The Dutch company has responded by adding a range of new products to its portfolio.
Consumer awareness of health, and how the things they eat and drink impacts it, has been heightened by the Covid-19 pandemic. This awareness related to nutrition, health and wellness has presented new opportunities for food and beverage manufacturers to develop healthy, sustainable food.
As a result, SVZ said, consumers are turning to vitamins, protein and antioxidants to protect their health.
The Dutch company, which has a portfolio of natural, sustainably-sourced fruit and vegetable ingredients, said it has recently introduced the golden kiwi to its range. With a tropically sweet taste described as a mix between mango and strawberry, the golden kiwi is a source of vitamin E and SVZ said it holds many nutritional benefits, helping boost consumers’ immune systems and maintaining healthy skin and eyes.
Many dairy manufacturers are seeking a natural, functional base for their new product development – one that doesn’t impact on desired color or taste. This has led to SVZ developing a new neutral base range for food and beverage manufacturers seeking a color-neutral ingredient.
Available in both white carrot and white pumpkin flavors, these vegetable ingredients not only help manufacturers manage the final color of applications, but also their low sugar content compared to fruits enables NPD teams to boost the ‘health halo’ of their products, while adding in extra nutrients and vitamins.
There is an increasing awareness of fermented ingredients’ health credentials when used in foods with digestive health benefits, and SVZ has introduced a new portfolio of fermented red beet and carrot ingredients, which undergo a natural fermentation process - delivering on clean label acidification, while simultaneously enabling a long-lasting, mild taste that is less sour and acidic compared to citric acid.
The fermentation process also naturally reduces the pH by use of lactic acid bacteria – which exhibit antimicrobial activity against various spoilage microorganisms – so the product shelf life is extended. Available as both NFC juice and as a juice concentrate, the fermented ingredients can be used in beverages, ice cream and yogurt – and are suitable for manufacturers seeking to boost their products’ health and sustainability credentials.
SVZ said it is also seeing demand for fruits rich in anthocyanin - a range of antioxidants that have been linked to a wide variety of health claims, including increased longevity1, cardiovascular health2, cancer prevention3 and dementia4. These antioxidants are typically found in purple fruits, such as elderberry, blueberry and blackcurrant.
[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/nbt.1506
[2] https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/96/4/781/4576861?login=true