Food Product Design: Concepts - September 2005 - Food Bars with Customized Appeal

September 2005

Food Bars with Customized Appeal

By Cindy HazenContributing Editor

Not that long ago, a generic granola bar was the sole choice for an eat-on-the-run product in bar form -- 20 years ago, even 10 years ago, bar choices were simpler. Not so today when countless varieties of food bars join a far-reaching assortment of granola bars to appeal to virtually any demographic imaginable.

The evolution began with the development of high-energy bars marketed for athletes. Then, it seems, we all began to view our hectic lives as requiring extraordinary endurance. As everyone started reaching for "energy bars," the market soon expanded to include low-carb bars, vitamin-enriched bars and high-fiber bars. Now, even the most-ordinary of grocery stores easily carry a couple hundred bar choices. Designed not only for specific attributes such as a source of protein or high calcium, these bars might also target the needs of a specific audience: women, men, children and seniors -- the marketing possibilities are as infinite as the people who eat them.

Breaking breakfast habits The breakfast market is exploding because cereals no longer require a bowl to eat. Simply unwrap hand-held bars with corn flakes or favorite popped grain for a breakfast on the go. All the major players in the breakfast-cereal market are creating mobile versions of their products. Kid-appealing flavors sport cartoon-character graphics. Low-calorie, vitamin-enriched cereal bars entice diet-conscious women. High-fiber attracts the health conscious.

In the cereal-bar world, brands are extended, so consumers can eat their Cocoa Puffs®, Trix®, Honey Bunches of Oats®, Special K(TM) or Kashi on the run. Skippy(TM) peanut butter, a breakfast and snack favorite, has extended its name to the bar category. Seemingly unlikely shelf mates, cereal bars take cues from the original bar food -- the candy bar. The Hershey Company, Hershey, PA, is marketing Hershey's Snack Barz(TM) and Reese's Snack Barz. In the diet category, Slim-Fast® dominates.

Common denominators A bar exists for every occasion, including breakfast replacements, a healthy snack, nutrient boosters or just a sweet treat. Yet as different as bars might seem from one another, they actually have similar characteristics.

Successful bars share basic common needs. "You want it to taste good," says Steve Dott, vice president, Grande Custom Ingredients, Grande Cheese Company, Lomira, WI. "Whether you are an older person or an athlete, you want the highest-quality nutrition."

As for nutrition, manufacturers simply tilt the composition to tailor it to the target audience. The athlete might require more protein to build muscle mass. The senior might require protein to supplement poor eating habits and declining muscle mass due to inactivity. Though both demographics seem at opposite ends of the spectrum, their needs are not as diverse as they might seem. "It's a balanced approach," Dott says. "Protein bars are not just protein. They have carbs and minerals and vitamins."

Fiber, protein and vitamin and mineral fortification are key drivers in all food-bar purchases, regardless of age or gender, notes Karen Holliday, marketing manager, Kerry Sweet Ingredients, New Century, KS.

While a quick survey of ingredient statements might not expressly reveal bar similarities, all bars are complex systems requiring protein, binders, sweeteners, flavor, fortification and texture. The secret to formulating bars for specific demographics lies in skewing these basic components to appeal to a particular segment.

Protein steps up to the bar Ingredient statements are as diverse as the bar manufacturers, in part, because each wants to differentiate itself from the competition. "They do not want their ingredient statements to read exactly the same as everyone else's," says Dott. This is especially evident in protein choice. "Generally they won't use one protein source," he says. "They will use some whey protein concentrate, some whey protein isolates and maybe even blend in some soy protein."

Most of these blends are simply done for marketing purposes. "Many times, certain proteins are added primarily for their marketing impact and not for reasons of functionality," says Richard Merrill, Ph.D., director of research and development, Leprino Foods, Denver. "For example, many bars use a combination of proteins, some are present for their derived functional and/or textural characteristics, while others are there for the marketing aspect."

