The Functional Super Foods Fast Track

By William Fenske and Mark Newman


Over the years, consumers have become increasingly educated and careful about the food choices they make. The dramatic success of the organic food industry is a reflection of consumers’ demand for products that they believe are healthier for them and better for the planet. But organic isn’t the only food trend sweeping the healthy consumer marketplace. The demand for healthier foods is also revealed in a parallel trend involving functional foods.

Functional foods or ingredients are elements of food that add a health benefit to the product beyond its basic nutrition. Some products have functional ingredients incorporated into their formulas for this specific purpose, such as orange juice fortified with calcium for strong bones; while others have had functional ingredients all along but are now marketing that functionality as a value-add for consumers, such as Cheerios cereal advertising its heart healthy oat bran.

The definition of what makes an ingredient “functional” varies depending on the source. It can include everything from carrots for their sight-enhancing beta-carotene, to dairy products that have Lactobacilli, which improves gastrointestinal health.

A Match Made In Heaven
For some consumers, functional foods carry more weight as a healthy lifestyle choice than organic foods. According to a December 2005 Global Study from AC Nielson, U.S. consumers are much more likely to purchase functional foods than organic foods on a regular basis. In the study, 50% of those surveyed regularly buy whole grain high fiber products, 36% buy cholesterol reducing oils, and 29% buy vitamin fortified fruit juices; while only 15% of the same respondents buy organic fruits and vegetables, 14% buy organic dairy products, and only 9% buy organic packaged goods.

Initially, this data may alarm processors, however it may represent an opportunity for adding value to an already health-conscious product offering. If organic processors tap into this functional foods trend by incorporating or highlighting their products’ functional features, they can benefit from its popularity with a key demographic.

Organic foods are already viewed by many consumers as a healthy alternative to conventional foods, which gives them an appeal similar to functional foods. Processors who take advantage of these two trends by creating functional organic foods have the opportunity to benefit doubly from the popularity of both food trends. By combining the two categories, organic processors may draw the interest of functional food-buying consumers by appealing to their demands for healthy products that meet their lifestyle standards, both for their own health and for the health of their planet.

Tweaking the Recipe
Many organic food products already feature functional ingredients in their formulas, such as whole grain breads; and by virtue of the way organic food is grown and handled, they possess a greater health value due to minimal processing and avoidance of chemicals and additives. If processors simply market the organic products’ functional status it may be enough to incent consumers to buy.

For other organic products however, processors will need to add functional ingredients to benefit from this trend, and that means altering the formula.

As any organic processor knows, changing a formula by adding alternative ingredients can present challenges. Depending on the type of product and the way the formula is altered, some functional ingredients have virtually no impact on the flavor or texture profile of a product, while others can change these altogether.

To help organic processors make decisions about where and when to use functional alternatives, we’ve identified the most popular ingredients available in organic form, and outlined the applications, challenges and benefits of using them in organic processed foods.

Whole Grains On the Rise
Whole grains are among the most popular funtional ingredient because of their heart health benefits. Whole grains are cereal grains that retain the bran, germ, and endosperm in the finished product, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Common whole grain products include breads, cereals, rice, flour and pasta.

Whole grains are believed to be nutritionally superior to refined grains, particularly because they have as much as four times more dietary fiber, which is shown to reduce some forms of cancer, digestive diseases, heart disease and diabetes. They are also richer in antioxidants, protein, and vitamins and minerals.

The success of the whole grain movement is so great that new U.S. dietary guidelines suggest eating three servings of whole grains a day, for a total of at least 48 grams of whole grain, to reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Products can now carry a “whole grains” logo developed by the Whole Grains Council, a food industry group. As manufacturers have embraced the whole grain health claim, however, concerns also have been raised about the integrity of labeling of products making this claim. To address complaints that the “whole grain” label may be getting diluted, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued in February its intent to establish guidelines to ensure the label’s meaning.

On the downside, using whole grains is often more expensive than using refined grains, and the higher oil content is susceptible to rancidification, complicating processing, storage, and transport.

The Benefits of Soy
Soy products, whether they are the whole bean, milk, nuts or powder, deliver a one-two punch for health watchers. The high protein meets the needs of vegetarians seeking alternatives to meat-based protein sources, and it gives consumers a tasty way to replace carbohydrates in their diets; while the amino acids, vitamins and minerals have been shown to improve heart health and may reduce the risk of many kinds of cancers.

Soy Flour. Whole soy flour delivers the heart healthy benefits of whole soy, which include protein, isoflavones and all of the essential amino acids. Organic whole soy flour uses the whole bean rather than isolated fractions of the bean, such as soy protein isolates and concentrates. Whole soy flour is expeller pressed rather than extracted using chemical solvents, which gives it more versatility for use in baking for a natural dough conditioner and bleaching agent.

