Breakfast in a Bar

Gone are the days of a family sitting around the kitchen table grazing on a selection of cereals, juices and traditional hot breakfast foods. Today’s fast-paced society tends to opt for the convenience of on-the-go foods, which, in recent years has evolved into the form of a bar—food bar, that is.

Consumers choose food bars for all types of reasons—quick energy or a healthful snack—but more and more are doing so for meal replacement, particularly in the morning. In its March 2006 online study with 457 self-identified heavy users of nutritional bars, Kerry Americas, Beloit, WI, found that three out of every five respondents said they eat bars for breakfast. “The same number of respondents indicated that they are more likely to consume their food bar before lunch,” says Keith Parle, director of sales, food bars, Kerry.

This trend translates into retail sales growth. According to data from the ACNielsen Strategic Planner, sales of breakfast bars in the 52 weeks ending March 25, 2006, totaled $491.7 million, up 10% from the same period a year ago.

“The market for functional foods, including breakfast bars, is booming, and will continue to do so for many years,” says Ram Chaudhari, chief scientific officer and co founder, Fortitech, Inc., Schenectady, NY. “Bars are seen by many as an easy, fast and convenient way to get a solid base of nutrition.”

According to Julie Ohmen, business manager, ADM, Decatur, IL, “Many of the new ‘milk and cereal’ bars are fortified in the same manner as cereal brands.” This suggests they are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals, and are low in fat, high in fiber and a decent source of protein.

Choosing targets

First and foremost, formulators must determine target finished product attributes. This influences ingredient selection, as select demographics favor certain ingredients.

Results of a Nov. 2005 Kerry study of all bar users showed that mothers comprise the biggest single purchasers of bars (23%), and they are looking for family-friendly bars appropriate for both themselves and their children.

Another target market, “Boomers, are one of the largest population segments, and one of their health issues is arthritis,” says Parle. “We’ve found chondroitin and glucosamine to be a clinically proven formula that could easily be included in bars.”

Flavor matters, too. “Flavorings and formulations will differ to suit the target demographic of the breakfast bar,” says Lisa Bradford, soy foods technologist, ADM. “Typically fruit flavors in particulate bars are preferred by women; high-protein bars are targeted to body builders.”

When formulating a breakfast bar for women, Clif Bar & Co., Berkeley, CA, identified what women want out of breakfast and then went about identifying ingredients to deliver that. “Eating a healthy breakfast improves mood and mental performance, minimizes afternoon fatigue and lowers daily caloric intake,” says Tara DelloIacono Thies, R.D., nutrition strategist, Clif Bar. The company’s organic breakfast bar, Luna® Sunrise™ bar, she notes, “is nutrient dense and contains carefully selected ingredients to provide women the nutrition they need to curb hunger while keeping their energy up as they start their days.” According to a recent national Luna study, one-third of women surveyed regularly skip breakfast and 56% claimed they ate breakfast on-the-run at least twice a week. What makes the 180-calorie Luna Sunrise bars especially appealing to women? The bars do not contain any artificial sweeteners, trans fats, hydrogenated oils or high-fructose corn syrup, all buzzwords among health-conscious, label-reading women. Research further suggests women favor organic foods more than men. Also, the flavors have a feminine edge to them: Blueberry Yogurt, Strawberries & Creme and Vanilla Almond. The bars are formulated with many nutrients that women need every day for overall health and wellness, including calcium, folic acid, iron, and antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. Each bar contains as much calcium as a glass of milk, as well as vitamin D to aid in calcium absorption, and a blend of whole grains, including amaranth, quinoa, oats and barley. To address energy and satiety, they are formulated to deliver 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. The bars’ organic flaxseed contains omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

While product designers can come up with their own fortification blends to target a particular demographic, they can take an easier path. For example, Fortitech has developed a premix for an energy-sustaining, breakfast bar for active baby boomers with vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B6 and B12. The company designed a low-carbohydrate, high-protein white-chocolate- chip bar prototype “to be a good source of biotin, copper, folic acid, iron, niacin and zinc,” says Chaudhari. “All of these are micronutrients associated with energy and performance. Time-released proprietary encapsulation ensures delivery over the span of a few hours.”

Packing all of these ingredients into a single bar, which often weighs no more than 40 grams, can challenge designers. They must choose just the right mix of ingredients to meet the taste or health criteria for a particular market. With the general category of breakfast bars, often it must simply taste good and be a “solid base of nutrition,” Chaudhari says.

