Since Guangdong Zhuang’s Sesame Milk became popular, black sesame, a traditional ingredient, has also ushered in a new life in the Chinese baking industry. By 2025, the scale of China’s baking market has reached RMB 100 billion, and the combination with the concept of the same origin of medicinal food is opening up new growth space for it.
Black Sesame Milk
Nowadays, black sesame has changed from a limited flavour to a ‘star ingredient’ in daily baking. From the continuous popularity of black sesame cakes and bread, to the ‘Chinese medicine pharmacy style’ baking on social networks, it is no longer just a food from past memories, but has gained a popular role in baking innovation with both health and flavour.
How black sesame turned hot
It is no coincidence that black sesame is popular in the baking industry. Under the joint embrace of all circles of society, black sesame has gradually risen from the corner of the supermarket shelves to the C position of the bakery shops. In 2025, the scale of China’s ‘food as medicine’ market has exceeded RMB 370 billion, and the valuation of the whole industry chain will exceed RMB 2 trillion.
This trend has directly promoted the upgrading of the entire black sesame industry. In recent years, the National Health Commission has accelerated the expansion of the ‘food as medicine’ catalogue, which now covers 106 kinds of food substances. In 2025, the government proposed to simplify the identification process and shorten the cycle to inject new momentum into the development of the industry.
Black Sesame Pastry
The transformation of consumer demand is equally crucial. The data of Internet platforms like Meituan and Xiaohongshu confirm this trend: 72% of the post-90s generation have replaced traditional health care products with functional snacks, and the number of readings on the topic of ‘health snacks’ on Xiaohongshu has exceeded 800 million.
Young consumers have shown a strong interest in the modern expression of traditional health wisdom, transforming black sesame from a simple ‘food for the elderly’ to a synonym for fashion and health.
The transformation of black sesame, which traditionally exists in the form of paste, has experienced a texture leap from liquid to solid in modern baking.
Innovative applications such as black sesame thousand-layer cake, black sesame rock sauce, black sesame sweet potato, black sesame raw filling, etc. have emerged one after another.
The leap of aesthetic style also adds bricks to the popularity of black sesame. The natural dark gray colour of black sesame perfectly fits the ‘new Chinese aesthetics’ and ‘minimal industrial style’. In boutique bakeries in New York and London, black sesame is often combined with miso and sea salt to form a visual style called ‘Charcoal Aesthetic’.
Charcoal Aesthetic is an emerging design and marketing concept in contemporary consumer culture, especially in the fields of baking and beverages. It does not refer to the artistic creation using charcoal pens, but refers to a visual style and product aesthetics with deep, high-grade black or charcoal gray as the core, emphasising natural, rustic, textured and mysterious.
For example, Onion, a Korean Internet celebrity bakery, specialises in looking for old houses with a sense of age. The cement decoration style is popular with young consumers.
The research of the Institute of Oil Crops of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences reveals the scientific basis of black sesame flavour: sesame food contains 187 flavour compounds with aroma contributions, and its rich aroma and unique taste are addictive.
At present, a variety of black sesame hot products have emerged on the market:
Holiland Black Sesame Five Black Crisps triggered a rush to buy as soon as it was launched.
Master Nanyang’s black sesame chicken cake has become a popular new product, and some stores have sold more than 100 copies in a week.
Five black mulberry buns developed by Fu’e Baking (Chongqing), black sesame + black beans + black rice stir-fried and ground flour, add dough with whole wheat flour, fragrant!
In the tea industry, this ‘black whirlwind’ is equally strong. Luckin Coffee launched the winter solstice limited ‘five black’ latte, Chabaidao upgraded the classic version of soy milk to the black sesame soy milk, and M Stand (a coffee chain) simultaneously launched Black Sesame Milk and black Sesame Cheesecake.
Heaven Chosen Material
The reason why black sesame could become a ‘chosen material’ lies in the perfect superposition of its triple attributes, which together constitute its irreplaceable competitive advantage in the current market environment.
Nanyang’s Black Sesame Chicken Cake
The obsession of ‘anti-hair loss’ engraved in the DNA of Chinese people: In the oriental context, black sesame has a strong association with ‘black hair, kidney tonic’. According to research data, the subconscious driving force of 85% of Generation Z consumers buying black sesame products is anxiety over hair loss. It is this profound cultural psychology that significantly reduces the brand’s market education cost.
And compared with white sesame, the nutritional performance of black sesame is more convincing. Its calcium content is about 7 – 8 times that of milk. At the same time, it is rich in melanin and lignin, which has strong antioxidant properties.
Black sesame also has the characteristics of ‘scent without grabbing space’. It can be perfectly compatible with the bitterness of matcha, the mellowness of chocolate, and the sweetness of sweet potato, and its high oil content can naturally improve the moisture and aroma thickness of baked goods. A study by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences shows that natural polyphenols in sesame seeds can enhance the stability of food flavour, which is very important for processing and storage.
Black sesame is more than black
The next step of black sesame baking will be internationalisation, which has begun to emerge in China and global markets.
The trend towards globalisation is obvious. Black sesame is becoming the ‘new matcha’ in the coffee chain business. In 2025, the overall demand for ‘black sesame’ in the United States increased by nearly 30% year-on-year, the highest in history. In Seoul and Tokyo, black sesame latte has become a resident variety of cafes, while in the United States, there are many coffee shops serving ‘black sesame latte’, which has the momentum to catch up with ‘matcha latte’.
Honeymoon Dessert (Manji tianpin) launched a black sesame milk early 2026
The continuous increase in recognition of domestic baking ingredients among Chinese consumers has also created favourable conditions for local black sesame products. According to the survey, 56.2% of consumers believe that domestic raw materials ‘can replace’ or ‘completely replace’ imported raw materials in most cases.
The global sesame market was expected to reach USD 12.511 billion in 2025 and grow to USD 15.832 billion in 2032. Black sesame is expected to become a new generation of popular flavours in 2026, becoming a regular in desserts, drinks and health topics.
