The global pandemic has altered consumers’ perception on snacking, leading them to healthier snacking habits. According to the third annual State of Snacking report, consumers are looking for snacks which could improve their physical well-being (80%), social connections (65%), inspiration and purpose for mental (75%) and emotional needs (80%)6. Although convenience and freshness are the leading factors that influence consumers’ snack selections, more than 80% of global consumers are interested in seeking both healthy and indulgent snacks that offer comforting and invigorating bites6.
Extruded puffed snack is highly popular among the variety of snacks available in the market9. These snacks are mostly made from cereal flour or starches that are high in carbohydrates but relatively low in protein content and are perceived as unhealthy food to many consumers2,3. There is no doubt that plant proteins have been gaining consumer acceptance and have rapidly become a key innovation strategy in the protein-fortification space5. The global product launches of plant-protein snacks have grown by 49% between 2018 and 2020, according to Innova Market Insights5.
Guilt-Free Protein Enrichment Bites
The purest form of soybean protein that contains 90% minimum protein concentration is derived from soy protein isolate(SPI)1. It is frequently used in food production as it contains high protein concentrations that enhance the food products’ quality1. By incorporating soy protein into rice flour, the overall amino acid profile of the rice-soy crisps can be enhanced, thereby offering a nutrient-dense snack8. A recent study found that extruded puffed snack that is produced from corn, rice and soy protein isolate flour with the ratio of 2.75: 1.75: 0.5, not only provides an adequate volume of high-quality protein, but also have better physiochemical and sensory properties2.
Certainly, overconsumption of empty calories from highly processed snacks will lead to obesity10. A study suggested that consumption of snacks containing soy protein could improve appetite control, satiety, and diet quality in young adolescents compared to those having snacks with high fat content or not snacking at all. Furthermore, snacking on foods particularly rich in high-quality soy protein had a positive impact on mood and cognition whereby the cognitive flexibility is improved4.
In a nutshell,
High protein plant-based snacks have a health halo among consumers because of their benefits in human nutrition and are definitely a good choice for healthy snacking. At DPO International, we are honoured to be in partnership with Sinoglory to bring you a range of ingredient choices that will elevate the quality of your snack products.
References
1Astawan, M., & Prayudani, A. (2020). The Overview of Food Technology to Process Soy Protein Isolate and Its Application toward Food Industry. World Nutrition Journal, 4(1), 12. http://doi.org/10.25220/wnj.v04.s1.0003
2Jattav, A. K., and Bhatt, D. K. (2020). Development and Evaluation of Protein Rich Extruded Puffed Product Using Corn, Rice, and Soy Protein Isolate (SPI) Flour. Plant Archives, 20(2), 1718-1721.
3Korkerd, S., Wanlapa, S., Puttanlek, C., Uttapap, D., & Rungsardthong, V. (2015). Expansion and Functional Properties of Extruded Snacks Enriched with Nutrition Sources from Food Processing By-Products. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 53(1), 561-570. http://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-015-2039-1
4Leidy, H., Todd, C., Zino, A., Immel, J., Mukherjea, R., & Shafer, R. et al. (2015). Consuming High-Protein Soy Snacks Affects Appetite Control, Satiety, and Diet Quality in Young People and Influences Select Aspects of Mood and Cognition. The Journal of Nutrition, 145(7), 1614-1622. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.115.212092
5Leveille, M. (2022). Protein Fortification Research Confirms Trend is Here to Stay. Kerry Group – Taste& Nutrition Ingredients and Science.
6Mondelez International (2021). State Of Snacking 2021 Global Consumer Snacking Trends Study. Industry Report.
7Schroeder, E. (2022). Consumer Snacking Evolves. Bakemag.com.
8Sharif, M. K., Rizvi, S. S. H., & Paraman, I. (2014). Characterization of Supercritical Fluid Extrusion Processed Rice–Soy Crisps Fortified with Micronutrients and Soy Protein. LWT – Food Science and Technology, 56(2), 414–420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2013.10.042
9Sharifi, S., Majzoobi, M., & Farahnaky, A. (2020). Development of Healthy Extruded Maize Snacks; Effects of Soybean Flour and Feed Moisture Content. International Journal of Food Science &Amp; Technology, 56(7), 3179-3187. http://doi.org/10.1111/ijfs.14842
10The Nutrition Source. (2022). Processed Foods and Health.