LycoRed Corp., Orange, NJ, is using proprietary technologies, some based on microencapsulation, to help overcome fortification challenges. “By using advanced ingredients, functionality can be added to many types of food matrixes, avoiding the traditional fortification pitfalls,” says Dave Thomas, director of marketing and business development, LycoRed. “From a production standpoint, premixes are designed to be manufacturing- friendly, allowing for reduced overages and efficient processing. Product quality is maintained by using the custom-made premix, created specifically for the application and processing environment, preventing organoleptic issues and improving stability.”

Fruit fulfilling

Not only do the Dietary Guidelines suggest that Americans should eat more fruits, according to Kerry’s research, the No. 1 ingredient consumers want in bars is fruit. Besides providing color, flavor and texture, fruit also offers antioxidants, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Fruit ingredients are available in many forms—bits, juices, pieces, powders, pulps, etc. Fruit ingredients for bars need high solids and low water activity (aw).

The aw of a fruit ingredient—especially a filling—must be compatible with the dough, to promote moisture transfer into the crust after baking. This makes the entire bar soft and palatable. The aw of the filling must be low enough to prevent boil-out during baking. This also prevents the water in fruit filling from turning into steam, which can crack the dough during baking.

Measuring a bar’s equilibrated aw over time helps ensure product integrity. According to the American Institute of Baking, Manhattan, KS, the aw of an equilibrated bar should be around 0.70 to 0.75.

While apple, cherry and strawberry are predominant fruits in breakfast bars, others have healthful potential. For example, at the 2006 IFT Annual Meeting + Food Expo® in Orlando, Kerry showed a highfiber, high-protein super-fruit bar that combined açaí purée and pomegranate powder.

Açaí (ah-sigh-ee), a Brazilian antioxidant- rich berry, tastes like a slightly bitter blend of berries and chocolate. It is said to have significantly more antioxidants than blueberries, pomegranates and red wine, and is rich in essential fatty acids, fiber, protein and calcium—although the actual level of antioxidants in the ingredients depends on cultivation and processing parameters. According to “Phytochemical composition and pigment stability of Açaí (Euterpe oleracea)”, J. Agric. Food Chem. 2004, 54, 1539-1545: “Single strength açaí fruit pulp contained 1,173 mg/L total anthocyanins, 960 mg/mL phenolic acids and flavonoids (quantified by HPLC), and 5,660 mg/L total soluble phenolics (in gallic acid equivalents).”

Pomegranate now shows up in products ranging from chocolate and chewing gum to chicken sausage and yogurt drinks. It’s just a matter of time before it hits fruit-filled breakfast bars. It’s already forming the basis of an all-fruit bar similar to fruit leather. One of these 25-gram bars has two servings of fruit and 100 calories and contains no fat.

USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the ARS Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA, have developed technology that takes complex fruits, such as the juicy, seedy pomegranate, and converts them into purée and concentrate. USDA-ARS researchers have also shown how to then process these ingredients into all-fruit bars. This USDA-patented process provides a two-year shelf life, and the bars can be stored at room temperature and will not deteriorate in hot, humid weather. The moist, chewy bars are rich in fiber, vitamin C and pomegranate’s anthocyanins.

Look into lycopene

Although the majority of consumers would likely not find a tomato-filled breakfast bar an appealing way to start the day, the lycopene in tomatoes makes an attractive fortification ingredient. Dozens of scientific studies have found evidence that lycopene could be beneficial in reducing risk of prostate cancer, some other forms of cancer, heart disease and other ailments. Ongoing preliminary research suggests lycopene might reduce risk of macular degenerative disease, serum lipid oxidation, and cancers of the lung, bladder, cervix and skin. Harvard School of Medicine, Cambridge, MA, researchers studied the health of 47,894 men. The results showed that consuming tomato products twice a week, as opposed to never, was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer of up to 34%. This suggests lycopene fortification might be an excellent choice for a men’s breakfast bar.

Lycopene, an open-chain unsaturated carotenoid, imparts the red color to tomatoes, guava, rosehips, watermelon and pink grapefruit. Research shows that the body more-efficiently absorbs lycopene if processed into juice, paste, purée and powder because the temperature changes involved in processing covert the chemical form of lycopene found in fresh tomatoes, rendering it more readily absorbed.

Product designers can add lycopene in the form of Lyc-O-Mato® tomato lycopene complex from LycoRed. This ingredient is extracted from non GMO tomatoes bred especially for high-lycopene content and contains other phytonutrients, such as phytoene, phytofluene, tocopherols and beta carotene, that act in synergy with lycopene.

“Lyc-O-Mato comes in lycopene concentrations starting at 6% and going as high as 15%,” says Dave Thomas, director of marketing & business development, LycoRed. “The ingredient is sold to product developers as either a viscous, dark-red liquid or powder.”