That drives the market for specialized protein blends. Laura Majors, marketing services manager, Leprino Foods, cautions that the protein content of an isolate is diminished once the blends are created. "There will be concentrate and/or isolate (dairy) blends or even whey protein and/or wheat gluten and soy blends coming through the marketplace these days," she says. Yet, just as a consumer will look to buy a product with a particular ingredient, the reverse can be true. "The same thing happens on the exclusionary side," she continues. "If someone's looking for a wheat-gluten-free product, then they're looking for the opposite."

Flavor considerations also contribute to the decision to blend proteins. A mild-flavored dairy source can diminish the beany notes of some soy flours or concentrates.

Care should also be given to the finished product's target cost. Milk proteins generally cost more than soy proteins. Whether speaking of dairy or soy products, concentrates cost less than isolates.

Dairy proteins are versatile and widely appealing. According to Dott, whey protein concentrate can have as much as 85% protein, though 80% is more typical; isolates are 90% minimum protein. As protein increases, so does cost -- especially in the range between concentrate and isolate because of the additional filtration step to remove the remaining fat and lactose. "It's very expensive to take that last little piece out," he says.

Whey appeals to a wide range of demographics. "With all the valuable functions and nutritional benefits of whey protein, it makes a perfect supplement for all age groups -- everyone from the young to the aged," Merrill says.

As an individual ages, protein requirements change. "In the early stages of life when an infant is growing or a toddler, they require more protein for development," Merrill explains. "As we go longer in life, and if you're involved in athletics or lead a very active lifestyle, whey protein has nutritional benefits that increase lean body mass and help maintain a healthy body weight. As we grow older, our metabolism changes. Our immune systems change. Whey protein can provide benefits that help prevent the onset of certain diseases. There are many studies going on throughout the world associated with investigating the health benefits of adding whey protein to the diet."

Whey proteins might be included in bars targeting specific health benefits. "There have been numerous studies that show the effect of various whey protein fractions and whole whey protein and its effects on inhibiting or preventing certain cancers. There is promising research on the potential of whey protein to positively impact Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, though in all of these cases further investigation and clinical studies are needed," Merrill says.

Perhaps the most mainstream appeal of whey protein is its contribution to lean body mass. "The use of whey proteins really is being carried into the mass market from the body building market," Majors says. "The body builders really studied which proteins worked for them."

Whey protein is effective because it is a biologically available, complete protein. "It has every amino acid the body needs," Dott says. "The branched-chain amino acids that are prevalent in whey protein help rebuild muscle tissue after exercise and shorten the recovery period after exercise. It is rapidly digested so it helps to build muscle and rebuild muscle after a workout."

Whey protein rivals the biological availability of eggs. "Nutritionally, whey proteins are more biologically available to the body as compared to soy proteins or other milk proteins," Merrill says.

The average consumer awareness of whey's benefit is increasing, in part because of its abundance in health-food stores and supplement chains. As moms become more familiar with whey's benefits, will they look for it in products for her children? Most likely she's already looking for dairy ingredients in label declarations -- the 21st century version of "drink your milk." No doubt this is inherent in the marketing of Minneapolis-based General Mills' Milk 'n Cereal bars.

Soy also brings nutritional positives for certain demographics. Most females are aware of the benefits soy isoflavones have on women's health. Besides reducing menopausal symptoms, they have been shown to reduce the incidence of breast cancer. While this makes soy a prime candidate for bars formulated for mature females, research suggests consumption by younger consumers lowers breast-cancer risk later in life. So, Mom might choose soy-rich bars for her kids and tweens, or encourage her college-age young-adult offspring to consume the bars.

Mom might also buy soy-protein-rich bars for Dad. FDA allows a health claim for soy protein because of its association with reduction of heart disease. A food containing at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving may make this claim. While designers might formulate a product containing soy to meet the tastes of a young audience, one containing heart-healthy soy ingredients might appeal to a middle-aged to older population concerned about coronary heart disease.

"You see more soy protein isolate being used today," says Bill Aimutis, group manager, food technical center, Cargill, Inc., Minneapolis. "The reasons for that are people want maximum impact in the amount of protein they're getting into the bar, and soy protein isolate tends to have a cleaner flavor than earlier-generation products."