The 22nd Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology was held in Guangzhou October 2025. Through conference reports, special seminars, display of achievements, theses, other forms, this annual conference promoted the cross-integration of food science, accelerated the transformation and application of scientific and technological innovation achievements, built a high-quality food science and technology talent echelon, strengthened the integration and innovation of science and technology and industry for the food industry.
The remainder of this item provides summaries of the various forums and seminars of the Conference.
Hot Issues Forum:
The 2025 Food Science Frontier Hot Issues Forum focussed on the most forward-looking research direction in the field of food science. From new resource mining, nanobiology, precise nutrition, immune regulation, digital intelligence to intelligent materials, it presents a high-density and high-quality ideological collision, clearly outlining the cross-integration of food science. The way to break through with innovation.
Professor Mao Xiangchao, dean of the School of Food Science and Engineering of Ocean University of China, introduced the great development potential of marine carbohydrates, as well as the team’s discovery, functional analysis and high-value utilisation of new marine polysaccharide structures such as duckweed starch and microalgae starch in the report of new carbohydrate resources. Breakthrough research progress has been made in terms of use, pointing out that the need for resources from the ocean is one of the key paths to meet the challenges of sustainable food supply in the future.
Professor Fang Yapeng, dean of the School of Health Science and Engineering of Shanghai University of Technology, brought a report entitled “Intracellular Biological Effects of Food-based Nanoparticles”. Through the close intersection of food science with nanobiology and cell biology, we explore the interaction mechanism between natural food-genic nanoparticles such as lipids, starch and proteins and cells. He emphasised that paying attention to the biological effects of food nanoscale is of milestone significance for a comprehensive understanding of the deep mechanism and safety assessment of the health effects of food components.
Professor Chen Hongbing of the Sino-German Joint Research Institute of Nanchang University focusses on the increasingly serious global food allergy problem and shares the latest research results of “the immune regulation role of active polysaccharides in the prevention and treatment of food allergies”. Chen Hongbing’s team discovered and verified the specific structure of polysaccharides, such as sea cucumber polysaccharide, aloe vera polysaccharide, etc., by regulating the intestinal flora-immune axis, reshaping the Th1/Th2 balance and inducing Treg cells, thus effectively alleviating food allergy reactions. This study provides a new theoretical basis and practical strategy for the development of natural immunomodulators based on dietary polysaccharides and the realisation of nutritional intervention for food allergies.
Professor Xu Yong, director of the Oil and Plant Protein Research Centre of the School of Food of Jiangnan University, looked forward to the “development and challenges of digital intelligence of oils and fats in the future”. Driven by big data, artificial intelligence and advanced sensor technology, grease from molecular design, precision processing, customised nutrition to intelligent control of the whole industry chain is the key to solving the core challenges of efficiency, sustainability and personalised needs faced by the oil industry.
The report of Professor Guo Zhiming of the School of Food and Biological Engineering of Jiangsu University, “Research Progress on Intelligent Packaging Indication of Fruit and Vegetable Multifunctional Response Nanomaterials”, introduced the intelligent nanomaterials developed by the team that can produce sensitive colour or signal response to specific gases, temperature or microbial changes released during the corruption of fruits and vegetables. These “intelligent packaging” can monitor the freshness of food in real time and without damage, greatly improving the safety of food quality and security and the intelligence level of the supply chain.
Professor Tian Jinhu, vice dean of the Central Plains Research Institute of Zhejiang University, shared the “structural design and application research of pH-responsive EGCG-metal self-assembly ‘phenol cage’ as a long-term delivery carrier of insulin”. The study uses the self-assembly behaviour of EGCG and metal ions to construct a nanocarrier with a “cage-like” structure, which can effectively envelop insulin and intelligently release it in a specific pH environment, providing potential new materials for oral long-acting drug administration in patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes.
Professor Sun Na’s report of the School of Food of Dalian University of Technology “Research on the Risk Assessment and Blocking of Cell Cultured Fish Sensitisation” confronts the potential risks and safety problems in this emerging field and explores effective strategies for cultivating fish sensitisation through processing technology or formulas to adjust the sensitisation of blocking cells.
Jia Longgang, a young teacher of the School of Food Science and Engineering of Tianjin University of Science and Technology, reported “From the atmosphere to the intestine: a two-way pathway for PM2.5 aggravation and probiotics to relieve neurodegenerative diseases”, revealing PM2.5 by building a complete pathway from environmental exposure to intestinal flora disorder and then to central nerve inflammation. How to “enter the brain” to aggravate neurodegenerative lesions, and it has been verified that specific probiotics can effectively inhibit this negative pathway by repairing the intestinal barrier and regulating flora metabolites. This research combines environmental science, neuroscience and food microbiology to open up a new perspective for nutrition intervention in environmental-related diseases.
New Quality Protein Innovation and Development Forum:
The New Protein Innovation and Development Forum, hosted by the Professional Committee of New Proteins of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology, gathered experts and scholars from universities, scientific research institutions and business circles across the country to carry out in-depth discussions on the technical path, health effects, risk assessment and industrial application of new proteins. At the meeting, Professor Chen Jian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, vice president of the Society, and director of the Professional Committee of New Mass Protein, released the “Top Ten Technical Problems of New Mass Protein in 2025”, specifically including: green and efficient extraction technology of low-denatured plant protein; improvement of the multi-dimensional structure of neoplasm protein mimic meat and juice sensitivity simulation; cell culture The creation of long-term transmission of muscle cells in meat cultivation; the construction of a large-scale serum-free culture system for cell cultivation meat; the construction of microbial fermentation bacteria protein high-efficiency cell factory; the design of protein biological manufacturing reactor and the intelligentisation of high-density fermentation process control; the precise design of yeast chassis cells for high-efficiency expression of functional proteins; edible Integrated technology of low-carbon processing and automated solid-state fermentation equipment of bacterial protein; optimisation of yeast protein processing adaptability and multi-scenario application development; enrichment and quality-enhancing and efficiency utilisation of Venetian sickle protein.
Professor Li Zhaofeng, vice president of Jiangnan University, gave a systematic introduction to the above problems. He pointed out that these topics are not only the bottlenecks of current scientific research, but also the key to whether new proteins can be industrialised and go to the mass table in the future.
