Consumers around the world are actively prioritizing health in their food purchasing decisions, while simultaneously demanding delicious yet affordable food experiences. Meanwhile, edible oil prices have doubled, and the clean label market is estimated to keep thriving.
How can food manufacturers remain competitive in the fried food sector while juggling increasing production costs and evolving consumer demands - without compromising the quality of fried food products?
When we look at the fried food market today, some of the challenges include affordability as well as healthiness and clean label demands. Pain points that are associated with fried food processing are cost, clean label, health, and wellness, but also demanding consumers.
The World Bank has reported that edible oil price has almost doubled between 2020 and 20221. For instance, palm oil showed an increase from $752 to $1.276, impacting the global inflation rate. Almost two in three consumers noticed price rises when shopping over the past year and Innova Market Insight revealed that 69% of consumers are actively trying to save money when buying food and beverages2.
The desire for affordable nutrition is becoming increasingly relevant as 50% of global consumers report having spent more on food and beverages since 2020. This has resulted in consumers opting for lower cost foods, cooking from scratch, and searching for discounted items. However, the demand for nutritious foods remains, with consumers of all income levels ranking health above affordability as the most important factor in new product development. Food companies started tackling this issue, resulting in an 86% y-on-y growth in new products with budget and affordability claims3.
According to recent data of the United Nations, more than one billion people worldwide are obese, including 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents and 39 million children4. Hence, consumers’ desire is to enjoy fried food but at the same time achieve a guilt-free indulgence.
All above-mentioned aspects, including the demand for clean label claims, should be included into the developing process of new product innovation, meeting the needs of both manufacturers and consumers in today’s challenging marketplace.
Even though fried food can be unhealthy, strategies can be identified to make it healthier. Demanding consumers are expecting longer shelf life, at the same time they want to be stimulated sensorially – with unique product textures and enhanced quality.
The production of fried food products can be reviewed from an ingredient and production standpoint. Areas of pain points include raw materials, equipment, processing, and finished product. To reduce the cost of fried food products, the frying process can be optimized, improving production yield while reduce costs by using less oil to fry. Hence, the duration of the frying cycle will be extended while using the same amount of oil for longer. Furthermore, this will reduce the downtime in cleaning the fryers which offers energy as well as labor time savings.
Kemin scientists even went a step further creating a protective barrier technology for the fried food during frying. Introducing InnoBLQ™ V Dry, Kemin’s fat-block technology made from a blend of plant-based proteins - specifically engineered to improve the quality of fried food while protecting the manufacturer’s bottom line by reducing operational costs, increasing yield, and meeting clean label demands. Highly versatile - InnoBLQ V Dry is applicable to a wide range of fried food products, including meat, seafood, vegetables, and various plant-based options. The product can be applied topically by dipping and spraying or added into the batter directly.
What makes InnoBLQ V Dry so effective?
The secret lies in its modified protein technology. When food is fried in oil, the natural moisture content evaporates rapidly while oil is absorbed into the food during the process. The end-product is a crispy food that is in fact dehydrated, but greasier with added calories.
However, when treated with InnoBLQ V Dry, a micro barrier is formed around the product and functions as a protective layer during the frying process. This layer maximizes moisture retention, reduces oil absorption, and increases breading adhesion - all of which directly contribute to improved product yield in terms of quantity and quality.
InnoBLQ V Dry offers economic benefits through cost savings and increased profitability through reducing oil usage by up to 18%, extending duration of frying cycle, increasing yield by up to 30%, and reducing time needed for Cleaning in Place (CIP).
InnoBLQ V Dry enables access to fried food products that are crispier and juicier with reduced oil absorption and fat content, all-in-all resulting in a less greasy mouthfeel food products.
Kemin’s InnoBLQ V Dry is a game-changer that combats many of the challenges faced by quick service restaurants or by manufacturers of frozen packaged fried products. With increased yield and reduced costs, InnoBLQ V Dry is the answer for food manufacturers pivoting towards providing better quality and more profitable fried food products that meet evolving consumer demands.
Sources:
1 World Bank Commodity Price Data
2 Innova Market Insight
3 Euromonitor Voice of the Industry Survey
4 World Health Organization
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