The developer should think about the form of protein when considering shelf life. Scientists are constantly striving to bring various functionalities to different protein sources. "There's a variety of proprietary research that goes on in the industry looking at ways to modify the proteins so that they can improve the shelf life, as well as extend the shelf life, of protein bars," Merrill says. "For example, one would be to hydrolyze the protein to increase the shelf life of the bar and keep it remaining soft throughout its shelf life. This helps to decrease the moisture-binding characteristics of the whey protein. Whey proteins are very good moisture binders and, left in their native state, will bind a lot of water that's available in bars making them harder and harder over time unless there's some modification or treatment to that protein that reduces that water absorption. However, with hydrolysis typically comes bitterness to the protein, so special care and processing need to be employed to reduce the bitterness so that those proteins can be used at high levels and thereby increase the shelf life of the bar."

Protein function follows form A developer should think about the form of protein when considering shelf life. A variety of proprietary research goes on that looks at ways to modify the proteins so that they can improve the shelf life, as well as extend the shelf life of protein bars. "For example, one would be to hydrolyze the protein to increase the shelf life of the bar and keep it remaining soft throughout its shelf life," Merrill says. Hydrolysis helps decrease whey protein's moisture-binding characteristics. Whey proteins are very good moisture binders and, left in their native state, will bind much of the available water in bars making them harden over time he says, "unless there's some modification or treatment to that protein that reduces that water absorption. However, with hydrolysis typically comes bitterness to the protein, so special care and processing need to be employed to reduce the bitterness so that those proteins can be used at high levels and thereby increase the shelf life of the bar."

Designers must strike a balance of ingredients and attributes to achieve an appealing product for discerning audiences. For a children's bar, any kind of bitterness would be objectionable. A bar developed for seniors must remain soft. Choosing the proper functional protein is key to meeting these criteria.

Less obvious to the average consumer is protein's potential inclusion as a source of texture. Various crisp products derived from rice, soy or whey add dimension and interest to a bar. "We've learned that products with a texture component, a crunch or a crisp, have been selling better in the marketplace than the traditional single-layer extruded bar," says Holliday.

Choice of a textural component depends on the formulation of the bar and the desired attributes. "For example, if you want a bar that is more granola in nature or rice-crispy in nature, you may choose to use whey protein crisps," Merrill says.

Soy crisps today are being offered all the way from 60% protein up to 80% protein. "They're pretty neutral in flavor," Aimutis says. "We can add flavor to them during the extrusion process, but because of the mass demand for neutral-flavor crisps, we don't add a flavor at the present time."

Making roughage easy Increasing fiber is becoming of interest to many bar consumers. "Fiber has become one of the most-important aspects of a diet focused on health and wellness," says Holliday. "That said, fiber content and high-fiber label claims have become extremely important to bar manufacturers and their consumers. The issue is that getting a lot of fiber, the right kind of fiber, into a bar is not always easy to do and still have the bar taste rich and indulgent."

Crisps can provide the answer here, too. Designers can put Kerry's beta-glucan crisp into a bar at a 30% level and get enough soluble fiber to make an FDA-approved cardiovascular health claim. "This is a great example of creating a bar with intrinsic health value that also offers indulgence and that crunchy texture consumers are asking for," Holliday says.

Barley beta-glucan is a soluble fiber that exists primarily in oats and barley. "There's a lot of research on the impact of beta-glucan on lowering serum-cholesterol levels," says Mitch Kanter, director of nutrition, food technology development center, Cargill. FDA allows a health claim for oat beta-glucan and its cholesterol-lowering implications. "We're working on a unique barley beta-glucan product and have conducted clinical studies to demonstrate its cholesterol-lowering benefits, in addition to other health effects that provide formulation benefits," he says.

The problem with some beta-glucan products is that they are often texturally unappealing. "There are some beta-glucan products in the market place that can give the texture of the bar a slippery/slimy texture," Aimutis says. There are some new beta-glucan products coming into the marketplace, including ours, that have almost eliminated that problem with texture as the result of processing steps."

