Dive Brief:
- Transparency Market Research found that advances in the industrial production of plant-derived diterpenoids and future advances have the potential to alter the global multifunctional food ingredients market, according to OpenPR.
- In addition to replacing unhealthy elements such as gluten and fats, multifunctional ingredients can also replace the ingredient responsible for oxidation, which is emerging as an efficient way to extend the shelf life of products.
- Hydrocolloids and bulking agents will dominate the multifunctional food ingredients category in the future. Bulking agents are projected to be the fastest growing segment.
Dive Insight:
Transparency Market Research forecasts the North American and European markets will be the dominate players in the expansion of multifunctional food ingredients, which are sought out by large food companies. Sauces and other flavoring formulations are behind the growing demand for hydrocolloids, used to regulate the viscosity and texture of liquid products.
Evolva and the University of Copenhagen have developed a way to artificially produce diterpenoids on an industrial scale, an advance which is expected to make inroads in removing problem ingredients related to diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Steviol glycoside, the sweetness compound in stevia, is an example of plant-derived diterpenoids. Stevia continues to be a popular natural sweetener, void of the extra calories found in sugar.
Ingredient manufacturers are well positioned to assist food manufacturers in meeting consumers' expectations. "The growth of clean label is providing significant opportunities for many bulk ingredients as consumers seek recognizable and wholesome ingredients that are sourced from nature," John Madden, head of ingredients, Euromonitor International, told Food Dive in an email.