The forum set up a number of special reports on the top ten technical problems, from intelligent manufacturing, health assessment to resource development, and introduced the progress in the field of new protein research in many aspects.
In terms of intelligent manufacturing and equipment technology, Professor Liu Donghong of Zhejiang University discussed the intelligent manufacturing path of new mass proteins and shared the three-dimensional culture and moulding technology and equipment of cell culture meat. Li Yingying, a senior engineer at the China Meat and Food Research Centre, focussed on cell cultivation of meat and shared the key breakthroughs in the construction of its large-scale production process.
In terms of health and safety assessment, Professor Yang Xiaoquan of South China University of Technology systematically explained the health effect mechanism of plant protein diet and emphasised the importance of scientific evaluation system to product development. Professor Fu Linglin of Zhejiang University of Industry and Technology proposed a systematic assessment and control strategy for the risk of sensitisation for emerging protein resources such as insect proteins. Jin Fen, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Quality Standards and Testing Technology of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, further explored the risk of chemicals in the cell culture medium and discussed the scientific construction of the safety system of cultured meat.
In terms of green manufacturing and resource development, Li Huiyue, a senior engineer of Jiangxi Fuxiang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., proposed a green process path for the industrialisation of new protein. Associate Professor Li Jian of Beijing University of Industry and Commerce deeply analysed the flavour characteristics of yeast protein and its multi-scenario application potential. In addition, Jiang Xianzhi, the founder of Momi (Guangzhou) Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and Liu Xiao, an associate researcher of Jiangnan University, respectively introduced the creation and multi-scenario application expansion of the Venetian sickle fungus.
Xue Changhu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor of Ocean University of China, and Wang Qinhong, a researcher at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, concluded: “New protein is not only the breakthrough direction of food science and technology, but also a strategic choice to ensure national food security and achieve sustainable development. Only through collaborative innovation and cross-border integration can we jointly meet the global challenges of protein supply.
Artificial Intelligence and Food Seminar:
At a time when artificial intelligence technology is accelerating to penetrate into various fields, how to promote its deep integration with food science, health research and other fields has become the key proposition of industrial upgrading and scientific and technological innovation. At the artificial intelligence and food seminar co-hosted by Professor Sun Xiulan, dean of the School of Food of Jiangnan University, and Jiang Shuqiang, a researcher at the Institute of Computing Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, experts and scholars from universities, scientific research institutes and enterprises focussed on the innovative achievements of artificial intelligence in food science, brain health, industrial application and other fields. In-depth communication.
At the beginning of the seminar, Jiang Shuqiang systematically sorted out the application progress of AI technology in the field of food with the title of “Artificial Intelligence-Driven Food Science Research”. He pointed out that artificial intelligence has gradually penetrated from basic research to the whole chain of food research and development, production, safety, etc., providing a new methodology for food science research, promoting the transformation of the industry from traditional experience-driven to data intelligence-driven, and attracting the attention of the whole audience.
Hu Bin, a professor at South China University of Technology, focussed on the “Multimodal AI Large Model-Driven Depression Brain Health Research” and shared three core research results. The dynamic map pulse neural network model developed by its team has solved the problem of time dynamic feature extraction and bioexplicability missing through innovative designs such as BIP modules; the multi-task mixed pulse network model realises the efficient processing of joint classification and segmentation of CT images, which is greatly efficient than the traditional single-task mode. Improvement; The multimodal language risk assessment model builds a depression risk assessment system covering EEG, voice, text scale and other multimodal data based on the collaborative attention mechanism, and finally formed a “multimodal + brain-like + knowledge-driven” brain health management framework, with low power consumption and high response characteristics, for real-time health Dynamic evaluation provides technical support.
Cheng Wei, a dual professor of Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, referred to the global attention to brain health issues with the title of “Big Data-Driven Brain Health Research”. He introduced that the number of brain disease patients in China ranks first in the world, and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other diseases seriously affect the quality of life of the elderly. Relying on artificial intelligence algorithms, his team has built a series of results such as the brain biological age assessment model and the blood protein AD risk early warning model based on multimodal images. It has also been confirmed through research that a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of AD by 41% and the risk of depression by 72%, and machine learning has helped Build the best diet model for AD, which provides a scientific basis for early accurate intervention.
Ma Peihua, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Products Processing of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, focusses on the “cross-basic research of artificial intelligence and food science”, showing the hardcore breakthrough of AI in the field of food. He introduced that the team realised millimetre-level heating control in food extreme processing through Q-Learning, and completed the screening of high-throughplet materials with the help of the Gaussian process. The “AI food techologist” developed by it became the first food AI intelligent body included in OpenAI. At the same time, he expects that in the future, AI4-food will achieve greater breakthroughs in the research of natural product function, intestinal microbial mechanism analysis, and extreme process control.
Li Li, dean of Xunfei Higher Education Research Institute of the University of Science and Technology, Cheng Li, vice dean of the School of Food of Jiangnan University, and Qin Hui, deputy general manager of Luzhou Laojiao Brewing Co., Ltd., shared their experiences from the perspective of educational application, discipline-specific large model construction and industrial practice respectively. Li Li introduced the application cases of large models in college teaching evaluation, intelligent office and other fields; Cheng Li explained the construction background of FoodSeek special large models for food disciplines and the cooperation path between schools and enterprises; Qin Hui shared the results of the exploration and application of digital intelligence technology in the liquor industry.
This seminar has built a cross-border communication platform in the fields of artificial intelligence, food and health, and comprehensively presented the achievements and application prospects of cutting-edge technology. Experts said that the seminar will accelerate the transformation and application of AI technology in the fields of food and health, promote the upgrading of the industry to precision and intelligence, and inject new momentum into the implementation of the Healthy China Strategy.
Seminar on Technology Innovation and Industrial Development of Dairy Deep Processing:
With the slowdown in global dairy consumption and the increase in consumers’ demand for nutrition and health, deep-processed raw materials for dairy products are becoming a key component in achieving precise nutrition. At the seminar on dairy deep processing technology innovation and industrial development chaired by Professor Jiang Yujun, vice president of Northeast Agricultural University, and He Jian, director of the National Dairy Technology Innovation Centre, the experts clearly outlined the future picture of China’s dairy deep processing.
