Dalziel Ingredients is targeting the flexitarian market by serving up new flavour concepts for food manufacturers looking to develop healthier food choices.

The UK specialist in bespoke seasoning blends, cures and functional ingredients has seen a sharp rise in demand from processors for healthier plant-based options, as more consumers adopt a flexitarian diet.

Examples introduced by Dalziel Ingredients include pork mushroom, lentil and spinach sausages; curried pork meatballs packed with cauliflower and chickpeas, and beef chilli con carne burgers packed with kidney beans and mixed peppers.

“These are just a few concepts that may appeal to customers who are seeking to reduce their meat intake without compromising on their mealtime favourites,” explained Denise McGrahan, NPD Marketing Coordinator at Dalziel Ingredients.

She said: “The flexitarian trend for a more vegetable based diet with less meat is creating huge demand for more creative and unusual flavour ideas as well as functional ingredients.

“Food manufacturers are increasingly asking us to develop new flexitarian products in their ranges, particularly for sausages, meatballs and beef mince products.

“We can create any flavour, but the skill is to include it in meat without losing the integrity of the product.

“And our functional ingredients, like citrus and vegetable fibres, help bind the products together, and that further contributes to the vegetable content.”

 It’s reflection of the company’s approach to pushing boundaries with new techniques and products, added Dalziel Ingredients’ Sales Director Richard Wilson.

“We can help manufacturers look for interesting ways to add healthier options to their menus.  At our state-of-the-art development centre, we focus on taking ideas and delivering appealing, commercially viable end-products.”

All Dalziel Ingredients’ products – seasonings, complete mixes, rubs, glazes, functional blends, batters, crumbs, snack seasonings, cures and brines – can be developed as gluten free, and existing products can re reformulated to be gluten free.

Dalziel Ingredients’ product development team advises food manufacturers on new flavour concepts and trends, market analysis, factory processes, recipe formulations and product quality enhancements.

Functionality, appearance and flavour are all important trademarks of the Dalziel Group, which has a heritage as a market leading, family owned food service specialist going back nearly 90 years.

For more information, contact Dalziel Ingredients on 0191 469 3078