Processed Food Texture Enhancers Supporting Reformulation Demand

Introduction

Texture enhancers are now indispensable for the manufacturing of processed foods. Producers, who are reformulating products to contain less fat, sugar, or sodium, still have to meet consumer acceptance, and texture enhancers help them with that.

Since manufacturers link texture performance more closely with repeat purchase behavior, texture is gradually being treated as a quantifiable quality attribute rather than a subjective sensory factor. That change has led large food companies to integrate texture metrics in reformulation programs especially where the reduction of fat, salt or sugar is likely to change the mouthfeel. Hence, texture enhancers are no longer used empirically but are incorporated into formulation strategies from the first development stages. This approach is visible in how global food producers have communicated recent reformulation priorities.

In 2024, Nestle stressed that one of the main technical focuses was the preservation of texture across its range of prepared meals and culinary products in Europe, particularly for products undergoing nutritional upgrades. The company pointed out that the key to consumer acceptance was the texture (mouthfeel) of the starch based system, as well as maintaining sauce viscosity, stability during reheating. In these reformulation initiatives, texture systems supported by emulsifiers were considered as facilitators to avoiding separation, graininess, and structural breakdown, which are typical problems of reduced fat or simplified ingredient recipes.

Ready meals are a mainstay of the application segment. In September 2024, to cater to the growing demand from urban consumers, Unilever declared its intention to increase the production capacity of ready meals in Southeast Asia. Texture enhancers helped in achieving product similarity between the chilled and frozen formats, especially when production was oriented for export.

Texture is also an important element in snacks and bakery products. Mondelez International started a series of trials for texture reformulation of a few baked snack products in North America in February 2024 with a view to lowering the level of saturated fats. Emulsifier incorporated texture systems were used to ensure that the products were still crispy and stable in structure by the time of shelf life.

Access comprehensive analysis of formulation trends, supplier strategies, and growth projections in the Mono-Diglycerides Market Report and its detailed table of contents.

Major Trends, Drivers and Challenges

Changes in reformulation are almost entirely due to the drive to use texture enhancers. Most food manufacturers are under the combined pressure of regulators and retailers to lower the levels of fat and sugar in their products and at the same time to maintain the same sensory appeal. As such, texture enhancers make up for the loss of the functions of fat and sugar.

Extending shelf life is among the key trends as well. Throughout the food supply chain, processed foods are required to be stable for longer and longer periods of time. On this account, texture enhancers help moisturize the food, prevent the separation of ingredients, and structurally maintain the product even after a long period of time.

Supplier system bundling is also gaining momentum. Ingredient suppliers are combining their product lines on a significant scale and offering integrated texture solutions made of emulsifiers, hydrocolloids, and enzymes. Thus, the risk of formulation is minimized, but on the other hand, the reliance on the technical support of the supplier is increased.

On top of that, meeting the clean label requirements while still delivering the expected functionalities is quite challenging. The use of texture enhancers, in most cases, leads to a higher number of additives on the label, thus making the effort of label simplification go against the target. Besides, the pressure of costs limits the adoption of the advanced systems in the segments of price sensitive products.

Nevertheless, texture enhancers continue to be the core of processed food reformulation strategies even though there are some difficulties.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Definition and Scope
3. Texture Functionality Overview
4. Ready Meals and Convenience Foods
5. Bakery and Snack Applications
6. Supplier System Strategies
7. Reformulation Challenges
8. Regulatory Considerations
9. Outlook

Related Resources

Food Processing and Handling Equipment Market

Mouth Fresheners Market