Selection and protection

Designers must work closely with production and operations throughout product development to consider the variables affecting the stability of added nutrients. “The rewards of this due diligence are many, including improved stability, uniformity, consistency fulfillment of the desired nutrient profile and up to as much as 50% to 60% reduction in development time,” says Chaudhari. “Altogether, this produces not only a better product, but a healthier bottom line.”

As manufacturers push the envelope in adding micronutrients to breakfast bars, food scientists must take special care to anticipate and circumvent potential damage to nutrient integrity. It is essential to consider five basic factors to optimize stability: nutrient activity, composition of the finished food, manner of addition, processing condition and procedures, and storage and other conditions prior to consumption.

“The product developer must think about the physical properties and vulnerabilities of individual ingredients being integrated,” says Chaudhari. “For example, vitamin A and its precursor beta carotene are quite unstable. Fortunately, stabilized, synthetic forms are available to prevent degradation. Precautions should still be taken, however, against the effects of heat, light, air and acidity.”

Another relatively unstable micronutrient, vitamin D, is susceptible to destruction by heat, light and oxygen under alkaline conditions. Antagonists to vitamin D are generally materials that affect the availability of calcium and/or phosphorus, such as oxalates and phytates.

“The tocopherols (vitamin E family), particularly alpha-tocopherols, act as antioxidants and are important factors in fat stability,” says Chaudhari. “They are, however, sensitive to oxygen, heat and light. While fat facilitates absorption and availability of vitamin E, it is also antagonistic. Vitamin E is used up in protecting unsaturated fatty acids from oxidation. Linoleic acid is particularly antagonistic. Other antagonistic metals such as copper and iron catalyze the destruction reactions. Since vitamin C and linoleic acid are closely related, special attention should be placed on the comparative levels of these nutrients in fortified breakfast bars.”

Undoubtedly, vitamin C, ascorbic acid, has received more attention than any other vitamin because of its important role in nutrition, its susceptibility to destruction and its antioxidant properties. “Vitamin C’s major instability is due to the presence of oxygen and metal ions, with copper being much more reactive than iron,” says Chaudhari. “If oxygen is absent, there is no effect of light on vitamin C, and in acid products, ferrous ions may even be added with no effect. This could be extremely important in product development and food fortification, since there is evidence to indicate that the availability of ions is enhanced when ingested with ascorbic acid.”

Of the B vitamins, folic acid (B9) appeals to women, as its consumption before and during pregnancy is correlated to reducing the chance of a baby being born with brain or spinal defects. Folic acid is also associated with helping the body make healthy new cells, as well as possibly helping prevent heart disease, stroke, some cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.

However, folic acid is quite unstable. It is readily destroyed by heat under acid conditions and is subject to storage losses. Furthermore, it is antagonized by high levels of niacin. Working closely with micronutrient suppliers can help make sure a signature blend of vitamins performs up to par in a breakfast-bar formulation.

“Microencapsulation of some vitamins and minerals improves their stability during processing and over the shelf life of the bar,” says Bradford. “Some vitamins and minerals also have strong odors and flavors. Microencapsulation again helps here.”

When it comes to minerals, most of them are quite stable. “However, chelated forms of some minerals, including calcium and zinc, for example, may provide enhanced stability and bioavailability,” says Chaudhari. “Another consideration is interactivity of minerals and vitamins. The metallic ions present in some minerals may cause depletion of vitamin nutrient stability. Additionally, the interaction of vitamin and mineral additives may impact stability of other food-quality factors, such as color. A common example of such an undesirable outcome is the brown spotting that occurs when combining vitamin C and iron. Here, too, consideration of market form—an encapsulated form of ferrous sulfate, for example— may greatly diminish or eliminate the risk of spots.”

It is imperative to decide early on a target range for vitamin and mineral fortification, to select the ingredient system that delivers that level to the consumer. “Most bars contain 25% to 40% of the Daily Value,” says Bradford.

Assorted nutrients

From fatty acids to amino acids, an array of nutrients is showing up in breakfast-bar formulations. “Similar to how encapsulation protects the integrity of vitamins and minerals, encapsulation keeps the taste and texture issues of certain problematic ingredients at a minimum,” says Diane Carnell, research and development director, Kerry Ingredients, Kerry Sweet Ingredients, New Century, KS. “This includes omega- 3s, where encapsulating technologies cover up any fishy off flavors, as well as plant sterols, which, when not encapsulated, can have a waxy mouthfeel.