Whole grains are rich in protective antioxidants and vitamins and minerals that can boost bars' fiber content. They also contribute texture. "Barley has the highest level of fiber of any grain, as it has valuable fiber not only in the bran, but in the endosperm," says Cynthia Harriman, manager of partner services, Oldways Preservation Trust, Boston, and a spokesperson for the Whole Grains Council. While oats are probably most popular, she notes, designers can use almost all grains in one form or another. "While people tend to think of whole grains as solely a carb food," she says, "whole grains contribute important protein to foods, also. Oats are almost 17% protein, rye and wild rice 15%, amaranth 14%, buckwheat and tritcale 13%."

Most starches add caloric value in addition to contributing functionally. "Starches are added to a lot of these systems, giving textural characteristics," Aimutis, says. "They may act as a filler at times, but they don't carry very much sweetness, per se. They really are more from a functional point of view."

Resistant starches are carbohydrates that behave more like fiber. "They're not as caloric," Kanter says. "They have implications in weight-control-type products and diabetes-management-type products -- products where you're looking to have a more-sustained or a blunted glycemic response." Some of the resistant starches have been shown to have a prebiotic effect.

In addition to contributing to prebiotic health, some resistant-fiber ingredients can add functionality to bar applications. For example, a resistant maltodextrin from Matsutani America, Inc. and distributed by ADM, both of Decatur, IL, can help product designers increase fiber content in bar applications -- enough to meet requirements for FDA-approved label health claims -- without altering the bar's texture.

Its water solubility and relatively low molecular weight help retain softness and increase moistness in bar applications, says Steve Young, North American technical advisor for Matsutani America. "This, in turn, helps to extend bar shelf life," he continues. "Further, Fibersol-2(TM) adds no sweetness to bars, so bars can retain low water activity at more-acceptable sweetness levels."

Sweet solutions There's no question that consumers prefer sweet bars. Though manufacturers have experimented with savory concepts, they haven't caught on with consumers. According to Aimutis, the general public is so used to consuming sweeter nutrition bars that it can't connect to a savory product.

Perhaps that's just as well, because sweeteners provide functionality, as well as taste. The sweetener has the Herculean task of binding ingredients. "Most bar manufacturers end up having to do quite a bit of experimentation with a variety of sweeteners to find the optimum sweetness level and the optimum ability to hold all the ingredients together in that core," says Aimutis. The required amount depends on other system ingredients. Lecithin's emulsifying properties, for example, contribute to a homogenous system. Yet while other ingredients may assist, sweeteners carry the lion's share of binding responsibility. For that reason, liquid sugars predominate.

Depending on the target, the developer will choose a sweetener such as an invert sugar -- the product of sucrose hydrolysis into dextrose and fructose components -- or a lower-caloric sweetener. "Invert sugars and high-fructose syrup are the most frequently used," Aimutis says. "Probably high-fructose corn syrup is used a little bit more than anything else. The selection of high-fructose corn syrup on the basis of its dextrose equivalent is formula-dependent. Usage levels are also very formula-dependent. It can range anywhere from 35% of the bar formula upward to 60% of the bar formula on a weight percentage. Again, it depends on the flavor of the bar, how much sweetness they want, how many other ingredients they have mixed in there, how difficult it is to blend and stick all the ingredients together and make a homogenous mass."

Invert and high-fructose corn syrup are considered nutritive sweeteners because of their 4-calories-per-gram value. Sweetener choice depends not only on if the bar is positioned for people trying to restrict sugar intake, but also to those trying to reduce calories or simply concerned about glycemic response.

Isomaltulose, a controlled-digestibility sweetener, is completely hydrolyzed and absorbed in the small intestine, but at a much slower rate than sucrose. While it is metabolized in the same fashion as sucrose -- yielding 4 kcal per gram -- the slower rate of absorption causes blood-glucose and insulin levels to rise slower. Isomaltulose's low glycemic index (GI) is noncariogenic properties make it a crossover ingredient suited to products   appealing to diabetics or to children's bars that don't promote cavities.

There are a number of nonnutritive sweeteners that add diminished caloric value. "If you're going to formulate with nonnutritive sweeteners, it can be quite challenging, because if you put too much of it in the system, it will be way too sweet for the average consumer to eat," says Aimutis. Considering that the sweetener must be in sufficient quantity to adequately bind the ingredients, finding the correct ratio of sweeteners is key. Many developers resort to blends of more than one sweetening ingredient.

