Fat Replacement NPD Key to Future Success Says Ulrick & Short

26 Nov 2013 --- Ulrick & Short Ltd, British owned clean label starch specialist, claims that renewed focus on developing new and delicious reduced-fat food products is crucial to the success of food manufacturing in the UK and Europe.

Ulrick & Short supplies household name food manufacturers across the world with clean label non-GM ingredients, innovating across a diverse range of food industry sectors including bakery, meat, dairy, soups and sauces. The company has refined its range of Delyte™ functional fat replacers into what it claims is the best on the market for processed foods, extremely versatile across multiple applications and reducing fat and calorie content with the simplest reformulation.

Ulrick & Short director Adrian Short explained: “There’s no question that reducing fat – butters and milk solids - and salt content in food is now acknowledged as one of the food industry’s primary challenges. Almost half of the UK’s food manufacturing and retail industry has just signed up to a government-backed pledge to reduce saturated fat in their products. Even the confectionery and biscuit sector has announced its aim to introduce reduced-fat versions of old favourites in an effort to improve the healthiness of our nation’s snacks.

“Functional fat replacers will be absolutely crucial to achieving this. Delyte is a unique product, a clean label fat replacer which is by far the best product on the market in terms of label declaration. In taste tests Delyte has performed better than full-fat equivalents, providing indulgence in both texture and mouthfeel. It’s very well-established as a fat replacer in baked goods, and sauce and dessert formulations are also perceptively creamier but healthier – the ideal solution.”

As well as offering increased process tolerance, Delyte is allergen-free and can be used in multiple hot and cold applications. The range is also proving its worth in sports and vending drinks – a perfect example of NPD in action.

Adrian Short commented: “We know that retailers are focused on price and that’s a particular challenge where products include butters, eggs or milk solids, all of which have suffered fluctuation in cost price over recent times. The good news is that functional, clean label replacers such as Delyte offer cost savings alongside reduced fat and calories - and other benefits such as improved shelf life.

“Many of those 88% of manufacturers who, in the survey, cited significant concern about raw material price increases should look again at their ingredient suppliers and their processes. Deadlines are shortening and the industry is responding ever more quickly to trends and demands. It’s vital that manufacturers get on board with NPD, speed up their reaction times and join the 60% of survey respondents who have seen and embraced the benefit of clean label replacement ingredients. We can help manufacturers make the most of their products and processes.”