Inclusions such as nuts, fruits, and chocolate can add another layer of flavor, texture, and color to snack and bakery products. With consumers seeking an increasingly wide range of health-related attributes in the foods they eat (organic, dairy free, reduced or no added sugar, etc.), ingredients suppliers are offering a broadening range of inclusions to choose from.

Inclusion innovations

Global Organics recently introduced an organic dairy-free caramel flake that works well in snack and bakery products as a topping to add crunchiness and burnt caramel notes.

“The product is made from only organic burnt sugar; it is classified as caramel 1 (prepared by the controlled heat treatment of carbohydrates with or without alkali or acid; no ammonium or sulfite compounds are added. This is considered the cleaner version of caramel), and compliant with California’s Prop 65 standards. It’s NOP (National Organic Program) and EU (European Union) certifications ensure it meets the highest standards for clean label,” according to Priscila Guerrero, business development specialist, LATAM, Global Organics. The flakes are available in 2- to 5-mm sizes and should be applied at the end of the heating process. The flakes reportedly work best in cereal bars, cookies, chocolate candies, and praline and chocolate bars.

Due to the reported success of the Icon Foods Shellbe candy line of no sugar-added candy-coated lentils, the company is in the process of expanding their panned inclusions and confectionary ingredients. “We find that panning is an open opportunity because of the lack of clean label, no added sugar panned inclusions, toppings and treats,” explains Thom King, chief innovation officer, Icon Foods. “Consumer demand is skyrocketing for clean-label sugar reduction in snacks and baked goods. Panned inclusions are a game-changer—they retain their shape and form, and add vibrant color, pizazz, and texture while adding flavor and sweetness.”

Icon Foods currently offers peanut, dark chocolate, and white chocolate Shellbe candies. In Q1 2025, the company will be launching a no-added sugar, candy-coated, peanut butter-flavored lentil similar to Reece’s Pieces candies. The products can be used as a topping on baked goods like cookies and brownies. The company also launched a new addition to their SweetBitz line, Dark Chocolate High Protein Chips. These no-sugar chips melt and bake like conventional chocolate chips. With added whey protein the chips contribute 18 g of protein per 100 g. The product can be used in trail mixes, baked goods, and edible cookie doughs.

With consumers seeking products with natural sweetness and lower total sugar, Taura by IFF has recently developed sugar-reduced fruit pieces. These sugar-reduced fruit pieces provide natural fruit content and sweetness while reducing the overall sugar content in the final product. “These innovative fruit pieces create sweet spots in sugar-reduced applications, delivering an intense release of sweetness when chewed and a lingering aftertaste that gives the whole product a sweeter perception,” states Claire Piddington, product marketer, TAURA by IFF. The product line offers a vibrant variety of fruits and blends including luscious berries, exotic tropical fruits like passionfruit and mango, and zesty orange. Piddington describes the key benefits of these products.

• Flavor: enhanced natural fruit flavor without the need for additional sweeteners
• Nutrition: lower total sugar content while maintaining the nutritional benefits of fruit
• Functionality: improved flexibility in recipe development, eliminates the issue of inconsistent fruit quality, seasonal availability, and extra processing steps, and allows bakery and snack manufacturers the ability to create healthier products without compromising on taste or texture
• These products can be used in baked goods, cookies, nutritional bars, and breakfast cereals.

Glanbia Nutritionals has recently introduced EdiSparklz, a colorful edible glitter inclusion that comes in a wide range of colors and sizes. Elizabeth Scott, product strategy manager, film, and glitter, Glanbia Nutritionals, says, “They are 100% edible and certified kosher. They will not burn, melt, or sink to the bottom of a pan, making them ideal for applications in which traditional sprinkles or other inclusion do not perform. EdiSparklz provide a new type of color ‘pop’ that helps the product stand out on the shelves.”

New experiences

Global Organics organic, fairtrade chocolate chips, chunks, and couvertures are said to offer control over texture and melt behavior in baked goods. Linnea Halter, marketing coordinator, Global Organics, explains, “Larger chunks (1K and 2K), create pockets of molten chocolate, for example in cookies and brownies; larger chunks create gooey centers, while smaller chips (4k and 9k) add a crunchy bite and ensure an even distribution of chocolate flavor. The size of the chocolate inclusions also affects cookie spread during baking, with larger chunks leading to thicker, chewier cookies and smaller chips providing a more uniform spread and consistent flavor.”