One option is trehalose, a fermentation-derived sugar. It is 45% as sweet as sucrose and delivers 3.6 kcal per gram.

Erythritol delivers 0.2 kcal per gram. "It is 99.9% metabolized in the body and passes out through the kidneys into the urine, which minimizes side effects," says Aimutis.

Various polyol ingredients can aid reduced-calorie bar formulation. "We have seen continued interest in reduction of sugars and calories," says Ronald C. Deis, Ph.D., vice president of technology, SPI Polyols, Inc., New Castle, DE. "Sugar and corn syrup or brown rice syrup can be replaced by maltitol and maltitol syrups. Maltitol is very close to sucrose in molecular weight and sweetness, but contributes only 2.1 kcal per gram." He notes the importance of matching the saccharide profile of the maltitol syrup used in reduced-sugar formulations to the syrup used in the full-sugar version to achieve similar binding characteristics, texture and sweetness.

Inulin, which is considered a fiber, is a naturally occurring carbohydrate composed of fructose units. These fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are typically derived from chicory root. Inulin also has prebiotic potential, notes Kanter. "There are data on inulin that suggest that it helps to improve calcium absorption, as well," he says. "From a health perspective, the two primary attributes that we point to are increased calcium absorption and prebiotic effect."

An inulin/FOS sweet liquid fiber offered by Sensus offers 50% of the sweetness of sucrose. Connie Lin, Ph.D., applications manager, Sensus America, Monmouth Junction, NJ, explains this sweet liquid fiber is five times sweeter than conventional powdered inulin. "It's very easy to incorporate into food formulations," she says. "It only has about 10% sweetness compared to sugar. It has a high solubility, 75% at a 68?F, which is more than five times more soluble than native inulin powder."

The inulin-based sweet liquid fiber provides both nutritional and functional benefits. "Nutritional benefits include that it's a prebiotic dietary fiber and that it is low in calories -- 1.9 kcal per gram," says Lin. She also notes that the natural food ingredient has a low GI of 20. "Functionally speaking, it is an easy-to-use, sweet liquid fiber," she continues. "It has a high solubility and good humectancy and can effectively replace sugar and sugar alcohols."

The humectancy properties of this liquid FOS are important to nutritional- and cereal-bar development. "This helps to extend the shelf-life of the bar, contribute to the softness of the bar and also maintain the water activity." Lin says. "You can say it is a moisture and textural moderator."

Fortification sensations Certain nutrients form the basis of a healthful bar. According to Ram Chaudhari, Ph.D., senior vice president, research and development, Fortitech, Inc., Schenectady, NY, certain nutrients should be present in every nutritional bar: vitamins A, B complex, C, D and E, as well as basic minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iron and selenium. "The basic skeleton is there, but then you have to add different things for different categories or segments," he says.

For women, increased calcium with vitamin D is important because of the risk of osteoporosis. Chaudhari recommends concentrating on certain B vitamins, such as B12, folic acid and B6, more so than in the general population. He suggests including an antioxidant "cocktail" rich in vitamin E, beta-carotene and C. "Some of those things have to be slightly higher in women," he says. "Especially for women, I'd give the B vitamins around 35% to 50% of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) per serving, and calcium I would give it around 60% to 75%."

The vitamins and minerals required by men and women are the same, yet levels should vary. "For men, I would go somewhere between 35% to 50% of the RDI per serving. I wouldn't go beyond that," Chaudhari suggests. Choosing antioxidants is often a labeling preference, to promote added vitamin C or vitamin E for example.

Children have different requirements because of their rapid growth. "They need a lot more energy because of their activity," Chaudhari says. "They should have B complex vitamins along with the standard minerals -- calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron -- and vitamins A, D, E, and C." The recommended levels are different for children because the RDI per serving is less than for adults. "I would not overdo it," he cautions. "30% to 35% of the RDI per serving, no more than that really because of the sheer consumption of those products. If they have two or three servings, then they will go over."