With the deep processing of dairy products as the traction, it drives the value of the industrial chain to leap.
Jiang Yujun pointed out that the dairy industry has changed from the “era of nutrition preservation” and the “era of nutrition optimization” to the “era of precise nutrition”. Deeply exploring the natural nutrition in dairy products and realizing precise nutrition transmission is inseparable from the innovation and breakthrough of deep processing technology. Professor Ai Lianzhong, dean of the School of Agriculture and Biological Engineering of Shanghai Jiaotong University, said that the dairy industry will enter a new cycle of “total stability and structure rebalance” in the next 3-5 years, with cheese products as the core, extending high value-added products such as whey powder and functional milk-based ingredients. Professor Zhou Peng of the School of Food of Jiangnan University said that compared with traditional whey ingredients obtained through enzyme coagulation or acid sedimentation, natural whey obtained through membrane filtration has unique nutritional and health characteristics. In addition, through the isolation and enrichment of key subcomponents in casein, its nutritional characteristics and health efficacy in special foods such as infant products can be better improved.
Innovation and breakthrough from “component simulation” to “structure-function”
The composition and structural recomposition of milk fat phospholipids has become a research hotspot in the field of infant formula. Professor Zhang Lanwei of the School of Food Science and Engineering of Ocean University of China said that the dual strategy of “MFGM phospholipid composition remodelling” and “three-layer membrane structure reconstruction” has realised the leap from “component simulation” to “structure-component double repetition”. The new idea of constructing breast milk MFG based on precise lipid composition remodelling and membrane structure reconstruction, which provides a theoretical basis and practical path for the research and development of functional dairy products and the cognitive nutrition intervention of breast milk infants. Particulate whey protein can simulate the slippery taste of fat. At the same time, because physical modification will not introduce safety risks, it is an important direction to improve the added value of whey protein and can be used in industrial use. Liu Guanchen, a researcher at the Innovation Centre of the Yangtze River Delta Wisdom Oasis of Zhejiang University, introduced the new progress of whey protein particulate technology and its application research. He believes that by combining AI with the process parameter information collection of particulate whey protein, particulate products adapted to different consumption scenarios can be efficiently prepared.
Build a closed loop of “R&D-application” to enhance the potential of market competition
Professor Tan Mingqian of the School of Food of Dalian University of Technology has established an effective lutein stabilisation carrier construction method, which has significantly improved the water solubility and stability of lutein. At the same time, he explored the mechanism of exocrine-loaded lutein in alleviating dry eye, which is of great significance for improving eye health. Wang Caiyun, executive director of the Dairy Technology and Equipment Research Centre of the National Dairy Technology Innovation Centre, shared the analysis of the path of lactoferrin from laboratory to commercialisation. She said that at present, the mainstream in the field of deep processing of lactoferrin in China still focusses on “added application of ingredients”. With the industrialisation of domestic lactoferrin, it is still necessary to build a collaborative closed-loop research of “raw material structure effect-process-application adaptability” to improve the market competitiveness of domestic lactoferrin. Liu Yitong, application innovation director of Nuohe and Shenyuan Food and Beverage Biological Solutions in China, shared her insights on how enzyme and fermentation biotechnology can empower the deep processing of dairy products with dual engines. She pointed out that in the field of cheese research and development, biological solutions can help release the value of cheese; in terms of milk fat, through enzymatic and fermentation, cream wind The taste can be improved.
Seminar on Medical Food Innovation and Adult Nutrition and Health:
In addition to continuously promoting the optimisation of medical food product formulas and the construction of clinical paths, “personalised nutrition”, “precise intervention” and “cross-border collaboration” will become the core driving force for the development of the industry. At the Seminar on Medical Food Innovation and Adult Nutrition and Health, eight experts from the medical, nutrition and food industries held in-depth discussions aimed at providing scientific, safe and effective nutritional and health solutions for a wider adult population. The seminar was co-chaired by Professor Shi Hanping, the founding director of the Department of Clinical Nutrition of Capital Medical University, and Wang Shuo, a special professor of Nankai University.
Driven by clinical demand: tumour nutrition becomes a breakthrough
Shi Hanping pointed out in the report of “Promoting the Development of Clinical Nutrition Therapy with Tumour Nutrition as the fulcrum” that with the expansion of tumour patients and the diversification of treatment models, the nutritional status of patients has become a key factor affecting the treatment effect, prognosis and quality of life. This has brought new challenges and opportunities for clinical nutrition treatment. Huang Rongkang, deputy chief physician of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, further strengthened this view in the report of “Nutrition Support Strategies for Perioperative Colorectal Cancer”. He stressed that precise nutritional support in the perioperative period has become a new clinical consensus, which is directly related to the treatment effect and rehabilitation process of colorectal cancer patients.
Functional ingredient innovation: from basic research to application potential
While discussing specific clinical needs, many experts shared potential new functional ingredients and their research results. In the report of “Health Benefits of New Food Resources HMB: Research Progress and Efficacy Exploration”, Wang Shuo systematically sorted out the research progress of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric acid (HMB). Many evidences show that HMB can effectively promote protein synthesis and inhibit its degradation, showing great potential in intervening myopenia, and is expected to become a key component of new functional foods. In addition, Tian Yu, a postdoctoral fellow of the School of Food Science and Engineering of Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, pointed out from the perspective of food materials science in the report “Enzymatic Preparation Mechanism and Application of Functional Starch Derivatives” that enzymatic modification is a green means of high-efficiency and targeted preparation of starch derivatives, which is used to develop medical food with specific functions. High-quality raw materials are provided.