“The encapsulating material can be either lipid- or water-soluble,” continues Carnell. “This varies by the ingredient being encapsulated, the total bar formulation and what the customer wants on the ingredient statement.”

Probiotics are not yet common in breakfast bars because of stability issues, but companies are looking into it, and encapsulation is a likely answer. The same is true with phytosterols, which are slightly bitter and mostly fat-soluble.

Certain ingredients might need to be added to the formulation at specific times of manufacture and/or with other ingredients. For example, “Ingredients such as plant sterols and soy isoflavones can simply be added to the formulation with other dry ingredients,” says Bradford. “However, sterol esters should be incorporated into the oil portion.” Designers can add fiber to the dry mass or, in some cases where heat is applied, the syrup phase, she notes.

Maximizing content is exactly what some breakfast-bar manufacturers are trying to do. The Kerry study indicates that fiber and protein, both of which respondents associated with providing energy, are the two mostpositive purchase influencers of breakfast bars.

The low-carb trend really raised consumer’s awareness and understanding of fiber.

Luckily, many unique, multifunctional fiber sources have application in breakfast bars. For nutritional purposes, certain carbohydrates, such as food starches and maltodextrins, may be classified as either glycemic or resistant.

Glycemic carbohydrates degrade to glucose via enzymes in the digestive tract. Glycemic starches can be further categorized as either rapidly digestible starch (RDS) or slowly digestible starch (SDS). RDS digests quickly in the small intestine and is best exemplified by freshly cooked starchy foods such as mashed potatoes, as well as refined- flour sandwich bread. SDS degrades more slowly than RDS, but digestion is still complete. An example of SDS is raw starch from a cereal grain such as wheat. Many breakfastbar formulations can be quite high in glycemic carbohydrate content—unless, of course, resistant carbohydrates replace some SDS.

For example, certain resistant starches and maltodextrins behave more like fiber than traditional, or glycemic, carbohydrates. They escape digestion in the small intestine, but are fermented in the large intestine by bacterial microflora, giving them a lower caloric value, a low glycemic response and a prebiotic effect. Some resistant starches and maltodextrins are unique because they analyze as total dietary fiber when measured by the approved AOAC fiber-analysis test.

“There are many different types of resistant starches and resistant maltodextrins, and each can behave differently,” says Rhonda Witwer, business development manager, nutrition, National Food Starch Innovation, Bridgewater, NJ. “Some are fermentable to different degrees. Some may be prebiotic; others may not. Each ingredient offers different characteristics and may deliver different benefits. This situation can be compared to soluble fiber: Betaglucan has cholesterol-lowering properties, but other soluble fibers do not.”

Many breakfast bars are made with extruded cereals. “When cereals are made with Hi-maize® 260—60% dietary fiber—resistant starch, they show an improvement in texture accompanied by better expansion,” says Wendy Dalidowicz, senior technical service engineer, National Starch Food Innovation. “The cereal’s increase in expansion suggests that the addition of resistant starch helps minimize the negative effect conventional fibers may have on cereal expansion. Resistant starch can also be added to batters. Because the structure of a batter is more delicate than dough, it is sometimes necessary to use stronger flour with a higher protein content to compensate for the dilution of protein.”

Digestion-resistant maltodextrin can reduce the incidence of bar hardness, thus enhancing texture during extended shelf life, notes Bradford. Fibersol-2® from ADM is a sprayeddried powder produced by a proprietary method of controlled enzymatic hydrolysis. In addition to rapid dispersion, this concentrated form of soluble dietary fiber (90% minimum, dry-weight basis) is clear in solution, highly soluble and stable under virtually all conditions. The company notes that the fiber also has very low viscosity, low hygroscopicity and low sweetness, as well as water-binding and body- and texture-improving characteristics, making it relatively easy to get enough into a breakfast bar to make a content claim.

“Most bars are formulated with 2 grams to 5 grams of dietary fiber,” says Bradford. A single-serve bar that contains 2.5 grams of fiber qualifies for a “good source” of fiber claim, and with 5 grams, it can be labeled as an “excellent source” of fiber.

Fiber, fiber everywhere

In addition to these ingredients, “Incorporation of low-viscosity gums, such as gum arabic, allows for high-loading levels of soluble dietary fiber into current breakfast-bar formulations with minimal disruption to product consistency. Oftentimes, a good or excellent source content claim can be made, too,” says Maureen Akins, food scientist, TIC Gums Inc., Belcamp, MD. A low-molecular- weight guar gum “can also provide beneficial fiber fortification without a significant increase in viscosity,” she notes. “In general, increasing soluble fiber in a breakfast bar by adding 5 to 10 grams of a hydrocolloid will not negatively impact the production or finished characteristics of the bar, since there is only minimal increase in viscosity, and each ingredient is comprised of at least 85% soluble dietary fiber.”

