This is becoming an easier process, as modern and diverse emulsifier and stabiliser systems allow for enhanced performance without sacrificing product quality.
A recent study conducted by MMR Research relating to on-pack messaging and claims revealed that the demand for clean label is continuing to grow, and that European consumers are paying more attention to what’s in their products and how this is communicated on-pack. In the UK, a ‘natural/all natural’ claim makes 60% of consumers consider switching from their usual brand.
Recent EU Health Claims legislation has necessitated greater research into ingredients, and this in turn has led to a raft of discoveries regarding the functional benefits that natural ingredients could offer.
According to RTS Resource, the demand for natural products and ingredients has grown to such an extent in recent years that in some countries it is now no longer a niche trend but an expectation. As consumers seek healthier lifestyles, the desire for natural, healthy products is increasing.
So, how can natural flavour and colour suppliers take advantage of the emerging trend for natural functionality in the dairy sector?
Melanie Bibby, nutrition manager for a2 Milk UK, says it’s important for consumers to understand when a product is completely natural, and highlights that ‘natural’ is an intrinsic characteristic of their product range. The company is acknowledging the natural trend and is now not “ruling out any future development opportunities for the range”, in terms of adding functional and/or natural ingredients to a2 Milk.
LycoRed provides natural ingredients for the food industry and understands the potential drawbacks of adding natural to dairy; consider anthocyanin colourants extracted from fruits and vegetables such as elderberries and beets. While these exhibit attractive red tones at pH levels below four, they prove less applicable in products closer to neutral, like those in the dairy category. What’s more, anthocyanin colourants can turn brown upon exposure to vitamin C, or simply through polymerisation reactions that occur naturally with time.
As for paprika colourants, they’re neither pasteurisation- nor retort-stable, and they can contribute off flavours when used above certain threshold levels.
Despite these drawbacks, the future looks promising. New developments, research and innovation is starting to provide a wider range of ingredients that are natural, safe and beneficial to the dairy sector.
Natural alternatives are enabling manufacturers to be more inventive, which for consumers and the dairy sector, can only be positive.
Rebecca is editorial assistant of FoodBev.com
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