The fast-growing trend of healthful snacking is expected to fuel many varied innovations in the category, according to Fortune Business Insights. The market research firm predicts the global extruded snacks market to have a compound annual growth rate of 5.6%, reaching $91.8 billion by 2032. 

All types of better-for-you ingredients are finding their way into extruded snacks, including sustainably sourced plant-based ingredients that provide protein, healthful fats and fiber. The 2024 Food & Health Survey from the International Food & Information Council (IFIC) showed that American interest in consuming more protein — the most sought out nutrient in today’s marketplace — continues to rise: 59% in 2022, 67% in 2023 and 71% in 2024. As a result, they are seeking unique ways to get protein, and snacks are one of them. 

“The use of plant proteins in extruded snacks is a growing trend, fueled by consumer demand for healthier, more sustainable and protein-rich alternatives [to animal protein],” said Amr Shaheed, technical services manager, food applications, Innophos. “This trend aligns with the increasing popularity of plant-based diets, especially among flexitarians and vegans, as well as GLP-1 users who are seeking nutrient-dense foods.”

Snacks with punch

Extruded snacks provide a canvas for all types of toppings, including a variety of colors, flavors and crunchy bits. Companies such as CII Foods offer crisps that may be added to the extrudate for an extra dimension of texture. The company has also recently started manufacturing plant-based protein puffs for marketers to use as a base for snack innovation. 

“Hand-to-mouth snack items are a growing area,” said Scott Cowger, vice president and national sales manager at CII Foods. “Utilizing either flours or concentrates for the plant source is a great way to provide greater-tasting products. Fiber content and the ability to use multiple plant sources is a unique opportunity for the plant-protein space.”

Hippeas, New York, features chickpeas as the first ingredient on its namesake puffs. A 1-oz serving provides 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. The company recently launched Churro and Mexican Street Corn flavors — showcasing the versatility of chickpeas as sweet or savory.

Green peas are the key ingredient in new baked Veggie Crunch Chips from Kibo Foods, Austin, Texas. The puffed snacks come in bite-sized three-dimensional triangular shapes in three varieties: Hot Chipotle, Sea Salt and Sour Cream & Onion. One serving provides 110 calories and 7 grams of plant-based protein.

Fairfield, Calif.-based Calbee America Inc. also makes green peas the star of Harvest Snaps Snack Crisps. Green peas are milled whole in-house for maximum nutrition. The extruded snack manufacturing process is conducive to fortification and enrichment, but there are challenges. A slurry — the extrudate — containing all the ingredients to make the puff is forced through equipment that applies heat, pressure and shear through a die. The end result is an airy, puffy and crunchy sweet or savory finger food.

“Driven by the demand for healthier, sustainable options, plant proteins are bringing nutritional benefits to extruded snacks,” said Michael Valenti, manager, global innovation business lead for protein fortification, Ingredion Inc. “Understanding how each ingredient functions can help mitigate challenges and help brands get to market faster.”

Sounds easy? In theory, it is. However, the more ingredients, the more challenging. Proteins, in particular, can be difficult to handle in the extrusion process.

“Traditional extruded snacks are mostly starch-based with the starch coming from corn, rice, wheat or potato,” said Luping Ning, design manager, bars, confectionery, fruits and cereals, IFF. “Incorporating plant proteins often results in reduced expansion during extrusion, which increases density.”

The snacks’ dense texture can get stuck in teeth. And visually, increased density makes the extrudate darker, appearing less vibrant. Plant proteins may also negatively impact the taste profile of extruded snacks. 

“Extrudates with high amounts of protein can be difficult to extrude, which results in less expansion,” said Carter Foss, technical sales director, American Key Food Products (AKFP). “Pairing the protein with starch or flour that is known to have excellent expansion attributes will help achieve the desired finished product.”

This article is an excerpt from the November 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Plant-based Protein, click here.