Making Snack Statements

[INGREDIENTS] by Donald E. Pszczola Making Snack Statements alafel chip and hummus dip, anyone? Yes, snack time has certainly changed over the Fyears. There can be no doubt of that. Today, instead of your traditional potato chip or pretzel, there are products such as pretzel crisps or pop chips that offer a distinctive look or texture while providing better-you-benefits. Bold and bolder flavors abound as Doritos offers its line of First-, Second-, and Third-Degree Burn tortilla chips. And at the 2010 Sweet & Snacks Expo, products such as Chocolate-Covered Candy Coated Kettle Corn, M&M’s Pretzels, and Silly Seeds (sunflower seeds in flavors such as cherry, green apple, lemon, berry, watermelon, tanger- ine, and fruity-tooty) were launched, many of them blurring the boundary lines of different product categories. As you can probably already guess, answering the question, “what is a snack?,” is not easy. Today, this par- Not too long ago, potato chips and French onion dip prevailed. But today, a wide range of snacking options are ticular type of eating occasion is not limited to traditional available, including this pairing of whole-grain chips with an exotic Mediterranean dip. snack categories but rather it can cover a very broad ter- Photo courtesy of ConAgra Mills ritory—so broad, in fact, that a snack could be described as anything you choose it to be, ranging from a yogurt to a healthier oils, and salt alternatives, to name a few, can piece of fruit to a snack bar. help create better-for-you snacks without compromising One thing remains clear though: Snacking is very pop- their sense of indulgence. And that can make a very ular. According to the NPD Group, a global provider of strong statement in a marketplace where there is a con- consumer and retail market research information, 87% of tinuing demand for healthier products. U.S. consumers snack between meals, and the sales of With the growing focus on better-for-you snacks, the food or beverages eaten during snacking occasions are time may be especially right for these ingredient develop- Whole grains, healthier oils, and salt alternatives, to name a few, can help create better-for-you snacks without compromising their sense of indulgence. estimated at more than $90 billion annually and growing. ments. For example, in July 2010, Kraft Foods Inc. Snacking accounts for 20% of American eating occasions announced it will more than double the amount of whole at home, and that is expected to increase another 18% by grain in many of its Nabisco crackers. Kraft will increase the year 2018. Studies also indicate that the lines between the whole grain in more than 100 products over the next meals and snacking are starting to blur—currently 30% of three years. Ritz and Premium crackers will contain whole consumers claim to eat mini meals throughout the day grains for the first time. Boulder Canyon Natural Foods, a rather than three main meals. brand of Inventure Foods Inc., recently expanded its Statistics such as these demonstrate that the snack Totally Natural line of kettle-cooked potato chips to area can be a very fertile one for many ingredient sectors. include 60% Reduced Sodium, No Salt Added, 40% The fact that traditional snacks are frequently targeted in Reduced Fat, and Olive Oil. And Pop Weaver reformulated the obesity epidemic (as they account for one-fourth of its entire line of microwave popcorn with a heart-healthy calories consumed) can help create exciting opportuni- canola oil. ties for many ingredient developments. Whole grains, This month’s Ingredients section will demonstrate the 10.10 • www.ift.org 59 pg [INGREDIENTS] Making Snack Statements continued... IngredienTalk: benefits that a variety of ingredients specifically offer in the Is it strawberry cheesecake? Or isn’t it? My fif- introduced Cheaters Squeeze Candy in flavors that development of snacks for teenth blog, as it appeared in its entirety, looks at included Strawberry Cheesecake, Blueberry tomorrow. So please, welcome to how formulations can be recreated using flavors Cobbler, Banana Crème Pie, and Cinnamon Apple my party and enjoy munching on inspired by other foods or beverages. If you care to Pie. Promoted as guilt-free, the candy consists of the different snack concepts you add your spoonful of flavor—and you’re an IFT no sugar and fat. will find. And, by the way, did you member— visit www.ift.org, type in your name and Several companies at the 2010 IFT Annual remember to bring that wonder- password, click on the IFT Community button, and Meeting and Food Expo showcased prototypes ful hummus dip of yours? go to the blog section. And get ready to indulge. made with flavors that duplicate the tastes of other foods. BBQ baby back ribs…cheeseburg- The Fats Behind Snacks ers…French toast…and sweet potato pie, these Heart-healthier ingredients Things Aren’t What were