Functional first: Nutritionally elevated snacking, breakfast & plant-based NPD spotlighted at Anuga 2021

11 Oct 2021 --- The significance of functional ingredients and how they can elevate products are key topics on the show floor at Anuga 2021. Amid a wealth of new applications and innovations, exhibitors speak with FoodIngredientsFirst about the emerging high protein soy alternative sacha inchi, probiotic-enriched meat alternatives, keto chips made from pomegranates, prebiotic cereal and whole meals in a bottle.

Demand for these products is seeing growth at the intersection of consumer trends involving convenient consumption and the appetite for health-promoting formulas.

A crop for good
Green Mind Solutions (GMS) is showcasing its range of applications for the sacha inchi crop, which is marketed as an alternative to conventional plant proteins such as soy.

GMS is showcasing its range of applications for the sacha inchi crop.The company is eyeing the commercial potential of sacha inchi to help farmers in Colombia switch from illicit crops, such as coca leaves. 

“Sacha inchi is grown in Colombia and Peru. It is a seed that you can consume, similar to almond or sunflower seeds. It’s really high in omegas 3, 6 and 9. It is a complete vegan protein as it has all nine essential amino acids,” says Michele Bahnsen, business communications manager at GMS.

“Most people don’t know about the history farmers in Colombia have had to go through when they were forced to grow coca leaves for the cocaine industry to help provide for their family and it’s still difficult to get out of that cycle. Our product is helping them switch over. It’s a very good superfood and also a social project.”

The company has made a range of sacha inchi-based snacks, beverages and flours for baked treats. “We also have a bunch of products in the pipeline, including animal food and pâté for pets,” notes Bahnsen.

Sacha inchi’s protein content is comparable to soy and is marketed as more nutritious – in terms of protein and omega 3 – than almond milk.

GMS holds regular farmer meetings, in addition to sending a facilitator to check up regularly on their operations. “A lot of farmers are still concerned about switching over to sacha inchi because they haven’t heard of the crop before,” remarks Bahnsen.

“But we have built a level of trust with our farmers and we always talk to them and hear their concerns.”

The company has shared its product concepts with Amazon, Nestlé and Purina.

“We are in discussion with Nestlé to market our sacha inchi products under their brand,” says Bahnsen. 

Heat-stable probiotics gain tractionCultured Foods is showcasing a range of shelf-stable meat alternative mixes containing LactoSpore.
Innova Market Insights’ latest trends survey has shown that a little over half of respondents across ten global markets believe that a healthy digestive system and microbiome is integral to immunity, which became a priority during the pandemic.

At Anuga, Cultured Foods is showcasing a range of shelf-stable meat alternative mixes containing LactoSpore, a probiotic bacteria in spore-form from Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856.

This core functional ingredient for gut health is stable during processing, packaging and storage. 

“All our products are vegan and 100% natural and gluten-free,” comments Barbara McWhorter, founder of Cultured Foods. “Our probiotic bacteria ingredient patented by Sabinsa is resistant to strong acids and heat, which is essential when frying.”

“We have substitutes for eggs, meat and sugar, as well as other products such as vegan gravy, goulash and crepe mixes. We also offer a probiotic-enriched sugar substitute in powder form, which is completely natural and based on erythritol and stevia.”

The company is present in ten markets, primarily in Europe. “But our biggest presence is in Poland and Germany, and we are entering new markets every month,” notes McWhorter.

Keto craze holds traction
Global distributor Hightower International is exhibiting a range of keto brands, such as keto cereals, puffs and bars. Its portfolio includes organic vegan snacks that branch out of traditional ingredients while tapping into this trend.

“Some of the products that we carry are unique to the market, such as organic cauliflower, pomegranate, almond and avocado chips,” comments Amer Christopher, managing director at Hightower International.

Keto Cola is also being exhibited on the show floor by Lapvera.The products are described as fresh-tasting due to being baked instead of fried while containing no artificial ingredients.

“Keto is doing really well in the UK, Europe and the US,” Christopher details. “It is also popular in the Middle East, so we supply to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where the trend is just taking off. It’s really popular among the 18 to 25-aged demographic, who are slightly more health-conscious.” 