Regulations and Products: Building a Flexible and Scientific Industrial Ecology
The healthy development of the industry is inseparable from a clear regulatory framework. Fang Haiqin, director of the Applied Nutrition Office of the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Centre, systematically interpreted the latest regulations in the report of “The Latest Progress of Non-Full Nutrition Formula Food Standards and Regulations”. She pointed out that compared with “full nutrition formula”, “non-total nutrition formula” has greater flexibility in terms of technology, labelling and applicable population, and can better meet the specific clinical needs of adults. Zhong Zhuxuan, a clinical nutrition scientist at the research and development centre of Abbott Nutritional Products (China), confirmed in the report “Innovation and Clinical Benefit Evidence of Non-Total Nutritional Medical Nutritional Products” from the perspective of enterprise innovation that for specific groups of people, non-total nutritional medical nutrition products play a positive role in supplementing specific nutrients and improving nutritional status. Function.
Technological challenges and new opportunities in the market
In the face of specific productization challenges, Wan Zhili, vice dean of the School of Food Science and Engineering of South China University of Technology, deeply analysed the technical path of stability of protein ingredients in liquid medical food in the report “Stabilisation Technology of Protein Ingredients in Liquid Special Medical Food and Its Nutritional Health Effects”. He put forward the view that soybean protein is more suitable as a core raw material, and pointed out that production processes such as ingredients and particulates are technical difficulties in the manufacture of liquid special medical emulsions. Market opportunities also come from the cutting-edge clinical trends. Dr. Lou Yuanying, an IFF nutrition expert, proposed in the report “When Weight Loss Meets Science: The Enlightenment of GLP-1 and New Opportunities for Weight Management” that although GLP-1 receptor agonists are “game changers” in the field of weight management, the pain points such as gastrointestinal side effects they bring are precisely to alleviate side effects and raise Medical food for precise nutritional support has created a new market space.
Seminar on Brain Health and Food Nutrition Transformation:
At the Seminar on Brain Health and Food Nutrition Transformation hosted by the Food Nutrition and Health Branch of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology, the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology officially released the Scientific Consensus on L-α-Glycoline Glycophosphate (hereinafter referred to as the Consensus), which is a new food raw material with both scientific value and industrial prospects. Indicate the direction of application.
Huang Jian, director of the Food Science and Technology Office of the Institute of Nutrition and Health of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, gave an in-depth interpretation of the core content of the Consensus and systematically presented the research results and application prospects of L-α-glycophosphate choline. As an important choline phospholipid derivative, L-α-glycophosphate choline exists naturally in animal and plant food and is easily absorbed and utilised by the human body. In addition, L-α-glycophosphate choline has the metabolic characteristics of choline and 3-phosphate glycerine at the same time, and can participate in multiple physiological processes such as neurotransmitter synthesis, biofilm construction and energy supply. Many studies have shown that L-α-glycophosphate choline has played a positive role in improving cognitive function, regulating emotional state, and enhancing motor ability.
In terms of industrial application, L-α-glycophosphate choline has been widely used in the international food processing field. In 2009, Japan took the lead in including it in the “List of Non-Drug Ingredients”. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified it as a “Generally Safe Substance (GRAS)”. At present, there are more than 400 food products containing this ingredient in the U.S. market. In China, L-α-glycophosphate choline was officially approved as a new food raw material last year, and the recommended edible amount is ≤600 mg/day (measured by dry base), marking that its application in the domestic food field has entered the stage of standardised development.
In the future, L-α-glycophosphate choline needs to optimise the transformation path in the production process and simplify the refined analysis method in detection. In the field of research, large-scale and multi-centre population intervention research should be carried out, especially the effectiveness evidence for the Chinese population; in terms of industrial norms, it is necessary to improve the production, inspection, application, quality standards and other regulatory systems.
At the seminar, Zeng Ping, a researcher at the National Geriatrics Centre of Beijing Hospital, introduced the impact of the dietary intervention model on delaying cognitive disorders to the delegates on “Ageing and Brain Health Maintention – Dietary Nutrition Intervention Strategy”. Wang Huijun, a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition and Health of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, analysed the correlation between L-α-glycophosphate choline intake and cognitive function in the diet based on empirical data from the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey. Professor Yang Jingyu of the School of Clinical Pharmacy of Shenyang Pharmaceutical University deeply explained the evidence-based research on the improvement of metabolism and cognitive function of L-α-glycophosphate choline in the body, which provided solid laboratory evidence of its mechanism of action. In the field of applied research, Professor Gu Peifei of Shenyang Sports College shared the team’s research progress on L-α-glycophosphate choline in sports nutrition. He found that L-α-glycophosphate choline can improve attention and reaction, providing a new direction for the research and development of sports nutrition products. Professor Liu Zhigang of the School of Food Science and Engineering of Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University of Science and Technology shared the new perspective of ApoE polymorphism and brain health maintenance around “gene-nutrition interaction”, and proposed that in the future, we should explore personalised brain health and accurate nutrition plans based on the differences in nutrient absorption and metabolism in the genetic background. Yuan Peng, director of the Food Engineering Research and Development Department of China Food Fermentation Industry Research Institute Co., Ltd., sorted out the application status of the new food raw material in the international market by sharing “application examples and prospects of L-α-glycophosphate choline in global dietary supplements”, which provided a reference for the development of China’s industry.
Food Flavour Science Frontier Forum:
The Food Flavour Science Frontier Forum hosted by the Food Flavour Professional Committee of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology has attracted many experts, scholars and enterprise representatives from the national food field. They have carried out in-depth exchanges on the cutting-edge issues of food flavour science and gathered wisdom for the innovation and development of the industry.
Sun Baoguo, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, president of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology, and professor of Beijing University of Industry and Commerce, pointed out in his speech that “flavour is the core competitiveness of food”, and emphasised that “if the flavour of food is not acceptable to consumers, there is no second choice”. He further clarified the misunderstandings of the industry: the “delicious” of food is not necessarily related to chronic diseases. The key is whether it is overeaten; flavour substances such as flavour essence are necessary to make up for the loss of flavour in the processing process and strengthen product characteristics. For example, ice cream, cola and other flavours are inseparable from edible flavour essence, and traditional food added flavour substances are also It needs to be viewed scientifically, and at the same time, it is called on scientific researchers to deepen research and do a good job in science popularisation.