Roquette Frères, Lestrem, France, has patented an extensive range of soluble fiber products. They differ in their botanical origin—corn or wheat—fiber content and glucidic profile.

Sold as an agglomerated powder, Nutriose FB 06—made from wheat and about 85% fiber—has application in cereal bars that offer extended energy release. The agglomerated form flows freely, disperses instantly and dissolves quickly. It can withstand a relative humidity of up to 70% at 20°C for 24 hours without problems, whereas other oligosaccharides are no longer powdered at a relative humidity of only 30% or 50%, according to the company. This allows a very high dosage, even in delicate applications such as breakfast bars.

Furthermore, these fibers are unaffected by most process conditions, from sterilization through pasteurization and extrusion to oven cooking. This means no loss of fiber and effective incorporation. Because it is acid stable from pH 2.5 to 7.0, the fruit filling in breakfast bars can be the delivery vehicle.

Inulin, fructooligosacchides (FOS) and oligofructose, polymers of fructose, are also unique sources of dietary fiber. Their high solubility can build structure, while humectancy properties help extend shelf life in bars by contributing to softness and maintaining aw.

Like many soluble fibers, inulin and oligofructose function as prebiotics. Other possible health benefits include decreasing blood triglyceride levels, increasing calcium absorption and utilization, protecting against certain cancers, and stimulating the immune system.

Soluble fiber in the form of betaglucan derived from oats is one of the most well-known beneficial fiber sources. Oat beta-glucan is comprised of individual glucose molecules linked together by a series of beta (1-3) and beta (1-4) linkages.

FDA approved a health claim directly linking oat soluble fiber with reducing the risk of heart disease (e.g., helps lower cholesterol). A finished product must deliver 0.75 grams in an individual serving, in order to use the claim.

Nurture Inc., Devon, PA, offers a highly concentrated source of oat soluble fiber that provides 18 times the amount of soluble fiber found in oats. It is available commercially as a freeflowing, opaque powder that is concentrated to 54% oat beta-glucan. “As such, 1.4 grams of OatVantage in a single- serve breakfast bar may qualify the bar to carry the FDA-approved heart health claim,” says Gregory Stephens, vice president, sales and marketing, at the company. “Also, the oat soluble fiber—beta-glucan—may enhance the sensory attributes of a bar by imparting a moist, ‘buttery’ texture,” all while adding virtually no flavor.

Recently, a new oat variety, HiFi, was developed by Michael McMullen, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Plant Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, and USDA-ARS researchers. This variety contains about 50% more beta-glucan than regular oats—typically 6% to 7% in HiFi vs. 4% in regular oats—“so you don’t have to include as much in a product formulation to get the same health benefits,” says Doug Doehlert, cereal chemist, USDA-ARS. “Regular oats are already a great source of beta-glucan, a soluble dietary fiber shown to lower cholesterol and improve glycemic control. HiFi, which stands for ‘high fiber,’ is a new spring oat cultivar bred specifically for its elevated beta-glucan levels.”

On May 19, 2006, FDA finalized another heart-health claim for betaglucan derived from barley. Wholegrain barley and dry milled barley products such as flakes, grits, flour and pearled barley, which provide at least 0.75 grams of soluble fiber per serving, may bear the claim.

Several barley beta-glucan options already exist. For example, ConAgra Foods, Omaha, NE, offers a new highfiber barley variety, Sustagrain®, that comes in a form similar to rolled oats for use in bar applications. This waxy, hulless variety contains 30% total dietary fiber and 15% beta-glucan. “Sustagrain barley is fiber-dense and can provide a big nutritional benefit to breakfast bars,” says Elizabeth Arndt, manager of product development, ConAgra Foods.

For formulators looking for even more-concentrated sources, Barley Balance™ from PolyCell Technologies—distributed by DKSH North America Inc., Baltimore—is a naturally concentrated barley betaglucan that is ideally suited for enhancing breakfast bars. This concentrate has more than 23% beta-glucan content—six or seven times higher than in typical barley or oat ingredients.

According to the company, it also works to lower and balance blood sugar peaks and extend glycemic cycles, and can promote satiety and weight loss in conjunction with healthy diet changes. Low lipid levels, the natural bland flavor of barley, and its favorable extrusion properties make the ingredient suitable for bar applications. It is also pure waxy—100% amylopectin—starch, which helps reduce staling while extending freshness and shelf life.

