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Ingredients in Focus is Food Dive's bite-sized column that highlights interesting developments. In the material sector.
Emulsifiers Market Used to Improve Texture and Stability of Food Innovation is growing as companies look for clean-label, natural, plant-based alternatives.
““Clean label” emulsifiers are evolving as manufacturers strive to appeal to today’s health-conscious consumers.
According to a recent report by Innova Market Insights, the global use of emulsifiers in food and beverage launches is expected to increase by 4% from July 2019 to June 2024. The bakery category led the growth with 22% of emulsifier launches, followed by confectionery with 21%, dairy with 9%, desserts and ice cream with 7%, and lastly, instant food and side dishes with 6%.
Data also showed that soy lecithin was the most common emulsifier, used in 25% of products.
“Given their importance across a wide range of food and beverage products, Cargill continues to support innovation in the emulsifier space, seeking solutions that meet consumer expectations while also providing formulators with the performance they need,” Shiva Elayedath, product specialist for texturizer technical services at Cargill, said in an emailed statement to Food Dive.
According to Elayedath, food companies seeking simple and intuitive food labels should avoid using mono- and diglyceride-based emulsifiers. Instead, they should use sunflower, canola, and soy lecithin, which are considered better known.
Emulsifiers are commonly found in processed foods and are under scrutiny. Recent studies have shown that they can harm the gut microbiome.
Today, food and beverage companies are developing emulsifier products such as soy lecithin extracted from raw soybeans. Other common emulsifiers listed in the report included monoglycerides and diglycerides (17%), lecithin (14%), sodium citrate (11%) and pectin (11%).
Cargill has focused its emulsifier innovations on specific applications, such as plant-based meat alternatives. The company’s lecithin portfolio includes applications such as dairy alternatives and bakery products.
According to Elayedath, “This vegetable lecithin combines great performance with an easy-to-understand ingredient name.”
With ongoing food inflation concerns, consumers are looking for cost-effective, long-lasting food products, making food shelf life a major concern.
“Emulsifiers play a vital role in maintaining product quality over shelf life. In bakery products, emulsifiers help keep the product moist and smooth, while in sauces, they help stabilize the emulsion, preventing it from separating over time. Shelf life considerations are always part of our conversations with our customers,” Elayedath said.
“But more important than shelf life considerations is cost optimization, which is a top consideration for many customers. In some applications, emulsifiers can also help. For example, emulsifiers can help optimize fat levels in many food systems, laying the foundation for potential cost savings.”
