Improve Flavor & Mouthfeel in Upcycled Foods & Beverage with Butter Buds®

The idea of doing more with less and utilizing every last bit of food is nothing new, but the latest interpretation of “upcycled foods” was formally defined by the Upcycled Food Association in 2020 as, “Upcycled foods use ingredients that otherwise would not have gone to human consumption, are procured and produced using verifiable supply chains, and have a positive impact on the environment.”

The idea is simple, but the formulation, processing and ingredient expertise needed to create upcycled products that delight consumers can be a barrier. Upcycled foods can at times be associated with off-flavors and interesting, not-so-desirable textures.

Despite these challenges, sustainable, upcycled products are what consumers want. With 39% of consumers stating that the health of the planet is their number one global concern,¹ sustainable food markets are growing. The global upcycled food products market size was valued at $53.7 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach $97 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2022 to 2031.² It’s up to food & beverage brands to embrace the opportunities in this growing market and develop formulations these consumers will love.

Butter Buds®: The Answer to Flavor Masking

Upcycled foods and beverages are often formulated with ingredients, such as Butter Buds^® concentrates, that can help improve texture, mouthfeel and taste, and mask off-flavors that can occur.

Butter Buds is leading the way in concentrated dairy and non-dairy ingredients and flavors, unlocking the full potential of real butter, cheese and other fats to create flavorful concentrates. We offer a wide range of great tastes made from great ingredients, with clean label, organic and allergen-free options—plus functional benefits.

Benefits of Butter Buds^® ingredients that serve upcycled foods include:

• Mask Off-Flavors: Even at low application levels, Butter Buds^® can effectively mask undesirable off-flavors

• Round Out Harsh Notes: Butter Buds^® concentrated flavors round out harsh notes from pepper and other spices without altering the desired flavor profile

Upcycling in the Wild: Real-World Examples

Manufacturers in the upcycled food and beverage category are incredibly innovative and are constantly thinking up new solutions for leftover ingredients and byproducts with unique flavor offerings.

Here’s a handful of exciting upcycling techniques that can inspire further innovations:

• Sweet potato flour—made from misshapen, unfit-for-grocery-shelves sweet potatoes—can be extruded into crunchy, puffy snacks.

• Misshapen, undesirable fruits—including apples, melons, berries and more—can be dried and used for a variety of applications.

• Harvest byproducts such as corn cobs, oat hulls and wheat straw can be ground into flour, some with the potential to be lower calorie and higher in fiber than traditional wheat flour.

• Okara flour is traditional flour alternative growing in popularity; it’s made from the pulp of soybeans left over from soymilk production.

Made Better with the Butter Buds® Portfolio

As sustainability continues to be top of mind for many consumers, upcycled foods will continue to grow in popularity. Formulate the best upcycled foods with Butter Buds^®, ideal for achieving the best possible taste, texture and mouthfeel in a range of applications.

Explore the Butter Buds^® portfolio and learn more about our products’ functional benefits on our website.

Sources:

¹ Innova Market Insights, Food Waste Trends: Pushing Packaging Innovation

² Allied Market Research, Upcycled food products Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report, by Type, By Source, By Distribution Channel : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031, March 2023