Furthermore, its starch and protein fractions are similar to wheat, the major ingredient in many breakfast bars, and can thus be partially substituted for wheat in formulations.

Cargill Health & Food Technologies, Minneapolis, also offers a concentrated barley beta-glucan, Barlív™. The company uses proprietary technology to extract beta-glucan from barley to a concentration of more than 70% beta-glucan.

Grain futures

Different grain forms—crisps, flakes, flours, meals, puffs and whole and/or rolled types—allow for many different functions and textures in breakfast bars. For example, fine flakes yield a smooth texture, while crisps and puffs provide crunch and lighten texture. Flours and meals help bind ingredients.

Breakfast-bar manufacturers often blend in a variety of ready-to-eat cereals to produce a light, porous bar. Puffed grains add textures, shapes, flavors and colors. Historically, rice has been the puffed grain of choice, but specialty puffed grains, such as amaranth and bulgur wheat, are now available. Extruded cereals made from a variety of refined or whole grains are other options. Adding specialty starches to extruded-cereal formulations can modify puffing and crisping characteristics, aid structural support, and alter bulk density.

“Savvy consumers, mindful of the need to pack more whole grains into their day, recognize bars as a quick, easy solution,” says Bill Bonner, director, research and development, ConAgra Mills. The company showcased numerous bar innovations at the 2006 IFT Annual Meeting + Food Expo. “Recognizing oats as the ‘original’ good-for-you grain, consumers consider them a natural in healthful breakfast bars,” he continues. “With an FDA-approved health claim linking oat fiber to a reduced risk for heart disease, consumer acceptance of oats continues to grow. And oats for breakfast is almost as American as baseball.” The company’s coated and toasted oats have 4% soluble beta-glucan fiber and 15% protein.

By coating oats with a range of sweeteners and custom-toasting them to customer specifications, the company delivers specialty oats with different textures and flavors. “Hearty nuggets add a honey-sweetened crunch to a harvest- style bar, while thinner flakes blended with seeds, nuts and nutraceuticals such as omega-3s and antioxidants boost basic bars into the realm of bona fide functional food,” says Bonner.

“Oats are only the beginning, as ‘made with whole grains’ is quite the buzz phrase these days,” continues Bonner. “ConAgra Mills’ new Ultragrain® flour can be used to replace all of the flour in an application or it can be used in blends, depending on the desired end product. We can help developers adjust this amount based on other ingredients in the product and on the target market.”

This whole-wheat flour combines the nutritional advantage of whole grains with the processing benefits and finished baked quality of refined flours, thanks to patent-pending milling technology. “Ultragrain is available in both hard and soft wheat forms, and thus can be used in a broad range of finished product formats,” adds Arndt. “Because Ultragrain is whole wheat flour, it has a greater affinity for water and reduced mixing requirements compared to refined flours.

“Typical breakfast bars are made with significant amounts of nongrain ingredients. Substitution of refinedgrain ingredients with Ultragrain increases fiber and can result in at least 8 grams of whole grain, similar to popular breads made with whole grain,” adds Arndt.

The push for protein

Protein is the other buzzword that promises energy and satiety, and is formulated into today’s on-the-go meal solutions. “Historically, proteins were added to the nougat core of bars,” says Benoit Turpin, senior sales manager, specialty ingredients, Protient, Inc., Minneapolis. “This is still the most-concentrated source of protein in many protein-fortified bars.” This was a favored technique to bypass the texture problems some protein ingredients caused. “However, as proteins have become more functional ingredients and bars have advanced into multilayer products, protein can now be found in many parts of the bar,” he says.

“Whey and soy crisps add texture and crunch to a bar, as well as protein,” adds Turpin. “Yogurt and chocolate coatings are another vehicle for ‘sneaking in’ nutritional ingredients, including proteins. By adding small amounts of protein to each component of the bar, the final product can be an excellent source of protein, without suffering in flavor or texture.”

Soy ingredients are available as isolated soy protein, soy protein concentrates and soy flour. In breakfast bars, most formulators turn to soy protein concentrate, as soy flour is too low in protein and contributes too much beany flavor, while isolates, at 90% protein, tend to be cost prohibitive for mainstream breakfast bars. Soy protein concentrates typically have excellent moisture-retention characteristics, holding three to seven times their weight in water. This keeps bars moist and improves mouthfeel. They have emulsification and fat-absorbing characteristics, too, which benefits higher-fat systems.

Rice, too, can provide high-quality protein, having all the essential amino acids present in desirable proportions. Use of crisped rice, made from brown or milled rice, adds crunchy texture, toasted flavor and bulking capacity.

