Health claims are influencing product development and consumer behavior across all food categories. Consumers are increasingly seeking out natural, organic, and minimally processed foods that are healthier and more sustainable for the environment.
Transcription of the video
"Welcome to another episode of Essentia Expert Talks.
Today, Tom Cooke, our Regional Director and Nutrition Segment Expert, will guide us through a tour of our health ingredients. Ingredients that can be used to fortify different foods like supplements, beverages and snacks. Welcome, Tom.
Health is an area which is continuing to evolve rapidly. Just from looking at the increase in health benefits labeling, it seems apparent that consumers, more than ever are turning to healthy and good for your options. Tom, how is health impacting consumer choices?
Yes, so we're seeing a shift now from sports nutrition to active nutrition. And what I mean by that is, nutrition across a whole range of everyday products from breakfast products, maybe from sausages all the way through to desserts. So, we're seeing it’s actually from the point of view of fortification of products and also high protein products and spreading that evenly throughout the day.
Is it fair to say that more and more people want to adopt a proactive approach to health and have more personal accountability for their own well-being?
Yes, sure. Age and gender are very important when thinking about general well-being. If we look at the trend now for personalized programs, that means each and every person can get the most out of what they eat to ensure a healthy lifestyle. So yes, people are thinking about prevention rather than the cure. So, concentrating on what they eat to meet the mantra of being healed from within.
What does this increase in consumer expectations mean to Essentia?
If we look at the product launches year on year, you can see in the last ten years the products that have been launched with high protein, have continued to grow and this will carry on into the future as well.
And now we're seeing that actually collagen products are mirroring this.
How is Essentia approaching the increasing desire for healthy foods?
A few years ago, we launched OmniBroth™, a collagen-rich bone broth powder, whose health benefits go back hundreds and hundreds of years. And of course, this is available and suitable for people of all ages wanting to pursue a healthy lifestyle.
I know you also have bioavailable solutions for healthy aging and beauty. What are these?
Staying fitter, stronger and more mobile for many people is very important. And for this we have a product called OmniCol™. Omnicol™ is a range of collagen peptides which is well-recognized for supporting joint health and bone density.
Another growth area for collagen is beauty from within. So, we know that collagen peptides improve skin hydration and not only it is used in supplements, but it can be used in a whole host of different products that the consumer can buy, such as gummies or desserts or even everyday foods.
The nutrition ingredients from Essentia originate from bones or skin. How is this perceived by consumers?
Well, collagen can only be derived from animal origin. There's no such thing as a plant-based collagen, and it's important to stress that. And the acceptance generally of consumers for collagen is on the rise and continues to do so.
So, thinking about sustainability, we take very basic raw materials - raw materials that in the past may have been thrown away and we make high value ingredients.
Tom, can you let us know what Essentia has in the store in terms of new ingredients for the growing number of health-conscious consumers?
Yes, sure. In 2023, we are launching a brand-new product. So, if we think about ingredients and food products of the future, we need them to be sustainable and we need them to be good for the environment as well. So, it's my pleasure to introduce you to OmniBug™. Now, OmniBug™ as you can see here. Well, this is a powder derived from cricket protein and it can be used in a whole host of different applications. It has a great nutritional profile. And not only that, it has naturally occurring vitamin B12, iron and also magnesium.
As a final remark, could you take us through some of the most typical applications for your ingredient range within the nutrition sector?
Sure, I can give you a demonstration. So, here we have some milk and a shaker here. And in this case, we're going to add HydroBEEF™, which has been mixed with chocolate powder. We take a scoop, add it to the milk like so give it a quick shake and hey presto, we have a great tasting milkshake with an improved nutritional profile.
Another application for HydroBEEF™ for example, is in protein bars. We've got some here, some chocolate protein bars. And in this particular application, we've got 30 % protein.
If we look at our OmniCol™ range, you can see here it's very free flowing. It's also neutral in color and taste. An example of what you can use it is within a collagen shot. This particular shot contains 11 % protein.
And here we have some very tasty gummies which are promoting beauty from within.
And finally, we have OmniBroth™. This is a delicious, nutritious, comforting product which can be used on its own or as part of a nutritious meal.
What we've learned today is that there's still a growing market for high in protein and collagen enriched products. Essentia ingredients are targeting different segments beyond sports nutrition.
All the ingredients are of 100 % natural origin and fit into a variety of different food and beverage applications.
Join us soon when we take another deep dive into a challenge of the food and meat processing industry."