Unlike whole grains, soy flour imparts a lighter color and texture to baked goods, making it less obvious as a replacement to processed flours. Soy flour is often used as a bleaching agent to whiten breads while still adding active whole soybean enzymes. It’s also becoming popular in nutrition bars, bake mixes and other baked goods.

However, soy flour doesn’t always easily replace other flours in a formula. Using soy flour requires a great deal of trial and error. You may have to modify other quantities of ingredients, alter the baking process, and adjust the temperature and time in the oven to avoid ending up with a door stop for an end product. To achieve the desired taste and texture, you may also need to add more yeast, baking soda and/or baking powder, and adjust the moisture content of the recipe. You should also work the dough less and give it more time to rise.

If you choose to add soy flour to a baked product you may need to do a lot of tweaking up front before you find an acceptable product profile, but once you find the right balance it can result in a delicious and functionally superior food.

Soy Okara. Okara is the fiber portion of the soybean. Produced from the soymilk process, the fiber portion of the bean is removed and then spray-dried for use as a fiber source. Like all fibers, Okara is an excellent water binder and helps preserve moisture and extend the shelf-life of a product. Okara can be used in place of any other fiber in a formula without altering the taste or texture of the recipe and the price point is similar to other popular fiber products.

The true benefit of using Okara over other fibers is that it is high in soy protein isoflavones and essential amino acids, which is unusual for a fiber. Okara is 30% protein, whereas citrus fiber is 7% and oat fiber only 1%. This makes it an excellent value-add to products with fiber that would benefit from high protein content, such as cereals, nutritional bars, and baked goods.

Soymilk. Soymilk is especially appealing for consumers who are lactose intolerant or are on gluten-free diets. It is high in protein and because it is made from whole soybeans, it contains considerably more fiber than cow’s milk. It is also full of isoflavones, which are linked to the prevention of many cancers, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Whole soymilk is made from whole soybeans and not extracted soy isolates, which contain less of the healthy functional value. The milk is extracted using hot water, which withdraws some of the fiber from the bean to eliminate the gritty mouthfeel of whole soybeans while leaving all of the subtle flavor of the soybean, and the vitamins, minerals and amino acids intact. 

Along with performing well as a stand-alone product, soymilk is an excellent ingredient in such health-conscious products as smoothies, yogurts, juice drinks, and low fat or fat-free frozen desserts. However, what many processors don’t realize is that along with being effective in low fat products, soymilk has also been shown to perform well in decadent high fat products, such as whipped yogurts, puddings, flans, custards, and hard pack and soft serve frozen desserts. The benefit of using soymilk over conventional dairy in a decadent product is that while it’s high in fat, it is still healthier than whole milk or cream, and it delivers added functional health benefits. It also offers those allergic to dairy a creamy, rich and tasty dessert option.

Using whole bean soymilk delivers a distinct flavor difference from soymilk made with isolates. Milk from soy isolates imparts a flat cardboard flavor and requires the addition of oils and sweeteners to produce a dairy-like flavor. Whole soymilk has a creamier and sweeter “cereal milk” flavor to it. You will still need to add some sweeteners and flavoring to achieve the desired flavor profile, but far less than with the isolates. Whole soymilk powder is also more soluble so it is easier to mix and doesn’t require stabilizers.

The problem with using soymilk over soy isolates is that you will need to use larger quantities of whole soymilk to achieve the desired label claims. The FDA soy health claim requires 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving. Soymilk on a soy-solids basis has approximately 50% soy protein, whereas a soy isolate has 90% protein, so to achieve the 6.25 grams per serving claim you have to add more soymilk than isolates to the finished product. This can throw off the balance of the formula, particularly if you are making a solid product, such as cheese that requires a delicate balance of liquid and solid ingredients. For this reason, soymilk is best used in liquid or creamy, not solid, products.

Roasted Soy. Soy nuts are used in place of peanuts and other nuts in snacks, nutritional bars and cereal clusters; and as dessert toppings for cobblers, pies, or ice cream. They perform almost identically to other nuts without the extra fat, they impart added protein and other soy related health benefits, and eliminate the allergen factor, making them especially popular for children’s products.

Soy nuts require little, if any, formula modification. They are not as crunchy as peanuts but add virtually the same texture and roasted nutty flavor that other nuts do and can be used in the same ways.

Vegetable Oils Eliminate Trans Fat
A hot product category in oils today are the trans fat free and expeller pressed vegetable-based oils. Most organic soy, palm and sunflower oils are naturally expeller pressed with no solvents used, and are trans fat free.

