FDBusiness.com

Texturates in the form of flakes provide a stable structure and a meat-like texture.

Snacks have evolved from being a simple between-meal treat to an everyday part of modern life, particularly for ‘Millennials’. An extensive snacking habit is an expression of their modern day lifestyle.[1]

Take the first meal of the day, for example. Breakfast has already migrated from the kitchen table to the commute in the form of nutritious breakfast drinks or cookies. And as the distinction between snacks and meals gets narrower, consumer requirements are changing as well. Issues such as nutrition, clean label and ‘free from’ are playing an increasingly important role.

Going Meat-free

The veggie segment is no longer niche and meat-free alternatives are a key industry driver. Vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians – those who intend to reduce their meat consumption – have merged into one recognizable target group. As Innova Market Insights put it: “Flexitarians reimagine meat.” As a result, meat-free options have become incredibly diverse in a short period of time. Thanks to enhanced R&D activities regarding raw materials and processing technologies, new products have come to life that finally meet consumer demand in terms of both texture and taste — aspects that have long been an Achilles’ heel.

The addition of wheat texturates to vegetable fillings results in a pleasant, firm consistency.

Snack Fillings and Burger Patties

With its portfolio of wheat texturates, GoodMills Innovation offers ingredients for fillings for baked snacks, such as pies or quiches, and burger patties. Their high water-binding capacity and ability to reduce weight loss during heating offer a number of technical advantages. As a result, because the dough doesn’t soften, vegetable fillings benefit from a pleasant, firm consistency. Furthermore, fillings that don’t shrink adhere to the dough, which prevents the production of undesirable ‘cavities’. For veggie/vegan hamburger patties, coarser texturates in the form of flakes are the best choice. They provide a stable structure and a meat-like texture. Plus, they remain crispy, succulent and appetising even if kept in a warming tray for extended periods. As a valuable source of protein, they perfectly complement vegetarian and vegan diets and, compared with their meat-containing counterparts, products comprising wheat texturates have a better nutritional profile as well as lower levels of cholesterol.

Gluten-free

Regarding ‘free from’ positionings, gluten-free claims are booming. Initially targeting people suffering from celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, these products are now being used by a far greater population: in fact, more and more consumers correlate gluten-free consumption with a healthy lifestyle and well-being.

Based on corn, Masa flours are perfectly suited for the production of gluten-free snacks. As a leading company in grain refinement, GoodMills Innovation has developed a purely physical process — based on dry grinding — to produce Masa. The technique, compared with traditional methods, offers considerable savings in terms of process water. Supplemental additives such as lime are no longer required, which enhances the final flavour. Masa flours ensure a homogenous particle distribution and, because they’re non-sticky, the doughs demonstrate excellent machineability.

Masa flours are perfectly suited for the production of gluten-free snacks.

Typical applications include tortilla chips and taco shells. But, wishing to examine further uses for Masa-based snacks, gluten-free waffle concepts have also been developed and have performed well in trial runs.

Depending on specific requirements, the company collaborates with its customers to develop tailored solutions. Irrespective of whether you prefer a soft or crunchy texture, a hearty filling for lunch or a sweet treat with your afternoon coffee, there’s no limit to GoodMills Innovations’ creativity.

For snack applications — like every product range — the innovation process focuses on promoting clean label solutions. Benefiting from state-of-the-art technology, the company’s experts specialise in grain processing using only physical methods, which allows contemporary concepts and clean label products to be developed.

For further information visit www.goodmillsinnovation.com.

[1] http://www.millennialmarketing.com/2012/05/snack-on-on-the-go-millennials-are-frequent-snackers, viewed on 11 August 2016