Chaudhari recommends energy-boosting B complex vitamins for anyone involved in high-energy activities. "B complex has eight vitamins," he explains. They are important in metabolic functions. B1, for example, is a cofactor in the generation of adenotriphosphate (ATP) in the conversion of fat and carbohydrates. "B2 also converts fats and carbohydrate into energy and it helps in protein metabolism," he says. B6 aids the protein metabolic cycle and homocysteine reduction, which helps in immune function. B3, or niacin, helps in producing energy from carbohydrate and      protein. Biotin functions in fatty-    acid metabolism and amino-acid metabolism. Pantothenic acid plays a role in carbohydrate metabolism and protein metabolism. "Folic acid is a very powerful nutrient. B12, folic acid and B6 are cardio-friendly, in addition to other metabolic functions," he says.

Senior's nutrient requirements are similar to those of younger adults. It's "slightly different, not as much as the younger population, but all those nutrients have to be there," Chaudhari says. However, bars for that segment have to be easily chewable. "The choice of nutrient is basically the same, but at the same time it should be different in terms of texture," he continues. "The nutrient requirement would be the same." Bar developers should include calcium and -- since some seniors don't get out much -- vitamin D. As for B complex vitamins, he notes, seniors don't need as much -- but still they need it because of energy boosting needs. "They've got to have vitamin C," he continues. "The mineral requirement is always there but at a low level. They don't need as much as a teenager or adult."

Selecting nutrients for certain demographics requires a bit of research. Aside from knowing which nutrients to incorporate as what levels, product designers also must understand how the nutrients act within the system. For example, soluble calcium reacts with other components and creates chalkiness. "Iron is a catalyst which would destroy vitamin C very easily," Chaudhari advises. "You lose vitamin C, but at the same time, ascorbic acid would become mutated to dehydroascorbic acid and you can have gray color -- plus it would taste metallic. Iron, zinc, copper: They would cause discoloration and rancidity. If you have too much potassium, it could give you a lingering metallic taste after consuming the product. Vitamin B1 would be destroyed with metallic reaction -- vitamin A, also. If you had omega-3, a metallic reaction could also cause a fishy smell. There are a host of reactions there that can cause problems. These are all part of designing a proper nutrient system or product formulation." Microencapsulation should protect ingredients that have the potential to interact to minimize interactions and after taste.

When working with nutrients, it's important to address manufacturing processes. Premixes can minimize quality-control problems inherent in working with ingredients typically used at low levels. Chaudhari warns to consider shelf life with a heat-treated product is. Vitamins A, B1 and C, in particular, are heat-labile and degrade very rapidly. He recommends adding more of these ingredients and suggests using a microencapsulated form.

Nutraceutical fortification Energy. Protein. Vitamins. They are all basic bar components tailored to different population segments. Adding nutraceuticals and functional ingredients gives bars unlimited capacity to target specific niche markets. According to Kanter, bars are ideal vehicles: "Bars are one of those foods that are a logical vehicle for fortification. There are a lot of opportunities for fortifying or supplementing healthy ingredients to bars."

Consumer acceptance aside, bars systems are compatible with fortification. "You can make the bar a delivery system for any functionality you wish," says Stan Solomonson, Future Foods, Santa Rosa, CA. "You can do an arthritis product. You could do a female-health product, a skin product, cardiovascular, digestive. You can place any of these active compounds, antioxidants, life extension -- whatever you want to place in a pill or capsule, you can put in a bar. People would rather eat food than take vitamins."

This is the premise behind the company's cholesterol-lowering bar. The formula followed an existing study, "Diet First, Then Medication for Hypercholesterolemia," published in the July 23, 2003 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association that demonstrated a certain regime to lower cholesterol that proved as effective as statin drugs. "We designed our bar as a functional food to reflect that formula using ingredients the FDA allows you to make that claim for," says Solomonson.

In the heart-healthy line, plant sterols are important. "From a health perspective, sterols have been shown for many years to lower cholesterol," says Kanter. "They serve to block the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine." General Mills recently launched a granola bar that contains sterol esters under its Health Valley® line.

When working with sterol esters, premixing is key, because only 0.65 mg per serving is required to make the "may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels" heart-health claim. The ingredient comes as a very viscous oil.

