“In general, the higher the level of complex carbohydrates, such as in potato and rice, the greater the expansion,” continues Shafiabady. “Grains with more protein, like soy, or those with higher fiber, like oat flour, reduce expansion. It is also possible to add vegetable powders and omega-3 fatty acids to the dough for added nutritional value.”
Two pregelatinized grain blends “have been specifically processed to be incorporated directly into dough, saving processing and other input costs associated with soaking or precooking raw grain ingredients,” says Bernadette Wasdovitch, marketing communications manager, Briess Malt & Ingredients Co., Chilton, WI. “These reduced-cook-time grain blends are an easy way for snack-food designers to incorporate multigrains into baked and extruded products. One is a blend of fine particles of wheat, brown rice, oats, barley and rye and offers an easy way to add healthy, multigrain goodness. The other is a blend of larger particles of soft red wheat, rye, triticale and pearled barley” that provides particle identity.
A new, customizable “cookie and bar” base blend contains several proprietary ingredients, including wheat aleurone, derived from the aleurone layer of the wheat kernel. “It is a concentrated source of essential vitamins, including thiamin, niacin and folic acid, and important minerals, including phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc.
It includes antioxidants from whole wheat and contains 45% dietary fiber,” says Kyle Marinkovich, marketing manager, Horizon Milling, an affiliate of Cargill, Minneapolis. “It also preserves the popular sensory attributes of foods made from white flours, such as a soft texture, high volume and lighter color.”
Jessica Wellnitz, senior food technologist, Cargill, adds: “We developed the base to promote consumption of nutritious whole grains and fiber and preserve the pleasing sensory attributes school-age children prefer in their favorite cookies and bars. The versatility of the base reduces development time and costs for processors. Being customizable, it allows processors to create an array of snack foods to deliver whole
grains and high fiber.”
Inclusions deliver nutrients
“We’ve developed whole-grain clusters that enhance all three sensory attributes—appearance, flavor and texture—to snack foods,” says Bill Bonner, senior vice president-research and development, 21st Century Grain Processing, Kansas City, MO. “The clusters are customized to meet a product’s flavor, texture, ingredient-labeling and nutritional goals. One or more whole grains are used as the cluster base, with the sweet- or savorybased coating designed with color and flavor for visual appeal and a flavor and/or texture burst.
“There is real potential to include targeted nutrition in clusters,” continues Bonner. “Protein, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phytosterols, along with vitamins and minerals, can be delivered in whole-grain clusters.”
Inclusions, such as crisps, can also be a source of protein. “Using licensed, patented technology, we combine whey protein with carbohydrates in an extrusion process,” says Michelle Ludtke, senior food technologist, Grande Custom Ingredients, Lomira, WI. “The crisps provide a mild, milky flavor and a crunchy texture, and are suitable for all types of snack foods.” The company can customize its crisps to contain 25% to 70% whey protein, as well as to come in almost any color, flavor, size and shape.
Dairy delights
Better-for-you dairy-based dips and sauces can accompany baked chips, pretzels or apple slices. “Our sweet cream-cheese-based side sauces are higher in protein and lower in sugar than most other sweet dips,” says Kristi Jankowski, vice president of research and development, Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, WI. “They are also a natural source of calcium. Calcium levels can be further boosted through mineral addition, and we can add vitamin D, too.” Flavors include blueberry, caramel, roasted red pepper and vanilla, and can also be customized to meet most flavor profiles, she notes.
“Traditional cheese sauces, such as nacho- and Cheddar-flavored, can be designed to be lower in fat and free of trans fatty acids,” says Jankowski. “If sodium is a concern, we are able to replace some of the sodium chloride in certain cheese sauces with potassium chloride.” This also translates to higher potassium levels on the Nutrition Facts label.
Dairy products can also star in the snack role. “Cheese sticks and cubes provide excellent nutritional value as a snack,” says Jankowski.
“Using patent-pending technology, we developed a calcium-fortified cheese powder that enables snack food developers to add cheese flavor and significant levels of calcium to wet and dry ingredient systems without the chalky mouthfeel often associated with calcium fortification,” says Diane Kussy, research and development section manager, ingredient solutions, Land O’ Lakes, Inc., St. Paul, MN. “There’s also a reduced-fat, reduced-sodium process cheese that complements snack food formulations where
the cheese ingredient is p art of the dough. It tastes and functions like a full-fat, full-sodium process cheese, yet it has 50% less fat and 35% less sodium. It also has less cholesterol, fewer calories and more calcium than regular process cheese, and can be customized to meet preferences for color, flavor and melt.”
Wilkerson concludes: “People who want to buy a bag of chips will buy a bag of chips. However, as snacking becomes more common, people are seeking out healthier options. There’s a great of opportunity for growth in the healthy snacking category.”
Donna Berry, president of Chicago-based Dairy & Food Communications, Inc., a network of professionals in business-to-business technical and trade communications, has been writing about product development and marketing for 13 years. Prior to that, she worked for Kraft Foods in the natural-cheese division. She has a B.S. in food science from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. She can be reached at
donnaberry@dairy-food.com
.