Sugar-related health and wellbeing concerns are high on consumers’ radar, especially amongst millennials and health conscious adults. They all have one thing in common: the search for good food with a better nutritional profile that doesn’t force them to compromise on taste.
49% of global consumers are trying to limit their sugar intake. Healthy alternatives for snacks and meals are a worldwide growing trend that Barry Callebaut is addressing through its continuous investments in R&D. It developed a complete range of five wholesome sugar solutions for chocolate and also has a toolbox of sugar substituting technologies ready for customer-specific developments.
Declining sugar intake trend
To stay in control of their health, people want food that supports a healthy lifestyle while still fulfilling the need for indulgence and pleasure. Market research confirms that there is a declining sugar intake trend, with 49% of global consumers limiting their sugar intake, while 23% try to eat a moderate amount of sugar and 14% avoid it entirely.[1]
Bas Smit, Global and EMEA Marketing Director Barry Callebaut said: “It is all about healthy indulgence. This trend is spreading through Europe and the world. Years of research at Barry Callebaut have resulted in relevant solutions for our customers to satisfy the consumer’s needs.”
Track record in sugar reduction
“Since 2007, we have been working on chocolate reformulation”, says Leen Allegaert, head of Barry Callebaut’s Wholesome Choice innovation programme. “Throughout the years, we have built a proven track record in sugar reduction. We developed a toolbox of sugar substituting technologies that is ready for customer-specific developments as well as a complete range of chocolate and filling recipes that are either reduced in sugar or free of added sugar.”
Barry Callebaut will offer an in depth look at its five sugar solutions at FiE in Frankfurt (November 28 – 30, 2017).
Sugar reduction
In general, a product should contain at least 30% less sugar than a similar product in the market to be labelled sugar-reduced. Barry Callebaut’s sugar reduced dark and milk chocolate contains a dietary fibre blend that replaces part of the sugar content. The chocolate keeps its sweet-tasting flavour even when a significant proportion of sugar is removed from the recipe. This sugar-reduced chocolate has a balanced taste profile, a good workability, and is also digestive tolerant.
Free of added sugar
Barry Callebaut offers a series of recipes without any added sugar. This range is available in a variety of dark, milk and white chocolates with maltitol as a one-on-one sugar replacer. Maltitol - know as a polyol - is a sugar alcohol that is used as a bulk sweetener that contains fewer calories but preserves 90% of a product’s sweetness.
Without added sugar and with no potential laxative effect
Barry Callebaut has a range of chocolates without added sugar and without the requirement to declare the laxative effect, which can be caused by a polyol such as maltitol. The declaration of the laxative effect is not required for recipes using maximum 10% polyols combined with dietary fibre.
The range consists of dark, milk and white chocolates with sweeteners, stevia to improve the tasting profile, and an added unique fibre blend. The range was patented in 2009. The blend contains inulin, a fibre of natural occurrence that is most present in the chicory root and that brings intestinal health benefits. Stevia, in turn, is a natural high intensive sweetener which is sweeter than sucrose and contains zero calories. This means only a small quantity of it is needed.
Sugar free
Barry Callebaut also has a series of recipes that are sugar free. For these sugar free chocolates, Barry Callebaut uses maltitol and stevia as sweeteners. The result is a zero sugar chocolate with maltitol and stevia that keep the superb chocolate taste and texture.
Gradual reduction
A last option is to gradually reduce sugar in your chocolate year-on-year by 10-20%, without adding polyols. Barry Callebaut offers support with product reformulation and regulatory advice.
- TrendSightsAnalysis_Ethical Wellbeing_GlobalData_2016-10 & GlobalData_2016 Canadean ConsumerSurveyDataGlobal
