The inclination for convenient food is also a rising trend in Asia – 91% of Asians have snacking habits and 24% are snacking daily . While snacking is enjoyable and convenient, many of the products available come with unhealthy nutritional profiles. Though a growing number of Asians are conscious of their food choices, the significant volume and variety of salty and sweet snacks represents a great temptation. According to Mintel Global New Products Database, Asia is home to four out of five of the world’s top innovators in salty snacks, accounting for 11% of the world’s salty snack products launches in 2018 . The good news is advancements in food manufacturing today means people can still enjoy their favourite snacks without feeling guilty and having to compromise on taste and texture. In fact, if done right, these convenient foods can play a huge part in a healthy lifestyle. Guilt-free snacking Food manufacturers can play a role in educating and providing consumers with alternative snacks that are packed with nutrients. For instance, food ingredients naturally derived from plants such as thechicory root fibres inulin and oligofructosehelp achieve the amount of daily fibre intake a person needs while providing a prebiotic effect which promotes good digestive health. In addition, they can help to reduce the sugar in final products significantly. With a mildly sweet taste, reduced calories and good solubility, these fibres can be easily applied in various food applicationslike cereals, baked goods, confectionary, and dairy products. Additionally, inulin can act as a fat replacer, as it helps to stabilise water into a creamy structure and can thus be easily incorporated into moist or semi-moist food. Whilst reducing sugar and fat, BENEO’s chicory root fibres can also help consumers to eat less naturally. The global beverage companyCoca-Cola, for example, has introduced a good initiative in 2018 to address the lack of dietary fibre among the Chinese population by developing beverages with added fibre, which satisfies about 30% of the daily fibre requirements for a Chinese adult. Fans of Coke can now enjoy a sugar-free drink that is supplemented with fibre. In another example, to create a healthier chocolate snack, the leading food and beverage company Nestle developed a technique to turn the white pulp that covers cocoa beans into a natural sweetener. Using this technique, the resulting chocolate bar has 40% less sugar as compared to similar bars. One solution is to reformulate snacks with a healthier sugar from nature like PalatinoseTM(isomaltulose), which is a slowly yet fully digestible carbohydrate. Derived from the sugar beet, it has a molecular structure like sucrose but with a stronger linkage between its molecules. Since the body breaks it down 4 times slower than sucrose, it is considered low glycaemic and does not cause huge fluctuations in blood sugar levels but still provides the full carbohydrate energy. This makes it an ideal alternative sweetener for consumers concerned about their blood sugar or energy levels. With global snacks sales recording an average of US$160,000m in revenue, there is an immense opportunity for food manufacturers to jump on the bandwagon and add healthier alternatives to their food products. Natural and functional ingredients such as chicory root fibres and Palatinose™ can help manufacturers create tasty and healthy snack products to support consumers in their efforts to maintain a balanced diet. Christian Philippsen, Managing Director, BENEO, Asia Pacific