Another plant source for protein is wheat. “Wheat protein isolates can be used in bar systems to reduce or replace sugar,” says Brook Carson, product application technologist, ADM. “Wheat protein typically comprises 6% to 10% of the formulation. It is also compatible with other proteins.” Wheat protein isolate, with 90% protein content, not only contributes a large amount of protein to a bar, it also binds ingredients. Texturized wheat gluten ingredients add crunch.

Animal protein sources include egg white and dairy ingredients. Egg whites are protein-dense ingredients that come in liquid, frozen and dried form. In addition to boosting protein, they add structure to breakfast bars and act as a flavor carrier.

“Egg whites assist with binding a bar’s ingredients together,” says Joanne Ivy, senior vice president, American Egg Board, Park Ridge, IL. “They also provide moisture, which contributes to a desirable chewiness and mouthfeel. We are seeing a great many bar manufacturers including egg whites in their bars as part of a proprietary protein blend.” Egg whites can also add interest as part of a soft, creamy nougat.

Whey proteins contribute high-quality protein along with calcium, which, depending on the level, could reduce the need to add additional calcium in vitamin-fortified bars. “Whey proteins provide an array of protein fractions that have specific benefits. For example, glycomacropeptide shows benefits in appetite suppression,” says Turpin. “Whey proteins also contain the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, which are beneficial for muscle growth.” The level of calcium in whey proteins can encompass a very wide range depending on the ingredient— whey protein concentrate vs. whey protein isolate—and any other fractionating or processing, as well as from supplier to supplier.

Protient offers a lightly hydrolyzed whey protein hydrolysate that functions similarly to a whey protein isolate. “However, it is 25% higher in branched-chain amino acids. This offers marketing advantages for products targeted toward healthy men and women,” says Turpin. “This ingredient is also beneficial for the aging population who may be concerned with sarcopenia—an age-related loss of muscle control.

“Individual peptides can be added to breakfast bars in the form of hydrolyzed proteins,” continues Turpin. Protient offers a hydrolyzed whey protein, for use in bars. “This product is both a nutritional ingredient as well as a functional ingredient,” he says. “It can help manage moisture migration within the bar and extend the shelf life by preventing bar hardening.”

In general, whey ingredients have a very pleasant, mild, dairy flavor and are low in fat, which makes them attractive to bar formulators. Grande Custom Ingredients Group, Lomira, WI, manufactures a line of 80% to 85% protein powders that “can also be used for protein fortification,” says Michelle Ludtke, senior food technologist, Grande Custom Ingredients. For breakfast bars, manufacturers often use an 85% whey protein concentrate and a hydrolyzed 80% whey protein concentrate. “The hydrolyzed version has the proteins already somewhat broken down for easier digestibility,” she says. These ingredients can be added directly to the bar formulation, or specifically to the filling or coating, to boost the protein content.

Whey can be processed to add texture and crunch to breakfast bars.

“Grande WPCrisp® offers protein fortification with customizable pieces containing up to 80% protein—they can also be made incorporating specific vitamins and minerals within the crisp piece,” says Ludtke. “This can be tailored to what the customer wants to claim on the product label.

“For fun, colors and flavors can also be added,” she adds. “The crisps can be designed into various sizes and shapes, including small dots, round balls, rings and crunchers. The most-popular size for the bar manufactures seems to be the crisp piece that is approximately 3.7 mm in diameter by 4.8 mm in length.”

Putting it all together

The bar designer has developed the formula and identified the finished product specifications. Now it’s time to put everything together. “Ideally, the chemical form of the ingredients and timing of integration should provide uniformity of distribution and maximum stability in the product,” says Chaudhari. “Choice should include consideration of factors such as chemical and physical properties of the nutrients, the nature of the food environment—e.g., dry or moist—and how the food is to be handled following addition.

“Time of addition for many ingredients is also significant, since it is best to subject some nutrients to the least amount of heat or the least exposure to air,” continues Chaudhari. “For example, vitamins that are known to degrade under heat—e.g., vitamin C, D, thiamine, etc.—may be sprayed onto the finished bar rather than integrated during processing.”

The original breakfast bar—the granola bar—relies on binding syrup based on corn syrup. With marketers trying to reduce simple carbohydrates from foods designed as better-for-you, bar designers are seeking out alternatives to corn syrup. “An excellent replacer for corn-syrup-based binders is gum arabic. Our TIC Pretested corn syrup replacer can be used to substantially reduce or completely eliminate corn syrup in bar formulations,” says Akins. “A 40% to 50% gum arabic and water syrup can be prepared and added just as corn syrup would be added. If sweetness is required, an artificial sweetener can be added to replace what is lost when removing the corn syrup.” As an added bonus, gum arabic is about 85% soluble dietary fiber, so it can be used to supplement bars with fiber, as well.

