Healthy Snacks: Dehydrated, chopped or dried fruit

The Spanish company AINIAFORWARD has carried out a study in which 50% of consumers say they have increased their consumption of healthy snacks, but almost 60% declare that they would improve them by boosting the natural factor. Among the best valued healthy snacks, there is the chopped fruit, followed closely by the nuts and, thirdly, the dried fruit.

The current concern for their health, a greater offer of this type of products in the local market, the care of the line, the increase of sport daily, convenience, changes in consumption habits and improved organoleptic qualities, are the main reasons for this greater consumption, according to the results obtained from the study carried out by AINIAFORWARD.

The AINIA technological institute points out that 70% of consumers think that for a snack to be healthy it must be made with natural ingredients such as fruit (73%), quinoa (55%), nut oil (almond, walnuts, cashew, hazelnut 47%) and aloe vera (41%).

In addition, the study reveals that the frequency of purchase and consumption of snacks is very high among consumers, since 86% buy several times per week. It is broken down as follows: 62% consumes them several times a week, 23% daily and only 12% once a week. The preferred times to consume healthy snacks are mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

Biscuits and nuts are the snacks that are consumed more frequently, given that 53% and 41% of the respondents, respectively, consume this type of food products daily. The snacks with the highest consumption are hummus (57%), guacamole (54%), vegetable chips (54%), dehydrated fruit (52%) and popcorn (49%), are snacks with lower frequency of consumption.

Sustainable and biodegradable packaging

On the other hand, a greater environmental awareness is observed in the consumer, who in 58% of the cases asks that the packaging of the healthy snacks that they consume be recyclable and 53% that is biodegradable. Likewise, a preference for individual formats is manifested.

These data have been presented at the ‘Designing the ingredients for food of the future’ conference that took place recently at the AINIA technology center and where the latest trends and ingredients in the food sector have been released, as well as technologies such as the microencapsulation or extrusion that will allow the development of the foods of the future.

The preference for natural formulations, including vegetarian and vegan options, marks the design of new foods and beverages that incorporate ingredients obtained from plants, seeds, fruits, grains and vegetables in different formats (coconut ice cream, avocado and oats, butters and vegetable burgers) , chocolate with spinach or water with substances derived from plants) to respond to a greater concern of consumers for health care and personal well-being.