Soy Oil. This oil contains high levels of alpha-linolenic acid, which is an essential fatty acid and the major omega 3 fatty acid found in food. The unique biochemical structure of alpha-linolenic acid helps to make it a key player in immunity, vision, cell membranes and the production of hormone-like compounds.

Soy oil performs well in liquid products, such as dressings and marinades because they remain liquid at room temperature. However, because it is not hydrogenated it does not perform well in solid products, such as cookies, muffins or breads. Currently, there is no way to get the same solid structure from a baked good using an oil that is free of saturated fats. It won’t rise the same way, it will have a different mouth feel and it will be greasy.

Palm Oil. As an alternative to soy oil, many organic processors are embracing palm oil. It functions the same as hydrogenated oils while delivering a moderate content of linolenic acid and high level of natural antioxidants, and it helps to extend the shelf life of foods. Since palm oil neither polymerizes easily nor foams excessively, it has a longer frying time than highly unsaturated oils.

Both palm oil and palm stearin can be used either by blending or by interesterification with other oils to create any desired solids content profile. The use of palm oil to provide solids is more economical than hydrogenation of liquid oils, and it avoids the introduction of trans fatty acids into end products.

Sunflower Oil. This oil has also been growing in popularity over the last few years as new varieties have hit the market that have high oleic content. High oleic sunflower oil is very high in monounsaturated acid, which contributes to a heart healthy lifestyle, and has five times longer shelf life than traditional sunflower oil. That means that sunflower oil can be used in processed products without detracting from shelf life, which until recently was not the case.

Sunflower oil is light in taste and appearance, and offers high levels of folate and supplies more vitamin E than any other vegetable oil. It has little impact on the taste profile of a product and provides excellent stability without hydrogenation. High oleic sunflower oil has many uses including bakery applications, spray coating oils for cereal, baking crackers and processing dried fruit.

Sunflower Kernels. Popular because of their high vitamin E and folate content, new varieties of sunflowers with high oleic value provide a much longer shelf life than conventional sunflower kernels, allowing them to be used in a wide variety of finished product applications, such as cereal clusters, fruit bars and yogurt toppings.

Sunflower kernels are a high protein nut substitute and they offer a much lower price point then peanuts, almonds or other popular nuts. They are especially appealing when used in combination in nut mixes because they lower the production cost while delivering a crunchy mouthfeel and a mild nutty flavor.

Super Fruits: All The Rage
The most exciting functional food trend today is the super fruit. These exotic fruits are full of vitamins and minerals, and are heavily endowed with antioxidants that inhibit oxidation in the body, protecting cells from the damage caused by free radicals.

Acai. This Brazilian berry fruit is the newest gem from the Brazilian rain forests. An antioxidant-rich berry, acai is an all-natural energy fruit that is considered one of the top super foods. It’s full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential omega fatty acids, and contains up to a third more anthocyanins than red wine. For environmentally-conscious shoppers, the popularity of acai has driven Fair Trade groups to replenish rain forest land in Brazil, making it an especially earth-friendly choice.

Currently, acai is popping up in energy drinks, smoothies, yogurts and sorbets, and we expect to see it used in baked goods and any other product that might otherwise use a fruit-based ingredient. Similar in appearance to a blueberry with firmer skin, it delivers a mild tart or bitter taste with chocolate undertones. It requires more sweeteners and other flavors than traditional berry ingredients to achieve a fruity taste profile, so it works well in combination with other fruits.

Pomegranate. Second only to the acai in popularity as an antioxidant-rich super food, an average pomegranate contains substantially more antioxidants than blueberries or oranges. This large, seedy red fruit is believed to act as an anti-inflammatory, lower blood pressure, and reduce bad cholesterol, heart attacks and stroke.

It’s also a trendy flavor for adult palettes tired of sugary sweet fruit flavor profiles. The rich ruby seeds add a tart, almost sour flavor that is not as bitter as cranberry, but does have drying tannins that may need to be balanced by sweeteners or other fruits. It adds a deep red color and sweet/sour taste, making it a hit for vinaigrettes and other light, fragrant sauces. It is turning up in juices, sodas, dressings, marinades, and baked goods, and has even been used in ice cream bars.

William Fenske is Vice President of Technical Services and Mark Newman is Flavor Chemist for Sunrich/SunOpta Grains and Food Group, a Minnesota-based producer of identity preserved, non-genetically modified and certified organic grains, products and other food ingredients. Fenske and Newman can be reached at william.fenske@sunopta.com and mark.newman@sunopta.com.