Botanicals add healthy value to products

One in every two consumers are concerned about their health and look for naturalness in the products they consume. Food Review looks at some of the latest trends predicted by global ingredient supplier Doehler.

The global market for botanical extracts is expected to reach $5 833.4m by 2022 and is driven by strong health and wellness trends. Nutrition that supports wellbeing and immunity is of particular interest and consumers are actively seeking out products that are organic, sustainably-sourced, produced and processed. Substances obtained from plants offer a significant boost to products.

Many superfoods are known as health enhancing. Aloe vera leads the field, followed by extracts such as olive leaf, moringa and baobab. Consumers associate a positive emotional benefit with plant extracts, which is also increased by demand for more plant-based nutrition.

Doehler’s range of high quality products include minimally processed full spectrum powders, which contain the full load of healthiness from the raw material; to high-end standardised botanical extracts. These products guarantee amounts of certain naturally occurring healthy actives, like antioxidants.

These valuable botanicals are paving the way for inspirational natural food and beverage applications with a healthy positioning. Alongside plant extracts, infusions, distillates, essences and natural flavours allow consumers to choose an individual flavour.

SUSTAINABLY-SOURCED RAW MATERIALS A BASIS FOR SUCCESS

The African Cape region is botanically diverse and renowned for an abundance of plants known to have a positive impact on consumer health and wellbeing. African botanical extracts are very popular. Plant extracts such as baobab for gut health or immunity, or rooibos for stress relief are on-trend and used in various inspirational and innovative concepts.

Doehler offers a broad product portfolio of botanical extracts, which they produce at the place of origin by using gentle technologies. The use of hydro-alcoholic extraction, water-based extraction, batch distillation and spray-drying, to name just a few innovative technologies, enables them to capture the multi-sensory and healthy properties of the plants in their entirety.

HEMP MEETING IMPORTANT CONSUMER TRENDS

In our fast and digital life, nutrition must stand out from the mainstream to have a serious impact. Consumers value experiences over possessions and are therefore searching for unusual ingredients.

Cannabis experienced a first peak in popularity in 2019 and is still on the rise: It is the ultimate “natural” health and wellness “super-ingredient”. It addresses the requirement for sustainably-sourced products, since it can grow on arid land and uses up to 1/14 th less water than cotton.

Hemp, a species of cannabis, is also trending. It is grown industrially, and applications range from food oil to bio-composites in car parts. The hemp trend can mainly be observed in beverages: Consumers accept hemp as a functional ingredient, slowly expanding into other product categories.

Globally, one in three consumers perceive hemp to have a positive impact on health. In nonalcoholic beverages, hemp-flavoured sparkling and functional water, juices and CSDs are winning examples of natural and innovative refreshment with functionality and a healthy positioning. Increasingly, spirits, beer mixes and flavoured beers are proving popular.

Doehler’s range offers natural hemp, cannabis, hophemp flavours and a hemp leaf infusion. Neither the natural flavours nor the hemp infusion carry any active components nor any functional properties. Instead, the company provides the entire spectrum of natural flavours, from the characteristic herbaceous, resinous and flowery taste profile of hemp to a wide selection of other hemp nuances.

Doehler supports their customers worldwide in formulating new recipes based on premium raw material and in bringing their smart and innovative product ideas to life. •