New groups of consumers with strong purchasing power are increasing the demand for sustainable, climate-friendly ingredients that improve the food itself and increase its shelf life. Working group recommends greater input from DTU.
The global population continues to grow, the middle class is expanding, and ever more people are moving from rural to urban areas. On account of the current trends and tendencies, the demand for ingredients is on the rise—partly because foods increasingly have to stay fresh for longer. At the same time, there is a growing demand for healthier foods and for improved utilization of resources. Research, education, and innovation are all essential in making the most of the new growth opportunities.
These are some of the findings of a new sector development report on ingredients that DTU has recently published. The report has been prepared on the basis of a number of interviews with ingredients companies, as well as input from The Danish Food and Drink Federation (DI Fødevarer) and the Danish Agriculture & Food Council.
“Consumers are becoming more and more demanding. They want healthy, tasty food that looks good and should ideally stay fresh for several days,” explains Professor Anne S. Meyer from DTU Chemical Engineering, one of the researchers who worked on the report.
Eco-friendly and natural
“We are seeing a trend whereby food is to contribute to ensuring a long, healthy life. People don’t want more E-numbers and unnatural colourings. They want food that is eco-friendly, future-oriented, sustainable and natural. This means that the ingredients, too, must be as close to their natural form as possible. This applies both to standard foods such as bread and yoghurt, and to ready meals.”
"DTU has a long tradition for researching in the fields of biotechnology and process technology with an innovative slant."
Professor Egon Bech Hansen, DTU Food
In all, Danish companies account for 15 per cent of the global market for ingredients. And the global market continues to grow. It is therefore important that companies work constantly to renew products and processes to keep step with consumers’ needs. This, in turn, demands elevated focus on innovation, which must be firmly rooted in research and development. At the same time, it is essential to train skilled employees for this branch of the industry.
Quality and recruitment
The report recommends that DTU adopt a clearer strategy in the context of ingredients. This is necessary to present a sharper profile and to coordinate DTU’s initiatives in the area. In order to support the strategy, the report recommends creating a new unit—DTU Ingredients—as well as a more closely targeted study programme, where students interested in the field of ingredients can equip themselves with relevant competences.
“DTU has a long tradition for researching in the fields of biotechnology and process technology with an innovative slant. We are continuing to build on this tradition. A number of our departments are conducting research in the field of ingredients today,” relates Professor Egon Bech Hansen from DTU Food, one of the authors of the report.
“Through the establishment of DTU Ingredients, we are consolidating our activities with a view to ensuring higher quality, better recruitment, higher visibility, and an international outlook— thereby laying the foundations for attracting the best researchers and students.”
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Louise Xu Brand is taking the second year of her MSc Eng programme in Food Technology. At the moment, she is following the course entitled Integrated product development in the food industry.
What does this course involve?
“The objective of the course is to develop a food product that isn’t currently to be found on supermarket shelves. We’re working to produce a drinking yoghurt made from camel milk, with fermentation cultures from Chr. Hansen and corn starch and pectin from CP Kelco. As camel milk does not behave the same way or taste the same as cow milk, we’ve spent a fair amount of time experimenting our way to the end product.”
What makes it exciting to work with ingredients?
“Ingredients are particularly exciting because they can add so many new sensory properties to a food. Ingredients can create new tastes or textures.”
How do you work innovatively with ingredients?
“By thinking outside the box. As I see it, innovation has to do with combining ingredients made using sustainable resources, for example, that can add a pleasant new taste experience, a new consistency, or simply a sense of amazement—like Restaurant Noma’s edible plant pot with herb creme soil and radishes.”
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