Fortitech has been involved in the development and delivery of the highest quality premixes to finished product manufacturers throughout the world. Over the past several years, we have seen the industry take a very proactive approach in the development of bars as an excellent carrier for health, nutrition and energy, and as meal replacement options.

The availability of healthy and nutritional bars in various distributor channels (supermarkets, food service, health and sports clubs) has widened and the market is ready for bars with new benefits and improved taste and texture. According to data available through Mintel, the heaviest user groups are those in the 15-24 and 65+ age groups. And, the reasons for consumption are quite different between these groups. The younger group views bars as more of a snack, while older consumers often times will eat them in place of a meal. But, to seize the opportunities presented by this category, there are formulation challenges manufacturers must take into consideration to make their products appealing. 

Many manufacturers are looking to add B-vitamin complex, and the fat-soluble vitamins A & E, as well as minerals such as iron, zinc and calcium. Baking temperatures may create stability issues with some of the heat-liable vitamins. Manufacturers need to add antioxidants to minimize destruction. Other options to increase vitamin stability during processing would be encapsulation or to add heat-sensitive ingredients at a separate place with lower temperature, such as in a coating, or by spraying on top.

Increasing the mineral content of a bar, as well as other baked goods, can also be challenging for a variety of reasons. For example, the distinct taste and color of the iron source will have an impact on the color and taste of the final product due to the tendency for iron compounds to react with other components within the product. Selecting the proper iron source for the specific product or application would minimize or eliminate these interactions completely. Those sources might include ferric pyrophosphate, elemental iron, ferric orthophosphate or iron chelates.

To strengthen sales within this category, perhaps manufacturers need to do a better job of not only creating products that deliver specific health benefits, but also pointing those benefits out to the consumer. Consumers have become very aware of the role good nutrition plays in their long-term health and they seek out benefit-specific products that address a range of issues, including weight loss, cardiovascular disease, fatigue and diabetes. Marketing these types of products as something other than “snack bars,” and pointing out their benefits, should have an impact with consumer purchasing habits.

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The ideas and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect views held by Nutraceuticals World.