Omega-3s, also beneficial to heart health, would appeal to baby boomers. However, according to Kanter, there's been some research recently that shows that omega-3 oils also are important for cognitive function in children and young adults. "It would be one of a number of ingredients you might want to consider in an application such as a kid's bar," he says. "There's a lot of research around the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 in the diet. It's thought that the ratio should be at least 1:1, if not higher, of omega-3 to -6. Right now, in the Western diet, it's probably more 1:6 omega-3 to omega-6."

Incorporating omega-3 can sometimes be a challenge. "The fish oils in omega-3 are hard to mask and can affect the taste of your bar," Holliday says. "We've figured out how to get the right amount of omega-3 into products without that fishy taste -- and this is a true innovation in our industry. So, you can have a great-tasting, pure chocolate coating on your bar with enough omega-3 in it to make a package claim that still tastes great. This is what consumers are looking for: great health benefits without any sacrifice to their eating experience."

A unique source of omega-3, -6, and -9 is cranberry seeds. "Most people don't know there is also omega cran oil," says Rodger Jonas, national business development manager, P. L. Thomas, Morristown, NJ. "They make an oil that doesn't taste bad. Cranberry is high in antioxidant. You are going to notice that cranberries are going to be used for oral health care because of the antiadhesive nature of the cranberry. If microorganisms can't stick, then you can't build plaque." Also, women have long recognized cranberries role to urinary-tract infection control.

Isoflavones can enhance a female-health bar. "You would add between 10 mg and 50 mg, depending on the strength," Solomonson suggests. "If you're using a 40% isoflavone, 40% of the total soy extract is isoflavone. Depending on the formula, you'd only use 50 mg, so you would have a total of 20 mg of isoflavone."

To target an older population, manufacturers might consider an arthritis-relieving bar. "Glucosamine and chondroitin have been purported to have synergistic benefits on improving joint health," says Kanter. "They usually are used together in applications, although they've been sold as individual ingredients, as well. Most of the science suggests they work better together."

While antioxidants have universal appeal,   product designers have the potential to reach target audiences. Perhaps the best example is lycopene, which is under consideration by FDA for a health claim concerning its anticancer-promoting properties -- particularly its effectiveness in reducing prostate cancer. Jonas sees a potential groundswell of interest in creating bars containing lycopene targeted toward men.

Or, consider grape seed extract, which might draw interest to a healthy-heart product; cranberry extract, which might enhance a female-health bar; and green tea extract, which might appeal to those seeking antiaging benefits.

These types of antioxidants aren't prevalent in children's bars. "Nobody is looking at antioxidants for children, I don't think," Jonas says. "They might be, but I haven't seen it yet." It might just be a matter of time before products designed for children will target potential future health concerns.

After all, it seems like designers can do anything in the bar segment. Solomonson notes that formulators can get as sophisticated with ingredients as they wish in terms of targeting specific activity. "You can make a library of bars," he says.

Savoring the flavor The consumer might buy a bar for nutritional -- even medicinal -- purposes, but will they eat more than one? "If it doesn't taste good, it won't get purchased the second time," reminds Dott.

Consumers no longer put up with bad taste. "It used to be the case that consumers associated 'good for me' with something they had to choke down, like a pill in bar form," says Mark Freeman, vice president, industrial sales, Wilbur Chocolate, Lititz, PA, a Cargill company. "Now, there are so many excellent-tasting products with solid health claims that bar consumers expect both the nutritional benefits and the taste."

One of the secrets to creating good-tasting, nutrient-dense products is to have a masking tool in the laboratory "utensil drawer." One such innovative product is derived from licorice root. According to Peter Vora, vice president, MAFCO Worldwide Corporation, Camden, NJ, this product can mainly mask undesirable off notes resulting from soy or whey protein mixed with other minerals and nutrients. "It can provide nice, sweet undertone to the final product while enhancing the fruity flavors from natural fruits or flavors," he says. "It can be labeled as 'natural flavor.' The recommended dosage can vary depending on the formulations, but generally it can be used at 0.01% to 0.10%." It is heat stable, compatible with other flavors and available in liquid and powder forms.