only some of the flavors that Wixon Inc., St. utilizing omega-9 canola oil Francis, Wis., imparted to potato chips and corn developed by Dow They Seem puffs. An added bonus was that these specially AgroSciences, Indianapolis, Ind. flavored snacks were made with technologies that (phone 800-678-2388, www. “Close your eyes and try this,” my mother would helped reduce sodium and sugar content. Gum Omega9Oils.com), can find say, holding the wooden spoon up to my mouth. Technology Corp., Tucson, Ariz., demonstrated the particular application in snack And because a pleasant experience would soon use of its gums in a ravioli that featured the flavors foods. The company’s new follow, I complied. Even with my eyes shut, I rec- of a cheeseburger. And in the spirit of sushi-type Omega-9 Oils Ingredients ognized what I was tasting—beef stew, chili, preparations, a “sushi” treat was created by Gold Solutions can help snack food mushroom sauerkraut, and other favorite dishes Coast Ingredients, Commerce, Calif. Okay. It may manufacturers eliminate trans my mom prepared. not taste like sushi, but certainly plays off its fats and reduce saturated fats That was the good thing about the old days. If appearance. The fun treat consisted of puffed rice from their products without com- something tasted (or smelled) like apple pie—well, crispies (bed of rice), flavored fruit snack (fish), promising food quality, guess what—it probably was apple pie. Or if pistachio paste (wasabi mustard), and chocolate functionality, or performance. something looked like a seafood entrée, it really sauce for dipping (soy sauce). The prototype The company worked with was just that. Today, though, in this more complex, included several of the company’s flavors—natu- Indiana-based Weaver Popcorn unpredictable age, tastes (and appearances) can ral coconut cream, natural mango, natural and Co., a producer of more than 30% sometimes be deceiving. To put it simply, things artificial strawberry, natural and artificial toasted of the world’s popcorn, to aren’t what they seem. But then, that isn’t neces- marshmallow, and artificial guava. So now we develop a healthier product for- sarily bad, as I learned several times over this past have snack bars, nutrition bars, and sushi bars. mulation for the Pop Weaver year. Recreating the tastes of foods or beverages brand of microwave popcorn. Take, for example, some of the yogurt varieties and then transplanting them to a different product Made with a canola oil blend, the that the Dannon Company came out with in its category is not entirely new. Perhaps the first new formulation offers more Light & Fit line—Strawberry Cheesecake (my company to seriously take this approach was the than a 30% reduction in total fat, favorite), Orange Bliss (sort of like a Dreamsicle in Jelly Belly Co. in 1976—its confection currently including 60% less saturated fat, a cup), and Apple Pie (a seasonal item that I hope has 50 official flavors (such asBlueberry , while delivering the rich buttery returns to the marketplace again as the tempera- Bubblegum, Buttered Popcorn, A&W Root Beer flavor of the previous version. tures begin to drop and holidays such as and Cream Soda, Toasted Marshmallow, Lemon A new canola/flaxseed oil Thanksgiving come to mind.) In each case, as I Drop, Caramel Corn, French Vanilla, and Orange blend from Cargill, Wayzata, spooned down the yogurt and even licked the Sherbet, to name a few.) The company also devel- Minn. (phone 952-742-9246, spoon, I could swear I was tasting the real thing. oped 42 additional flavors, including rookie flavors www.cargill.com), is suitable for These varieties demonstrated how well products (Superfruit Mix, Citrus Mix, Dark Chocolate, Honey use in snacks, crackers, cereal with a healthy image (80 calories with no fat) could Bean, and Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream Parlor bars, spreads, and other such take advantage of indulgent flavors to help revital- Mixes) and “just plain weird flavors” (remember products. Clear Valley® Omega-3 ize them and possibly make them more appealing the Harry Potter-inspired varieties such as Earwax Oil reportedly has a neutral taste, to a broader audience. and Earthworm). This year, the company intro- will not interfere with estab- At the 2010 Sweets & Snacks Expo, Wrigley Jr. duced its nonalcoholic Jelly Belly Classic Cocktail lished flavor profiles, and is shelf Co. launched Extra Dessert Delights, its newest Flavors (Mojito, Pomegranate Cosmo, and Peach stable for more than nine variety in the Extra gum line. Available in Mint Bellini), which joined the ranks of previously months. It is designed to over- Chocolate Chip, Strawberry Shortcake, and Key developed Margarita, Pina Colada, and Strawberry come formulation challenges Lime Pie, these flavors offer gum chewers an Daiquiri.

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