Tasty free-from products

FREE-FROM products, or those that do not contain gluten, lactose, and egg, are a growing segment in the industry. Categories without gluten and/ or dairy are the largest, and are expected to expand even further since consumption of these products is not a fad, but more of a need driven by the prevalence of food intolerances and allergies.

Additionally, demand for free-from products is also coming from consumers (without food sensitivities) who view these as healthier options. Free-from foods, although still somewhat lacking in the sensory department, do have an edge because they are made from natural or organic ingredients. Newer free from products taste better, thanks to the development of better ingredients. Consumers can choose from a range of breads, pasta, biscuits as well as ready meals and even ice cream. Manufacturers can take a cue from these trends, according to Cosucra. The increasing availability of free from products is another growth driver, the company said. By being available in supermarkets (dedicated product zone, private label range of free-from products), free-from products may reach more consumers and eventually become more mainstream.

Tasty gluten-free products

The challenge to develop tastier products is great in the free-from segment. It is important for products to look and taste as natural as possible, and this can be tricky when replacing milk, egg, gluten or other allergenic ingredient. For example, to replace gluten, manufacturers have to add several other ingredients to compensate. Many gluten-free mixes combine one or several gluten-free flour(s) and/or starches with hydrocolloids, at least a protein and sometimes fibre, explains Cosucra. The company’s products, Pisane® B9 and Fibruline® chicory inulin and oligofructose have proven beneficial in gluten-free products, with benefits that include increase in loaf volume, softer, less sandy, more elastic breadcrumb texture, better colour and taste and closer to a reference bread, and delayed staling rate over shelf-life with Pisane B9.

Dairy-free

Milk proteins have specific properties such as foaming, emulsification, viscosity, and gelification that are not easy to match using a vegetable protein. Starches are often needed to provide the right texture. To maintain a good nutritional profile, allergen-free vegetable proteins, such as Pisane pea protein, are often added. In cheese analogues, for instance, Pisane C9 is a good solution as its taste is neutral enough and it allows nutritional balance without compromising on the texture properties (meltability, spreadability, shredability) of the end-product. In lactose-free products such as yoghurts or ice-creams, Fibruline chicory inulin and oligofructose enable to improve mouthfeel in a healthier way.