Sun Baoguo further focussed on the scientific research of flavour, and proposed that it is necessary to take into account “ancient for modern use” and “foreign use for Chinese use”. It is not only necessary to explore the traditional dietary wisdom such as “five-flavor harmony” in “Lv’s Spring and Autumn”, but also to study the application logic of the original taste of spices and ingredients, but also to keep up with the international frontier and explore the integration of AI, electroencephalogram technology and flavour science. Establish a predictable theory of “molecular structure and aroma”, and at the same time encourage the integration of “flavour + AI” and open up a new direction of “flavour + health”.
At the meeting, Liu Yuan, dean of the School of Food Science and Engineering of Ningsia University, sorted out the development vein and future trends of flavour disciplines with “Exploration on the Development of Flavour Science”; Professor Zhao Mouming of South China University of Technology shared the research process, composition-effect relationship and peptide-rich peptide-rich flavour base in the report of “Progress of Flavour Peptide Research and Key Technology for Preparation” Preparation technology, introduce its application and industrialisation progress in flavour regulation; Professor Xu Yan of Jiangnan University analyses the composition and perception mechanism of flavour substances of Chinese liquor through “Research Progress and Challenges in Liquor Flavour Science”; Professor Tian Shiyi of Zhejiang University of Industry and Technology uses “different taste cell models in food flavour regulation and shape The title of “Application in the Research of Formation Mechanism” describes the research of the team in the field of taste cell models in detail, which provides a key experimental tool for accurately analysing the interaction between flavour substances and taste receptors and optimising food flavour regulation. Professor Zhang Yuyu of Beijing University of Industry and Commerce focusses on “thinking on the mechanism of freshness and salting of flavour substances and appetite regulation effect” Enjoying the results not only clarifies the principle of flavour substances to enhance the taste and enhance the saltiness, but also provides new support for the research and development of low-sodium and high-fresh foods and the research on appetite regulation. In addition, representatives of Beijing Feiyuxing Technology Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Baosheng Industrial Development Co., Ltd. also introduced the application of neuroscience and AI technology in food flavour research to provide reference for the technological upgrading of the industry.
This forum is both cutting-edge and practical, which not only clarifies the direction of flavour science research, but also provides new ideas for the industry to solve the problems of flavour regulation, and injects new momentum into the innovative development of China’s food flavour field.
Regular readers are aware that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), particularly those that are permitted to consume as food ingredients, has become a significant business in China. This trend initially emerged in the regular food and beverage market but has since expanded into the snack food sector. For health-conscious affluent Chinese individuals, snacking should also be beneficial for their well-being. According to data from Ai Media, the value of this market has surpassed RMB 265 billion in 2024.
In this ‘punk diet’ revolution driven by Generation Z, 72% of the post-1990s generation has substituted traditional healthcare products with ready-to-eat medicinal foods of the same origin. The concept of ‘health snacks’ has garnered substantial attention on the social media platform Xiaohongshu, with over 800 million views. From established brands like Tongrentang to emerging brands, TCM institutions, leisure food enterprises, and cross-border players are actively expanding their presence in the TCM snack market.
This article presents an analysis of the latest industry developments, elucidates the innovative direction of TCM snacks, and evaluates the technical challenges and breakthrough opportunities for popular products.
Trend 1: TCM Centres Emerge as Market Players
The Zhejiang TCM Hospital’s phenomenal success with its hit Wumei (black plum) soup has significantly impacted the summer beverage market. The first version of Wumei, launched last year, achieved remarkable sales figures, with 1.15 million posts sold within 24 hours. Following the introduction of the upgraded 2.0 formula in the Tmall flagship store this year, the monthly sales reached the pinnacle of the tonic and health tea category. This ancient tea drink, featuring black plum, lotus leaf, and hawthorn as its primary ingredients, has become the quintessential embodiment of ‘punk health care’ for young individuals, offering the convenience of ‘professional medical institutions’ research and development combined with ‘ready-to-eat’ consumption.
“Yangzhou TCM Hospital, Jiangsu Province” draws upon the “Outline of Herbal Medicine” and other medical texts, integrating the prevalent ailments of contemporary young individuals such as qi and blood deficiency, spleen deficiency, phlegm and dampness, and fatigue. It extends the innovative concept of medicinal diet to the realm of baking. Their medicinal breads are enriched with over ten medicinal food ingredients, including angelica and poria. Within the first month, the product’s daily sales volume surpassed 1000 pastries, with an astonishing 3000 sold during the peak period. The accompanying image depicts one of their scones.
“Guangdong Zhongshan Boai Hospital” sought to address the specific needs of children’s medicine, incorporating two Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas into lollipops. The digestion-strengthening herbs (including hawthorn) and the cough-clearing herbs (including loquat leaves and Luohan fruit) are both seasoned with rock sugar and devoid of preservatives.
When the hospital’s TCM pharmacy transformed into a “snack shop,” it not only generated substantial demand for exceptional products but also fully demonstrated the market’s substantial demand and trust in the “foodization” of classic TCM formulas.
In comparison to conventional food enterprises, medical institutions and TCM centres possess inherent advantages such as professional endorsement, access to local medicinal materials, and ancient prescription resources. This enables them to develop health snacks that combine scientific basis with cultural heritage.
Trend 2: Customised TCM snacks cater to specific segments
Various groups of individuals have distinct physical and health requirements. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) snacks that customise formulas and functions for specific subgroups are emerging as a significant direction for the innovation of food and healthcare products. By focussing on segmenting customer groups and emphasising specific effects, TCM snack products can not only fully realise the value of medicinal and food ingredients of the same origin, but also effectively capture customers and enhance user retention. Urban young people constitute a substantial force in snack consumption. They prioritise health, yet they frequently lack time and patience for traditional dining habits.
Dongfang Yanqisheng’s ‘Red Bean Barley Rice Jelly’ incorporates over 30 ingredients, including kudzu root, barley kernels, goji berries, porigi, yam, and others, all of which are of medicinal origin. Utilising jelly as the carrier, it dispels moisture, nourishes the skin, and can also serve as a snack for satiety and energy during work. The product adopts a compact packaging design to cater to the needs of young people seeking ‘light healthcare anytime and anywhere’.
