Americans are cooking fatigued and are keen to try new flavors and new foods that offer meal prep shortcuts and more excitement to their meals. They are also looking for healthier foods. In fact, a study by Brandspark shows there is definitely pent-up demand for something new, with 70% of consumers indicating that they are keen to buy new products and 31% who are reading more articles on healthy foods.
Whether you are a food manufacturer who makes plant-based products, snack foods, home baking ingredients or functional foods, the time is right to accelerate the innovation in your product pipeline. Whatever food product you are creating, choosing the right oil will contribute to your success.
What type of oil is best for your products?
Most manufacturers are looking for an oil that offers a long shelf life, a neutral taste and blends well with other ingredients. Non-GMO sunflower oil is a premium oil, high in monounsaturated fats and since it contains only a trace of Omega 3 polyunsaturated fat, it is more stable than many other oils. As a result, sunflower oil gives most foods a longer shelf life. It also has a very neutral taste allowing the true flavors in your products to come through. Sunflower oil blends well with all types of ingredients making it ideal for dressings, marinades, plant-based spreads and non-dairy beverages.
How does sunflower oil meet with today's food trends?
Many consumers are looking for non-GMO products, lower-fat foods and foods that meet dietary restrictions whether that is Vegan, Kosher or Halal. Sunflower oil is non-GMO, since sunflower seeds are grown using traditional breeding techniques. It is one of the few oils used in food manufacturing that is non-GMO. Sunflower oil is also Kosher and Halal and it is also low in saturated fat, which meets with the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Is sunflower oil a healthy oil?
Consumers are looking for healthier products, whether it's higher protein snacks or foods that include added nutrients and sunflower oil can help create cleaner labels for your products. Sunflower oil can meet claims for low/no/reduced allergens and it has more Vitamin E than other oils. Since sunflower oil is high in oleic fatty acids, it also meets an FDA claim that states high-oleic oils may reduce the risk of heart disease1.
What do your customers want?
A recent survey indicated that 71% of consumers are interested in purchasing products made with sunflower oil.2 If you are curious about how sunflower oil will perform in your product formulations, download this helpful guide or contact a sunflower oil supplier.
- Edible oils must contain at least 70% oleic acid and need to be substituted for saturated fats. All high oleic sunflower oil and some mid oleic sunflower oil qualify for this claim.
- Omnibus survey hosted on the Maru/Blue Research Forum on October 22, 2018