“With baked bars, the added water in the gum arabic syrup is driven off and does not affect the overall aw level,” adds Akins. “However, in non-baked applications, a binding syrup based on water may result in too high an aw in the finished product, as the excess water is never baked off. Since bacteria and mold can grow at an aw of 0.85 or higher, TIC Gums has developed a technology that not only applies to nonbaked bars, but also works with baked formulations, depending on the desired formulation.” This technology takes advantage of the sugar alcohols often used in food bars. No additional water is necessary for gum arabic to combine with select sugar alcohols when creating binding syrup. Typical usage levels in finished bars are around 3% to 5%.

“We recommend dissolving gum arabic in 96% or 99.7% glycerine or 75% solids maltitol. Thanks to hydrogen bonding, gum arabic will form very viscous syrup in both glycerine and maltitol, which allows for a lower gum concentration than in water,” says Akins. “The syrup has great adhesion and tack, and the aw for the binding syrup is very low. Glycerine allows for the lowest possible aw, as 75% maltitol still contains 25% water.”

A few years back, Kraft Food Ingredients (KFI), Memphis, TN, recognized that caramels were ideal binders in food bars. “The success of any nutritional product is dependent upon how well the fortifying ingredients are masked,” says Spencer Sullivan, business director, baked goods and confections. “Caramel has the ability to mask those objectionable ingredients, which allows the delivery of both nutrients and a desirable flavor profile to consumers.”

Lisa O’Donnell, program manager, confections, KFI, adds: “Caramel adds a complex, sweet flavor, and it performs a function critical to the process—as a binding agent for the cereal components. By itself, caramel provides a creamy, cooked vanilla flavor profile, one that is not overpowering and that complements most characterizing flavors of bars. It also provides a desirable color.”

The company markets three different caramel enrobing sauces, which vary in solids content from 87.5% to 89.25% and fat content from 10.0% to 17.5%, among other variables. “We have a caramel that serves as a vehicle for binding nuts, cereals, grains or coconut to the outside of a bar, while another can be used as a stretchy center or layer,” says Sullivan. “When heated, the caramel can be deposited, extruded or pumped.” KFI has some innovative caramel ingredients in the works, too. “We are building on the fortification trend and using the caramel as a carrier for calcium, fiber, protein and vitamins,” he says.

Whether it’s ingredients or other technology, you can’t stop progress. First it was eight-track tapes, then paper airline tickets. Now it’s cereal bowls. Another classic may be on the road to extinction.

Donna Berry, president of Chicago-based Dairy & Food Communications, Inc., a network of professionals in business-to-business technical and trade communications, has been writing about product development and marketing for 11 years. Prior to that, she worked for Kraft Foods in the natural-cheese division. She has a B.S. in Food Science from the University of Illinois in Urbana- Champaign. She can be reached at [email protected].

A Healthy Pulse

Legumes, or “pulses,” such as lentils, chickpeas and dried yellow peas, are one of nature’s “super-foods.” Packed full of protein and fiber, they have been consumed around the world for centuries. Their consumption has been linked with health benefits such as lowered cholesterol, reduced coronary heart disease risk, protection against cancer, reduced birth defects and stabilized blood sugar. The average American, however, doesn’t consume enough legumes to experience their life-enhancing qualities.

Enter the pulse breakfast bar, developed by Dustin Hilinski, executive chef, Turover Straus Group, Springfield, MO. It turns out the ever-popular breakfast bar is an ideal vehicle for pulses.

Hilinski developed three flavors of bars—cinnamon apple, strawberry chocolate and peanut-butter pretzel—that contain as much as 30% yellow pea and lentil flour. High in soluble fiber, vegetable protein, oligosaccharides, isoflavones, selenium and resistant starch, they are also gluten-free, have a low glycemic index, and contain cholesterol-lowering plant sterols and omega-3s. Those attributes give pulses an entirely new appeal.

Plus, the bars taste great. “Despite all the interest in energy bars and breakfast bars, we believe consumers have been sacrificing taste for convenience and nutritional benefits. They won’t have to anymore,” says Hilinski.

The prototype healthy breakfast bars are currently being made in the Turover Straus development kitchens, using a formula developed for the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, Moscow, ID. The Council wants to share its formulas with manufacturers interested in launching this promising product. For more information, contact the Council at 208/882-3023 or [email protected].

—Carol Price Spurling