Global Organics also offers organic, low-melt chocolate chunks. These products are geared toward high-end or artisanal bakery products, enhancing the overall sensory experience. Halter explains the benefits, “In a high-moisture cookie, such as fudgy double chocolate cookie, low-melt chocolate chunks can be strategically used to enhance both flavor and texture. Due to their low melting point, these chunks begin to melt at lower temperature during baking, allowing them to partially liquefy while still maintaining their structure,” Halter states. “This results in pockets of molten chocolate within the cookie that create a rich, gooey texture, intensifying the chocolate flavor with every bite.”

Cargill offers a line of real chocolate drops and irregular-cut chunks to compound inclusions available in a range of flavors and colors. In addition, their portfolio also includes butterscotch, cinnamon, and peanut butter-flavored chips. Wendy Osborn, category manager, indulgence, Cargill, describes these products:

• Butterscotch-flavored compound chips pair well with many baked goods. They can be used alone in a decadent banana bread or paired with chocolate and peanut butter chips for an over-the-top monster cookie creation. The product has a flavor profile that brings together a mix of cooked milk, cream, butter, brown sugar, rum, and vanilla notes
• Cinnamon-flavored chips can be added to scones to create a cinnamon chip pull-apart bread or dress up a snickerdoodle cookie. Along with sweet cinnamon flavors, these chips offer hints of brown sugar, spice, maple syrup, and vanilla

Including nuts

Ofi has a range of nuts (including almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, and macadamia, and pistachios) that come in a variety of roasts and formats. Tatiana Dupin, senior food scientist, and engineer, ofi, reports, “We’re seeing classic combinations like nuts and chocolate evolve to include extra flavor notes like salt or spice, in applications such as bars with hot honey-coated hazelnuts. Caramelization is also bringing an upgrade to nut inclusions. Our caramelized pistachio pieces and cashew pieces can bring a delicious toasty sweet taste to chocolate and have an added bonus: the sugar layer can help prevent fat bloom, caused by the natural oils in nuts migrating into the chocolate.”

According to the California Walnut Board and Commission, walnuts are the oldest tree nut known to man, with a rich history dating back to 7000 B.C. Jennifer Olmstead, senior director of U.S. marketing and communication, California Walnut Board and Commission, describes some of the benefits of walnuts:

• Walnuts offer multiple nutrition benefits such as being the only tree nut that is an excellent source of essential alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
• Walnuts impart a sensory-pleasing texture to every formula. The texture of walnuts in baked goods vary depending on how they are used and prepared. Here are a few examples:
  • Chopped walnuts add crunch and texture. The smaller the walnut pieces the more evenly they will be distributed throughout the baked good.
  • Toasting can enhance the flavor and texture of walnuts before adding them to baked goods. Toasting brings out the natural oils and adds a deeper, nuttier flavor and has a crisper texture.
  • Ground walnuts can add moisture and a slightly dense, crumbly texture to baked goods. They work well in pie crusts and coffee cakes

Holly Adrian, senior marketing manager, Sensient Natural Ingredients, is noticing renewed interest in the company’s line of fire-roasted, toasted, and smoked ingredients (such as peppers, onions, and other vegetables) for use in rustic breads, muffins, crackers, savory bars, and other snacks and baked items.

“These low-moisture inclusions offer greater versatility to blend with other ingredients as inclusions or topical enhancements, are more efficient, have longer shelf life, and are safer to handle than their fresh or IQF counterparts,” Adrian remarks. “Sensient fire roasts its own ingredients in small batches over an open flame. The demand for varietal chilies, ancho, guajillo, pasilla, etc. is exploding so expect to see Sensient expanding its fire-roasted and smoked chili lines soon to include varietals.”

Adrian shares examples of where these fire-roasted ingredients can be used in snack and bakery applications.

• Savory Panettone Muffins with Roasted Vegetables and Asiago: a smaller twist on the large Italian panettones, this portable version features an eggy muffin with a blend of dry fire-roasted vegetable inclusions, such as onion, garlic, and red and green bell peppers
• Cracker and Rolls with a Signature Blend of Artisanal Onions: dried pieces of smoked onion, toasted onion, and fire-roasted onion, each with their own unique flavor profile when baked into crackers or rolls, or used to create rustic breads and crackers