Optimizing functionality in beverages: Döhler hails guayusa and hemp as stand out ingredients

24 Feb 2020 --- Consumers are seeking solutions to combat tiredness, improve digestion, support the immune system and recover from stressful days – and this requires innovative ingredients to meet these demands. That is according to Jens Birrer, Head of Market Segment Beverages, at Döhler. During an in-depth interview with FoodIngredientsFirst, he explains how this sharper focus on health is driving demand for beverages with optimal nutritional profiles which are geared toward individual needs.

“The products should furthermore be natural, have undergone as few processing steps as possible and have a high degree of functionality,” he says.

Indulgence and enjoyment play a key role in eating and drinking, however, consumers are increasingly looking for products that offer healthy added-value, notes Birrer. “Therefore, the interest in functional nutrition is growing constantly. Functional beverages enriched with plant-based proteins or amino acids have established themselves as top sellers in recent years, supporting the trend towards a health-conscious, natural and plant-based diet,” he explains.  

Döhler offers a variety of natural ingredients that are tailor-made for functional beverages, such as popular vitamin and mineral blends, on-trend plant-based proteins and exotic botanical extracts. With a wide variety of product solutions, the company is able to support positionings such as digestive health, bone and joint health, immune system, mental health and energy.

“A healthy lifestyle is closely linked to a balanced and healthy diet and is indispensable for staying fit and agile,” Birrer notes.

Stand out ingredients
Guayusa is the new trend ingredient for innovative beverages, according to Birrer. Also known as “superleaf” tea, guayusa is native to the Amazon rainforest in South America, where indigenous people have consumed it for thousands of years. “Due to the natural caffeine content, an infusion with guayusa leaves is said to provide a stimulating effect, and its naturally invigorating properties and refreshing taste make guayusa an ideal base for innovative tea drinks,” explains Birrer. Döhler has developed a range of product solutions for beverages such as tea or energy drinks based on guayusa tea extract – either pure or in combination with exotic fruit flavors, as well as a clean label option. 

Products containing hemp are often tied to claims such as ‘relaxing’ or ‘providing peace of mind.’Consumers are looking for products that combine the trend topics of functionality and naturalness. However, functionality is often achieved through the use of additives, Birrer affirms.  “Since consumers want to avoid these, the demand for functional solutions that do not influence naturalness is of crucial importance. But naturalness no longer simply means that the end product contains natural ingredients. When choosing a product, consumers also want to actively contribute to environmental protection or fair trade, with an increasing focus on the origin and production conditions of the food,” he continues. “Ever growing numbers of consumers are choosing organic products that fit their healthy, sustainable lifestyle.”

According to Birrer, manufacturers often search for ingredients with which the consumer has a “positive association and can give the products an emotional benefit. ”It is also important how beverage manufacturers handle the ingredients to ensure the product has the required taste, he notes. “An example of this are products containing hemp, which are often tied to claims such as ‘relaxing’ or ‘providing peace of mind.’ The traditional hemp leaf infusion is created from the dried leaves of the hemp plant. This plant is becoming an increasingly popular ingredient that makes beverages more refreshing, is rich in antioxidants and provides consumers with additional health benefits. The hemp leaf infusion has a smooth and honey-like taste with a slight herbal note which makes it suitable for drinking it at any time of the day,” Birrer explains. 

“Consumers are looking for beverages which provide a functional benefit. As naturalness plays a major role in the development of foods and beverages, functional solutions have become more natural, less dependent on additives and more ingredient-driven,” Birrer concludes.

By Elizabeth Green