In appealing to kids, Holliday says a bar must come as close to emulating a snack as possible, but with the added benefit of vitamins, minerals, lower sugar and balanced nutrition. She notes that 23% of the women her company surveyed wanted "a bar that they could feel good about eating, but that their kids could eat, too."

Finding kid-friendly, grown-up tastes might sound like a tall order, but just look at two flavor categories with universal appeal: fruit and chocolate.

Achieving vibrant flavors is paramount to creating products that will appeal to children. Numerous studies have shown they prefer sweeter foods. The candy market has demonstrated that kids like bold, even sour, flavors. Perhaps no flavor fills this bill better than those from fruit. The added advantage of fruit is that it also has Mom-appeal.

"Our research shows an amazing statistic -- 83% of women over 45 think that 'real fruit' is the most-important attribute in their bar purchases," says Holliday, noting that her company is striving to offer fruit fillings that supply a full serving of fruit in a 50-gram bar.

Mom might not view chocolate in the same nutritional light as fruit, but it's gaining a healthy persona with knowledge that it is rich in heart-healthy flavonoids. Most likely, it's her favorite indulgence. "Chocolate appeals to all age groups, though as people age they tend to shift from preferring milk chocolate to dark chocolate," says Freeman. "According to studies conducted by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association, the percentage of Americans who prefer dark chocolate to milk has risen steadily, from 15% in 1991 to 27% last year. Among Americans over 35, the preference for dark chocolate has risen to 37% and is growing rapidly as people recognize the health benefits associated with dark chocolate." The concentration of flavonoids is much higher in dark chocolate.

Chocolate has beneficial masking qualities. "The masking qualities of chocolate allow us to create products with more than 20% protein," Freeman says. "We have also done a lot of work with calcium, as well as vitamin and mineral packs, which companies like to add in coating or chips." He notes that his company has created orange coatings with vitamin C and banana coatings with added potassium. "Many nutritional components are limited because of flavor, but we work with bar makers to spread the load not only in the core but also in the coating," he says.

Mom might reach first for a lavishly coated chocolate bar, but her kids are looking less toward creamy indulgence and more for products exploding with chunky tastes.

Future routes Industry insiders are in agreement that the bars market is becoming further segmented into specific areas. "We're definitely targeting customers a lot more by age, by condition, by gender," Aimutis says.

An amazing amount of innovation exists in this market, notes Holliday, in terms of ingredient offerings, manufacturing options and marketing opportunities. "There is also a barrage of diet information given to the consumer each day that they are attempting to wade through and find products that fit their most-important health and wellness concerns," she says. "I see this as an opportunity for the bar market: to help meet those consumers' needs with specific bars and specific health benefits, whether it's weight management, energy or heart-health -- or maybe all of the above!"

Kanter sees a future in which individualized nutrition becomes more mainstream. "Bars," he says, "like other food vehicles, are going to become more individualized based on specific health and nutrition needs and wants."

New to our continent are opportunities to incorporate health and beauty. "I am most excited about the 'cosmeceutical' market that I see beginning to develop," says Holiday. "These are functional bars or drinks that contain nutritional components that help wrinkles, age spots, cellulite, etc. It is a growing market in Europe and, although still a niche in the United States, some really great innovations could happen in this area. I am also excited about a growth in bars that focus not only on physical health benefits, but also 'state of mind' ingredients, such as lavender for calming or ginkgo biloba for increased mental clarity."

The opportunities, in fact, seem boundless. "Every day we see some new development," says Chaudhari. "Even bars now are looking for skin health -- the beauty bar. Then there is a prebiotic, probiotic bar. A whole-grain, low-glycemic bar for all different segments: women, prenatal, postnatal, postmenopausal, seniors, children and teenagers. All of them they have a little different requirement. They all have segmentation."

Even the granola bar is evolving and offering heart-healthy, reduced-sugar, kid-friendly products. One day the granola bar might even become the newest beauty bar.

Cindy Hazen, a 20-year veteran of the food industry, is a freelance writer based in Memphis, TN. She can be reached at [email protected] .

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