Keto Cola is also being exhibited on the show floor by Lapvera. “It tastes like cola, but with different ingredients,” details Amr Elsayed, export manager.

“The product also contains MCT oil from coconuts to increase the healthy fat intake for keto dieters,” he adds. “We use stevia as a healthy sweetener. It also has branched-chain amino acid [BCAA] to help with muscle growth, as well as caffeine for energy and focus.”

“I don’t think traditional soft drinks will be phased out completely. However, there will be a shift toward improving their formulations.”

Last summer, the Union of European Soft Drinks Associations revealed its enhanced health and nutrition targets to help Europeans manage their intake of added sugars from soft drinks with a pledge to reduce sugar by a further 10% by 2025.

Whole meals in a bottle
Tapping into the trend for convenient on-the-go consumption, yfood is on the show floor to feature its range of “meals in a bottle.”

“The unique selling point of our product is that one bottle is the equivalent of one meal and it satiates you for up to three to five hours. It contains all the nutrition you need per day, at least 25% of the daily recommended nutrition,” comments Georg Kallam, brand spokesperson.yfood is on the show floor featuring its range of “meals in a bottle.”

With 500 kcal per serving, a yfood drink covers a quarter of the daily energy requirements of an average adult (2,000 kcal per day). One serving (500 ml) of yfood also provides around 34 g of protein, which is 68% of the recommended daily intake of protein.

“Our products are based on dairy milk and contain different fibers from rice and oats, in addition to plant-based oils. It is also gluten-free, lactose-free and has 26 vitamins and minerals,” adds Kallam.

“Right now, our biggest market is Germany, but we are also available in Austria, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands and the UK.”

Super nuts and berries
Sprouted Food is exhibiting its new process in which nuts and seeds are soaked and dehydrated for more than 15 hours to maximize nutrient absorption. 

“This removes a particular type of acid from the nut called phytic acid. That acid prevents your body from absorbing all the nutrients. With this process, we break down this acid so that you can absorb more nutrients,” explains Sweata Jain, marketing manager at Valency.

Using this production method, the company processes cashews, almonds, walnuts and pecans. It also offers sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

“We are really trying to educate people on what this concept is because not many people know. However, in developed countries, people are getting to know more and more about this process.”

Meanwhile, Swedish supplier Blȧtand is showcasing its range of wild berries sourced from forests, marketed as a more nutritionally rich alternative to cultivated berries. 

Fit & Flex is showcasing its functional breakfast cereal.“We pick and clean them for sale across the globe. We specialize in bilberries, lingonberries and cloudberries. Our berry varieties are higher in antioxidants than cultivated berries – evidenced by their deep color – and can be found in Scandinavia and Russia,” details Per Hanger, district sales manager at Blȧtand.

“In Asia, there is a huge market for antioxidants sourced from bilberries,” he continues. “The health industry in this region extracts the antioxidants from our products for use in pills that are good for the eyes, among other applications.”

“It’s difficult to cultivate these berries because they require specific conditions, which are found in the wild forests.” 

India’s first prebiotic granola
Fit & Flex is showcasing its functional breakfast cereal, which is marketed as India’s first granola enriched with prebiotic fiber for promoting gut health and digestion. 

“Prebiotic fiber is a source of fructooligosaccharides made from plants and we are very positive about its reception. And, we are getting a very good response from our consumers about the ingredient,” explains Pathik Patel, designated partner of Fit & Flex’s producer Niva Nutrifoods.

“We freeze-dry real fruits, so the product is very natural,” he notes. “We have four different flavors, including mixed fruit (strawberry, apple, papaya), mixed berries (strawberry, blueberry, cranberry), mango-coconut and chocolate.”

“In India, people are very much aware of probiotics but lack the education on prebiotics. We need to show them the difference between the two.

The company is planning to launch a line of savory prebiotic cereals, including the flavors lemon-mint-chili, tangy tomato and cheese.

By Benjamin Ferrer, reporting live from Anuga 2021