Innovation within plant-based food is skyrocketing, and many producers of plant-based foods are increasingly looking to probiotics to further strengthen the health profile of their products. This poses new opportunities for innovative producers in a changing market – at a time when the relationship between our gut flora and general health is resonating with more and more health-conscious consumers, renewing the awareness and perception of probiotics.
To support this, Chr. Hansen is launching nu-trish® LGG® DA in a format for fermented plant bases, as the newest member of Chr. Hansen’s culture range for this sector. The Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG® strain has been studied in more than 300 clinical studies and described in more than 1,200 scientific publications, and the new culture is specifically developed for fermented plant bases and produced under strict allergen control.
Together with nu-trish® BB-12® DA, Chr. Hansen now has the two best-documented probiotics in the world available for fermented plant bases.
Booming interest in fermented plant bases
“We are pleased to launch nu-trish® LGG® DA for fermented plant bases, in line with current consumer trends seeking more probiotic enriched options. With our culture range, we can ferment all plant bases available in the market and add world-class probiotics. Over the past year, we have entered more than 100 partnerships globally in the fermented plant-base segment, and we believe we will see much more of this,” says Lasse Vigel Joergensen, global commercial development manager, Chr. Hansen.
Kristen Katzman, senior marketing manager, Chr. Hansen, confirms this trend in fermented plant bases:
“We know from our recent consumer survey, that consumers who choose fermented plant bases do so for a beneficial nutritional reason. Products focusing on general naturalness and health gain the most traction among consumers, and a ‘better for you’ profile is the primary motivator for purchasing plant-based foods,” adds Katzman.
Healthy and tasty
The nu-trish® LGG® DA is an adjunct culture that, in combination with a starter culture, gives a fast and robust fermentation. At the same time, it ensures the correct levels of the LGG® strain to make it relevant as a true probiotic.
“We are delighted to launch a solution that brings the goodness of probiotics into plant-based foods. That enables us to meet the increasing consumer demands for food products with added health benefits,” notes Joergensen.
“However, while health is a key driver, it still has to taste good. A product can be as healthy as you could imagine, but if it doesn’t taste good, it will never take off. Building on our competencies in fermentation and our special cultures, we can ensure the mild and fresh taste of the fermented plant base that is required by lifestyle and mass market consumers – now with an added health benefit,” he concludes.
