Boosting your boost: Satisfying consumer demand for functional snacks

It’s not surprising that functional snacks are on the rise.

With consumers laser-focused on their personal health needs and busy lifestyles turning snack breaks into mealtimes, people need their foods and beverages to do more than ever.

Providing on-the-go functional benefits is only part of the equation. The key is to deliver these convenient boosts with a memorable and enjoyable taste experience.

Most importantly, is getting this right the first time.

Yet, with the taste challenges created by many functional ingredients and processing methods, that’s often easier said than done.

Flavor challenges

“Whenever you’re trying something new, there is a sense of risk, and with functional products this applies to developers and consumers. The last thing anyone wants is for a product to overpromise and underdeliver, or to try something and feel like they’ve wasted their money,” says Peter Kern, Junior Flavorist at Edlong.

“For this reason, a lot of companies want to play it safe with profiles that were successful before functional ingredients entered the picture. The truth is that the inherent taste characteristics of many of these ingredients often don’t lend themselves to those profiles. The issue is only compounded when we move from beverages to snacks.”

Kern believes that for this growing list of functional ingredients—such as botanicals, adaptogens, and proteins—leaning into their unique characteristics could be a clearer path towards success.

“When the ingredient starts encroaching on that flavor, you must start considering other options. The key here is to understand what those notes are, the unique traits that are causing those issues, and the specific compounds responsible for them. Then, we can pin down a targeted solution,” explains Kern.

Adaptogenic Mushrooms, for example, usually give off earthy, roasted, and brown notes, which is why we frequently see them used with coffee profiles. Looking towards snacks, he explains how the savory, rich umami, and even fermented notes pair exceptionally well with various cheese profiles.

“Opting for a European cheese profile known for it’s savory, earthy, and mushroom-y character could make those previously unwanted notes work in your favor,” illustrates Kern.

Though this is a crucial step in crafting an authentic flavor solution, understanding the impact of processing on an application is just as critical.

Processing methods

According to Kern, processing is often extremely harsh on the different components of a product’s base, and with methods such as extrusion, baking, and frying common for snack applications, knowing how that affects taste becomes essential.

“Your processing method may not only change the form of a product but also the molecular structures of things like protein. The denaturation of proteins causes them to go through conformation changes, think of it as the protein ‘opening up,’ which can release a number of molecules that negatively impact the desired taste profile.”

For example, sulfuric or eggy notes might be created when disulfide bridges break and are free to bond with other molecules. While this may turn some people off, understanding these processing artifacts can become an asset for selecting the right profile.  These particular characteristics lend themselves perfectly to indulgent dairy flavor profiles like crème brûlée, custard, or eggnog.

Kern stresses that the denaturing process can also work the opposite way and remove or reduce desirable flavor notes.

“It’s not just about what is released, but when protein confirmation structures begin to reconstitute and ‘close up,’ they can trap added things like flavor compounds. So even though a flavor is heat stable, its impact could be drastically impaired.”

He adds, “Our expertise in how a formulation behaves allows us to better design flavor solutions from the start, reduce the number of iterations needed, and help developers get to market faster. Accounting for these changes could mean adjusting the ratios added prior to processing, top noting after, or a combination of both to get it right.”

Still, he asserts that developers can set their functional products up for success beyond their initial foray into the market by taking a holistic approach to flavor from the start.

“Partnering with a company like Edlong at the beginning of development can be a game changer in terms of crafting a great tasting product. Flavor can’t be an afterthought or something that tries to come in at the 11th hour to save it. But, with close collaboration throughout the process, we’re able to leverage our expertise and give your product the “boost” of flavor that consumers demand of your health-boosting snack.”