A growing focus on metabolic health is creating new opportunities for bakery manufacturers, new research has identified.
In a report titled Future-Proofing Nutrition, ingredients supplier Tate & Lyle said that consumers, retailers, and policymakers are increasingly looking beyond sugar reduction towards broader measures of metabolic wellbeing.
The report explores how advances in nutrition science, changing consumer expectations, and evolving regulation are reshaping product development strategies across the food and beverage industry. A growing awareness of the relationship between diet, blood glucose management, and long-term health outcomes was among the points highlighted.
According to 2024 figures from the World Obesity Federation, more than half of the world’s population is projected to be living with overweight or obesity by 2035, while 530m adults globally are already living with type 2 diabetes. At the same time, consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the impact food choices can have on blood glucose levels, with 65% of European consumers recognising that sugary foods can contribute to unhealthy blood sugar spikes.
Manufacturers are also facing increasing pressure to improve nutritional profiles in response to measures such as High in Fat, Sugar, or Salt (HFSS) restrictions and sugar reduction initiatives, while striving to deliver the taste, texture, and eating experience consumers expect. The report argues that addressing these challenges requires a broader approach to reformulation, with greater focus on nutrients and ingredients that can support healthier dietary patterns.
Soluble fibre is one of the key ingredients discussed. As well as helping increase fibre intake, it can support sugar reduction strategies and help moderate post-meal blood glucose responses, which Tate & Lyle notes makes it an increasingly important consideration in healthier NPD, particularly those aimed at closing the fibre gap in UK diets.
The ingredients supplier gave three case studies of new bakery items reformulated using its Promitor Soluble Fibre solution to reduce sugar and increase fibre content. This included an apricot and oat cereal bar, which achieved 60% less sugar than similar European market products whilst offering 6.1g of fibre per serving. It also created an apple, oat and cinnamon cake bar (30% less sugar, 6g fibre per serving), and orange and bergamot biscuits (30% less sugar, high in fibre).
“Reformulation is no longer just about reducing sugar”
“Our understanding of metabolic health has evolved significantly in recent years,” commented Dr Pippa Gibson, nutrition business partner EMEA at Tate & Lyle. “Rather than focusing on single nutrients in isolation, there is growing recognition of how overall dietary patterns can support long-term health, including healthier blood glucose responses and increased fibre intake.
Dr Gibson asserted how this presents an important opportunity for food and beverage manufacturers. “Reformulation is no longer just about reducing sugar. It is about creating products with improved nutritional profiles that continue to deliver the taste and texture consumers expect,” she said.
“Soluble fibre has an important role to play because it can help manufacturers address several nutritional priorities at once. By supporting fibre enrichment, enabling sugar reduction and helping to moderate post-meal blood glucose responses, it offers a practical way to develop products that better align with evolving consumer needs and public health priorities,” Dr Gibson added.
Meanwhile, M&S is pushing the government to change labelling rules around fibre health claims to allow for clearer, everyday language. It says that on-pack messaging restricted to phrases such as “barley grain fibre contributes to an increase in faecal bulk” or “wheat bran fibre contributes to an accelerated intestinal transit time” make it harder for retailers to talk to customers clearly about the UK’s fibre gap.
Tate & Lyle also recently created a new screening tool to improve the quality and speed of gut-health product development for the food, beverage, and supplement industries, including bakery.
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