Arla Foods Ingredients protein bar concept delivers soft and creamy NPD for healthier indulgence

24 Aug 2021 --- Arla Foods Ingredients is launching Lacprodan SoftBar, a new concept to help manufacturers create protein bars that offer healthier indulgence without compromising on functionality.

The protein bar category is expected to grow further, due to demand for tasty snacks that can quell carb cravings. 

However, there is a growing call on manufacturers to bridge the gap between health and indulgence, the company supports. As the bar category becomes more competitive, manufacturers are looking for ways to meet both these needs.

“The demand for healthy indulgence is especially apparent in the bar category. Nutritional value, protein content in particular, is more important than ever, but products that don’t deliver an enjoyable consumer experience won’t be purchased a second time – especially when there are so many alternatives available,” says Joe Katterfield, sales development manager, health and performance nutrition, at Arla Foods Ingredients. 

Maintaining softness
The use of a soft nut butter base in protein bars can result in issues such as the risk of hardening over time, which can affect mouthfeel and shelf life. 

The use of a soft nut butter base in protein bars can result in issues such as the risk of hardening over time, which can affect mouthfeel and shelf life. One increasingly featured ingredient is peanut butter, which is familiar to consumers and offers indulgent taste as well as melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Arla Foods Ingredients’ concept however can help overcome this challenge, notes the company. It combines Lacprodan SoftBar – a dairy and whey protein ingredient which allows bars to reach up to 37 percent protein content as well as delivering a soft texture – with creamy peanut butter. 

The resulting bar delivers an indulgent eating experience and offers manufacturers opportunities to make claims such as “high protein” and “high in fiber.” Lacprodan SoftBar works well in maltitol-free bars and has performed well in shelf-life stability tests.

“Peanut butter is a great choice because of its flavor and texture profile, and when manufacturers pair it with Lacprodan SoftBar they can create indulgent bars without sacrificing functionality,” Katterfield says.

Combining ingredients
The concept can be used by manufacturers as is or as a basis for recipes with different flavor combinations or nut butter varieties. 

It was developed at the Arla Foods Ingredients Application and Technology Science Centre, the facilities of which now include a protein bar pilot production line.

“We’re always looking to expand our technological capabilities and we were particularly excited to commission our new bar line. It’s optimized to replicate industrial mixing, extrusion and enrobing processes, as well as flow-wrapping into the wrapper, and it will increase our understanding of the production processes used by the industry today,” Katterfield adds. 

Bars going up
According to a new “Global Snack Bars” Category Insider report from Innova Market Insights, health and nutrition are the single most important considerations for purchasers of snack bars. 

According to a “Global Snack Bars” Category Insider report from Innova Market Insights, health and nutrition are the most important considerations for purchasers of snack bars. 

When asked their reasons for buying, 41 percent said it was because they are healthy and 40 percent said it was to keep themselves going or to give them energy. Taste and convenience ranked only third and fourth.

The research also showed that high fiber content was the most important influence when choosing cereal and energy bars, just ahead of low sugar levels, the use of real, natural ingredients and the delivery of protein, with each of these named by between 20 percent and 25 percent of respondents. 

In comparison, indulgence claims were favored by only around one in ten consumers, so although there is still a treating element to this category, it is increasingly overshadowed by the healthy eating movement.

A prolific year
Arla Foods Ingredients has had a very active year in NPD. Recently, it launched a whey protein ingredient to help meet the growing demand for premium, high-protein yogurts in the South American market and beyond. 

Nutrilac FO-7875 allows manufacturers to develop spoonable and drinkable yogurts with a “significantly higher” protein content than typical products. For example, it can be used to create a drinking yogurt with 11 percent protein and only 0.8 percent fat, whereas drinking yogurts generally range from 5 to 9 percent protein.

The company also introduced a whey protein hydrolysate ingredient, WPH Lacprodan DI-3091, which helps overcome taste issues in medical and nutritional supplements for patients with maldigestion or malabsorption.

In addition, Arla Foods Ingredients unveiled a concept featuring three solutions for meal replacement products. it is designed to highlight the versatility of the company’s Lacprodan range of whey protein and micellar casein ingredients and showcases solutions for ready-to-drink beverages, high protein bars and protein shakes. 

Lastly, the company launched Lacprodan Premium ALPHA-10, an alpha-lactalbumin product touted as helping infant formula manufacturers reduce production costs without compromising safety or quality. 

By Kristiana Lalou