Mommy Yummy has developed a range of novel medicinal and healthy snacks of the same origin to meet the needs of pregnant mothers. Notably, the 0-sucrose millet eight-treas cake features eight precious ancient recipes as its primary ingredients. This cake integrates a diverse array of nutritious and low-glycemic index ingredients, such as yam, poria, lotus seeds, white lentils, and malt, which collectively possess the effect of strengthening the spleen, nourishing the stomach, and promoting digestion.
The increasing attention paid to the application value of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) snacks in the field of children’s nutrition and health is particularly noteworthy. This trend has gained significant traction, particularly among parents of children born after 1985 and 1990, who are increasingly concerned about their children’s health. Notably, 65.4% of these parents are willing to pay a premium to ensure their children’s well-being.
For instance, ‘Banfang Baba’ has collaborated with the Academy of Agricultural Sciences to develop a range of nutritious snacks tailored to children’s specific health needs. These snacks address concerns such as spleen and stomach conditioning, picky eating, anorexia, and poor resistance. The brand has incorporated medicinal food-like ingredients with the beneficial effects of strengthening the spleen and facilitating digestion into children’s preferred food forms.
Workplace Depression
In the context of the prevalent ‘996’ culture, characterised by extended working hours and late-night work, many workers have experienced post-work depression. Sour jujube kernels, derived from medicinal food ingredients, possess the ability to nourish the mind, alleviate anxiety, and promote deep sleep. Poria, another medicinal food ingredient, can strengthen the spleen and calm the heart, while benefiting water and moisture. It also helps relieve stress and improves sleep quality.
Trend 4: Technological Innovation Promotes the Advancement of TCM Snacks
To effectively engage with the public, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) snacks must overcome the challenges associated with TCM, which include its perceived difficulty in consumption, usage, and adherence. This necessitates the integration of modern food technology and biotechnology.
From raw material processing and active extraction to flavour enhancement and dosage form innovation, a series of technological advancements empowers TCM snacks. These innovations enable ancient medicinal materials to reveal novel flavours and forms.
Emerging technologies, such as mouth-soluble membrane technology, have gained prominence in the TCM snack industry. This technique encapsulates active ingredients within a film composed of modified starch and colloids, positioning them either on or beneath the tongue. This allows for rapid dissolution and drug release in saliva.
For instance, mouth-soluble membrane technology, a novel dosage type of oral administration method, achieves rapid dissolution and efficient absorption through the mouth. This approach extends from professional medical treatment to functional health food. Nano-embedding technology, for example, provides dual benefits of bitterness shielding and active protection through microscale wrapping, while probiotic fermentation facilitates bacterial group fermentation.
Technological advancements not only enhance the active utilisation of raw materials but also optimise taste by decomposing bitter substances.
The concept and technology of flavour science also serve as viable solutions. Existing products leverage the coordinated application of natural sweeteners and bitterness masking technology to reduce the bitterness of raw materials like ginseng and other medicinal and food sources. This approach ensures the preservation of active ingredients and improves palatability.
form creativity, a series of technological innovations are empowering TCM snacks, so that ancient medicinal materials can shine new flavours and new forms.
Emerging technologies such as mouth-soluble membrane technology are becoming new favourites in the field of TCM snacks. This technique fixes the active ingredients of TCM on a film made of modified starch and colloids, and places them on or under the tongue, which can quickly dissolve and release drugs in saliva.
For example, the mouth-soluble membrane-making technology, this new dosage type of oral administration method achieves rapid dissolution and efficient absorption through the mouth, which is extending from professional medical treatment to functional health food; for example, nano-embedding technology can achieve the dual effect of bitterness shielding and active protection through microsacle wrapping; probiotic fermentation through bacterial group fermentation. Technology, on the one hand, can improve the active utilisation of raw materials, and on the other hand, it can optimise the taste by decomposing bitter substances.
The concept and technology of flavour science are also popular solutions in the field. There are already products on the market that rely on the coordinated application of natural sweeteners and bitterness masking technology to reduce the bitterness of raw materials such as ginseng and other medicinal and food sources, ensure zero loss of active ingredients, and improve palatability.
Recently, a special production line in Zhaotong, Yunnan Province, has created the world’s first potato rice. It is understood that this production line that converts potatoes into ‘rice’ is the result of more than five years of research and development led by Wu Qi, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a polymeric physical chemist. This is not only the first production line in China to turn fresh potatoes into dried rice, but also the first in the world.
Nutrition
According to the report, potato rice retains 90% of the nutrients of potatoes and the protein content is 27% higher than that of traditional refined rice noodles. After the first batch of potato rice was launched, Zhaotong Mekong conducted product stability tests among people with diabetes and obesity. Judging from the situation of regional sales tests, there is a tendency for supply to exceed demand. After more than a month of trial sales, the repurchase rate of diabetics and people who lose weight is relatively high.
Easy to handle
Because potato rice has been processed at high temperature and high pressure, consumers can steam the potato rice without washing it. In addition, the amount of water and time required to steam potato rice is much less than the amount of water and time required to steam white rice. Some consumers feedback that potato rice is convenient to cook, and it not only feels close to rice in the mouth, but also smells like potatoes.
Price
At present, the price of potato rice is still higher than that of ordinary rice. According to the official platform of Zhaotong Meikang Agricultural Company, the price of potato rice is RMB 66 per box of 950g.
Top producer
As one of the world’s largest potato producers, China has ranked first in the world for many years. For Chinese consumers, the research on potato rice is expected to make high-yield potatoes a staple food for people, which will help solve the problem of food security. For fresh potatoes with a large yield, this new form of potatoes can solve the problem that fresh potatoes have a short storage time and are not conducive to preservation to a certain extent. potato rice can reduce the need for ventilation and climate control during storage, and it is also more convenient for logistics and transportation.
