Botanicals boost clean label and sustainability credentials with “natural” appeal

03 Jul 2024 --- F&B players are observing a rise in demand for botanicals in foods and beverages, which is ultimately driving manufacturers to seek out quality solutions that can elevate products with intriguing flavor profiles and potential functionality and support clean labels with ingredients deemed “closer to nature.”

We take an in-depth look at botanical ingredients and how they are delivering on flavor and functionality.

Data from Innova Market Insights indicates that the use of botanical ingredients in global food and beverage launches increased by 3% yearly from April 2022 to March 2024. 

Bakery was the leading category, with a 24% share of launches. Garlic was the top botanical ingredient, at 22%, while the leading positionings were No Additives/Preservatives (15%), Vegetarian (13%) and Gluten-Free (12%).  

Moreover, the rise in demand for botanical and herbal supplements reflects a shifting preference toward nature-derived alternatives.

Symrise recently proclaimed World Vanilla Day, expanding modern flavor offerings for the botanical that is often desired as the “queen of flavors.”

In an interview, the flavor player marked the 150th anniversary of the patent grant for vanillin and Laurent Deniau, global director for natural vanilla and botanicals, detailed how Symrise is celebrating vanilla while also using the ingredient widely in modern food formulations.  

Taste, smell and functionality
Givaudan is another flavor player that is unlocking the power of botanicals in taste, science and sustainability. Mieke Acda, product manager, recently told Food Ingredients First how the company combines science, taste and sustainability in nutraceutical products to develop consumer-centric products and experiences. 

At the recent Vitafoods expo, Givaudan showcased concepts where consumers can smell, taste and feel a product’s benefits, demonstrating how to communicate these concepts to consumers. 

“We have our flavor and masking solutions to reduce the off-notes of some specific botanicals in nutraceuticals. But we also look into which flavors fit well with the benefit you would like to have. For instance, what is the flavor profile that fits best with sleep, or relaxation or energy, to provoke the right mood,” she explains. 

“We try to create a whole consumer experience, meaning that the consumer can ‘smell the benefit,’ so to speak, of the specific botanical.” 

Red beet is becoming a star ingredient for manufacturers developing health-forward foods and beverages.Alessio Tagliaferri, global senior director, Bioactives, Botanicals & Specialties at ADM, says that in addition to being drawn to botanicals for flavor and function, consumers associate botanical ingredients with other reputable qualities, including sustainable, natural, better-for-me and trustworthy.

“Many botanicals can check these boxes, such as spicy ginger, which is frequently connected to digestion support, or tangy, sweet acerola, which contains vitamin C. However, depending on the food and beverage application’s formulation process, manufacturers will need robust botanical ingredients for their key attributes to shine through,” he tells Food Ingredients First.

Selecting the right ingredients 
ADM works directly with growers to carefully select raw materials, prioritizing ingredient quality and supply chain transparency. It leverages cutting-edge extraction technology and formulation expertise to deliver a wide range of high-quality botanical and plant extracts.

Commenting on functionality, Tagliaferri says that products with botanicals that consumers associate with wellness benefits, such as immune function, brain function, heart health, weight management, gut health, sleep and mood, “will continue to capture consumer attention.”

“This comes at a time when consumers want to improve their sleep health (54%), immune function (53%), mental well-being/mood (51%), digestive health (49%) and long-term health (48%) over the next 12 months,” he says.

Stand out ingredients 
Tagliaferri points to some key botanical ingredients that are gaining attention. 

“Ginger is a well-known botanical with consumer perceptions of support for digestion, stress and immune function. Acerola and camu-camu contain vitamin C, which is recognized by consumers to support immune function, in addition to contributing to the protection of cells from oxidative stress,” he notes. 

Other stand-out ingredients include plant sterols and their associated connections to metabolic and cholesterol management support. Red beet is also becoming a star ingredient for manufacturers developing health-forward foods and beverages, as it contains a range of vitamins and minerals, from vitamin C and B6 to magnesium, iron, potassium and more, Tagliaferri flags. 

