’s good for the gut, it’s helping the whole.”

Minerals from seaweed
David O’Leary, managing director at Marigot, a natural ingredients company focusing on minerals from seaweed, details how the company formulates minerals for its Aquamin brand. The components are harvested from the northwest coast of Iceland and can be used to fortify foods.Seaweed-derived Aquamin products are used to fortify foods and beverages.

“We harvest the mature from the seaweed material, making sure that the life cover continues to grow uninterrupted. Only the mature form is collected, thereby ensuring sustainability for generations to come.”

The material is then taken and processed. He explains that the powder attained from this processing is then used in the fortification of beverages and dietary supplements.

O’Leary adds that magnesium is “very much on-trend at the moment” for multiple health areas around cognition, sleep, rest, bone, health and calmness.

“Also, there are multiple benefits, where magnesium is being sought after for lifestyle, nutrition and healthy aging,” he adds.

In looking at the benefits of magnesium, he states that it is suitable for healthy aging as proteins are very effective when combined with certain minerals. In terms of muscles, magnesium and protein are beneficial for lifestyle nutrition around age-related muscle loss, preventing sarcopenia in senior citizens.

Nutritional yeast for improved mineral content
Angel Yeast currently offers nutritional yeast flakes called Nutritional Yeast Flakes VitB derived from specially selected pure strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and obtained by a patented process. According to the company, it can be added to foods and is a good source of complete protein, B vitamins, dietary fiber, minerals and trace minerals.

The nutritional yeast is made from primary-grown inactive yeast without additives or preservatives and is pegged as a “purely natural food.”

It is marketed as having a “nutty, cheesy flavor.” The yeast can be added to hot popcorn or garlic bread, stirred into juices or smoothies, or used as a seasoning for salads, salad dressings, soups, sauces, dips and stews.

 Fortification also plays a crucial role in keeping people from poorer regions healthy. For example, DSM previously gave insight into solutions for malnutrition and how fortified rice is cost-effective and safe.

By Nicole Kerr, with additional reporting by Katherine Durrell