Page 39 - The European Baking Ingredients Market Report 2022 - Volume 1

European Baking Ingredients Market Report 2022
Healthy Snacks 39
ACROSS THE POND

Healthy snacks:

getting consumers

to bite

nacking is a concept and environmentally responsible
with no proper definition. consumer. In a recent study ,
2
The time of day, being participants in five European
Salone or with company, countries were asked whether they
types of food and various other favoured the use of fruit residues
considerations come together in foods. Responses were highly
to describe a snack. In many favourable, but with a significant
1
countries nutritional guidelines difference among countries (from
state whether snacking should 90.5 to 100% responding “yes”).
be encouraged or not, stating Still, it is important to note that
which foods are good choices and agreement with a concept does not
which should be avoided. Within necessarily translate directly into an
all this choice, there lies a general intended purchase.
agreement that “snack foods” are
mainly energy-dense and nutrient- Various product categories
poor and therefore a topic worthy have been the target of such an
of debate in relation to public approach, including extruded
health and opportunities for new snacks, bars, cakes, breads and
product development. crackers. In a recent review on

Research on healthy snacks has
gravitated mainly towards the
substitution of refined grain or
tuber-based ingredients, with those
of greater nutrient-density and/
or phytochemical concentration.
The main categories of nutrient-
dense ingredients being reported
include fruits and vegetables, and
alternative grains and pulses. Within
the traditional grains, novel fractions,
treatments and functionalities are
also being explored.

Fruits and vegetables Elisa L. Karkle, Ph.D.
Value-addition of fruit and
vegetable processing by-products Assistant Professor,
has received much attention. It is a Department of Grain Science
desirable win-win situation, where and Industry, Kansas State
high fibre and phytochemical University
E: ekarkle@ksu.edu
waste streams find a new life
uplifting an otherwise nutrient-
poor snack food. The approach
is not novel, but remains quite
relevant, as it resonates with the
increasingly health-conscious

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