“Additionally, guarana and yerba mate are currently in the limelight as natural sources of caffeine, which is commonly associated with focus and mental clarity.”

ADM has brought together its guarana and green tea extracts with a functional carob extract in a recently introduced WKUP formulation, “which has modest confidence that it may perform comparably to caffeine without common concerns, such as increased heart rate and temporary impact on blood pressure,” Tagliaferri underscores. 

Meanwhile, lesser-known botanical ingredients to consumers, such as carob, grapeseed extract and green rooibos extract, offer untapped areas of innovation within the botanicals sector. 

Carob is emerging as a solution that may support glycemic index and cholesterol. It’s also an excellent functional alternative to chocolate, as it has a similar flavor but is sweeter and less bitter. Grapeseed extract is garnering traction for its polyphenols, alongside green rooibos, for perceived support for mood, sleep and stress, according to Tagliaferri. 

“We’re currently examining the effects of green rooibos tea extract on stress and anxiety in collaboration with the University of Canberra in Australia.”

Sea ingredients in the spotlight
Ingredients from the sea are poised for growth to meet the global demand for sustainably sourced, nutritionally dense and functional ingredients. As an emerging food and nutritional category, marine ingredients were a key highlight at the recent Hi & Fi Asia-China. 

Aside from nutraceutical ingredients, marine ingredients have a great potential to fortify foods with more health-positioned ingredients. Seaweed and spirulina are established categories, taking up some of the most significant shares of marine botanical ingredients. For instance, seaweed finds its way into pasta, snacks and beverages.

Innova Market Insights data suggests a +7% average annual growth in snacks tracked with seaweed (Global, CAGR 2019-2023). China was the top country for snack launches tracked with seaweed in 2023.

Kelp and kelp extract also hold a significant share of marine ingredients and are helping to fortify plant-based foods like Akua’s Sponge Bob Square Pants’ Kelp Patties featuring “ocean-farmed kelp.”

Beverages & botanicals
Tea beverages have long been the primary application for spotlighting botanicals, and herbal teas feature many familiar botanical ingredients, such as ginger, mint or nettle. 

Herbal teas often feature familiar botanical ingredients like ginger, mint or nettle.ADM’s Tagliaferri says: “Tea extracts, such as our green tea and GRAS guarana and yerba mate, are commonly recognized and are now being sought out as natural sources of caffeine as the functional beverage space evolves to champion naturally derived ingredients. Specifically, there is an uptick in “clean” energy drinks, with many incorporating guarana.”

The functional beverage space is also expanding to include botanical-infused still and sparkling waters, wellness shots, ready-to-drink (RTD) juices and more. “These offerings may feature acerola, yerba mate and lemon balm,” observes Tagliaferri. 

What’s coming next?
According to ADM, the ongoing convergence of foods and dietary supplements is bringing new opportunities for botanical inclusion to the forefront. 

“For example, gummies are a format bridging the gap between snacks and traditional supplements, and consumers are turning to gummies as a delectable, convenient way to incorporate vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients like antioxidants into their diets,” notes Tagliaferri. “Functional botanicals like our GRAS acerola powder, which contains vitamin C, are emerging as popular inclusions for gummies.”

He also says ADM sees an opportunity to leverage botanicals to support unique snack and confectionery offerings that do not compromise on taste or functionality. “Dusting matcha or turmeric on extruded snacks or adding lavender and ginger to chocolate squares can delight health-conscious consumers.”

Moreover, there is untapped potential in the synergistic effects of functional ingredients like biotics with botanical extracts, and we foresee new product development that offers this holistic solution as health and wellness goals progress. 

“Biotics support gut microbiome modulation, while botanical extracts offer sources of antioxidants, vitamins and other bioactive compounds, all of which can impact various aspects of well-being. By harnessing the power of prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics with naturally derived botanical and plant extracts, these next-generation offerings can potentially provide compounded beneficial properties,” he concludes. 

By Elizabeth Green