Vegetable oils and fats supplier AAK, has released AKOSPREAD, a range of fats for chocolate and nut-based spread applications. The new range of fats is touted as offering improved stability in formulations, spreadability, visual appeal, texture and flavor. “When used in chocolate and nut spreads, AKOSPREAD delivers stability throughout the shelf life of the product – even in high nut content recipes, which are prone to oil separation,” the company says.

“A typical spread has a combination of fine solid particles that are between a high amount of liquid oil so you need a specialty fats that prevents the oil from separation (prevent the solid particles to go on the bottom of the jar and have a layer of oil on top),” Marco Oomen, Global Business Director, Chocolate & Confectionery Fats, Business Development & Marketing for AAK, tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

“For example when you have a high content of nut in the recipe you also need a high content of oil which makes it more likely to get oil separation. With our AKOSPREAD range we can help our customers to tailormade their recipe even with a high content of nuts to prevent oil separation and get an appealing appearance,” he adds.

A selecion of AKOSPREAD solutions are available, tailored for different applications, as follows:

Spreads with a high percentage of nuts.

Products sold in warmer climates, wher stability is a greater issue.

Applications that are high in liquid oil.

Spreads made with blends of non-hydrogenated, non-trans, and low-saturated fats for clean label appeal.

Spreads based on shea oil for palm oil-free labels

“The sweet spreads category is benefiting from growing awareness of the favorable health effects associated with the consumption of nuts. In particular, spreads that are high in protein and unsaturated fats satisfy consumer perceptions of a healthier snack,” notes Marco Oomen, AAK’s Global Business Director for Chocolate & Confectionery Fats. 

According to a 2019 AAK Global Consumer Survey, dipping biscuits or baked goods into spreads or eating spreads straight from the jar with a spoon, is becoming more popular among consumers.

“AKOSPREAD will enable companies to overcome the formulation and manufacturing challenges associated with sweet spreads to deliver high-quality products that align with this market trend,” Oomen says. 

“It does not affect the flavor as the whole AKOSPREAD line is non-flavored,” he adds. “The AKOSPREAD range is mainly used for spreads, but we see also some customers using it for fillings.

Headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, AAK has wide expertise in lipid technology within foods and special nutrition applications. In addition, its range of raw materials and broad process capabilities, enable AAK to develop innovative and value-adding solutions across many industries such as Chocolate & Confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Special Nutrition, Foodservice and Personal Care. 

In the same space, a study released last month revealed the physics behind the process responsible for creating chocolate’s distinctive smooth texture. A team led by the University of Edinburgh studied mixtures resembling liquid chocolate created using the process, known as conching, which was developed by Swiss confectioner Rodolphe Lindt in 1879. The findings may hold the key to producing confectionery with lower fat content and could even help make chocolate manufacturing become more energy efficient.