The process
Wu Qi’s team integrates macromolecular physics theory, food macromolecular processing and polymer extrusion granulation technology, focussing on the research and development of high-water extrusion and reorganisation technology of plant polysaccharides and protein complex systems. Through precise control of temperature, humidity and enzymatic time, fresh potatoes are transformed into diameter 0.5 -1mm rice granular finished product. Simply put, the research team changed the characteristics of macromolecules from the physical level, reshaped the starch chain of potato crops, and turned fresh potatoes into potato rice with good taste.
n the Announcement No. 1 of 2025 of the Health Commission (the former Ministry of Health of China) officially approved stevia polyphenols as a new food raw material, alongside stevia glycosides, as the two “star ingredients” of stevia.
For an extended period, stevia has garnered significant attention due to its abundance of stevia glycosides, a natural sweetener, and its role as a crucial sugar substitute in the food industry. The legalisation of stevia polyphenols has undoubtedly paved the way for the expanded application of stevia. Its antioxidant and multifaceted health benefits anticipate its emergence as a preferred choice in the domains of food and healthcare products, potentially surpassing the popularity of stevia glycosides.
Originating from South America, stevia was introduced to China in the 1970s and has since gained widespread cultivation in Hebei, Gansu, Shandong, and other regions. The sweetness of stevia glycosides in its leaves is approximately 200-300 times greater than sucrose, making it the cornerstone of natural sugar substitutes. However, during the extraction process of stevia glycosides, a “side product” emerged—stevia polyphenols.
Stevia polyphenols constitute 2%-4% of the dried stevia leaves, primarily comprising chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, and other active ingredients. High-purity products are obtained through extraction technology, resulting in a total polyphenol content exceeding 40%. The polyphenols are derived from stevia leaves through ethanol extraction, filtration, purification, concentration, drying, and other processes.
In 2025, stevia polyphenols officially became a new food raw material in China, ushering in a novel trajectory for the application of stevia in the food sector.
What are plant polyphenols?
Plant polyphenols are secondary metabolites synthesised by plants during their growth. They constitute a diverse class of compounds characterised by the presence of multiple phenolic hydroxyl structures. These compounds are composed of benzene ring structures, each bearing one or more hydroxyl (-OH) groups on each benzene ring, conferring them with robust antioxidant properties and the ability to neutralise free radicals.
Plant polyphenols can be categorised based on their chemical structure, primarily comprising flavonoids, proanthocyanins, hydrolyzed tannins, simple phenolic acids, and other major categories.
Plant polyphenols serve as essential nutrients produced through photosynthesis, playing a multifaceted role within the plant body. These compounds contribute to disease resistance, pigment formation, structural support, and regulation of the growth cycle. Polyphenols are typically stored in various plant parts, including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and epidermis.
Which foods are rich in polyphenols?
Plant polyphenols constitute a diverse class of natural compounds widely distributed in plants. Their content ranks second only to lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose. Over 600 plant species are known to contain higher levels of polyphenols compared to other compounds.
In daily life, foods rich in polyphenols include various fruits (e.g., apple peel, grape peel), vegetables, tea, coffee, seeds, grains, beans, olive oil by-products, cocoa, vanilla, and spices.
Related extracts exhibit remarkable diversity, such as apple polyphenols, pomegranate polyphenols, sour cherry polyphenols, blueberry anthocyanins, grape resveratrol, green tea polyphenols, coffee chlorogenic acid, and dark chocolate cocoa polyphenols, among others.
Which newly approved ingredients are polyphenols?
In addition to stevia polyphenols, numerous new food sources primarily contain polyphenols or polyphenol derivatives.
Sugarcane polyphenols are among the recently approved food ingredients. Sugarcane polyphenols are naturally extracted compounds from sugarcane. The primary constituents include total polyphenols, total flavonoids, and proanthocyanins, which possess substantial biological activity and commercial value.
A recent study demonstrated that this polyphenol exhibits potent inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes in the small intestine. This action effectively retards the degradation of carbohydrates within the digestive tract, thereby reducing the absorption rate of monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose. Consequently, it contributes to sugar control. Primarily, this polyphenol is utilised in the development of low-glycemic index (GI) food products.
Shanghai TPM, a subsidiary of Australian International Ingredients, has recently declared sugarcane polyphenol as a new food raw material. Their product portfolio encompasses Phytolin@phenol® sugarcane polyphenols and Polynol@phenol@sugarcane polyphenol food ingredients.
Phytolin® has emerged as an innovative raw material in the weight management sector, serving as a sugar substitute and effective sugar control agent.
Catechin
Catechin, a newly approved food raw material in 2023, finds applications in beverages and candies. When consumed in conjunction with gallocate (EGCG) as outlined in Announcement No. 17 of 2010, the recommended daily intake is limited to ≤300 mg (measured in total catechin content).
Catechin constitutes the primary polyphenol in tea, comprising 12% to 24% of the dry weight and 60% to 80% of the total polyphenol content. It is predominantly found in green tea, black tea, and oolong tea varieties.
The catechin family comprises four main types (C): epigallic catechic acid (EGCG), pyglytic catechin (EGC), capechic acid (ECG), and epicatechin (EC).
In Japan, catechin has gained recognition as a functional raw material for weight management, a concept that consumers highly value. This recognition may be attributed to the success of Huawang, a company that introduced Healthia green tea in 2003. Since then, Huawang has sold an impressive 3.1 billion bottles of Healthia green tea over a 21-year period, as of the end of 2024.
Tea polyphenols, also known as polyphenols, are polyphenolic compounds primarily extracted from tea leaves as food ingredients. As a food additive antioxidant, they are permitted in over 60 sub-food categories in GB 2760, including oils and fats, jams, nuts, pastries, meat products, aquatic products, canned foods, seasonings, beverages, and puffed foods.
The permitted addition range is between 0.1g/kg and 0.8g/kg, with varying allowable amounts for different product categories. The quality standard adheres to the national standard “GB 1886.211-2016 Food Safety National Standard Food Additives Tea Polyphenols”.
These polyphenolic ingredients can be utilised in both domestic and international food applications. However, foreign dietary supplements often employ a wider range and more diverse types of polyphenol food ingredients.
Apple polyphenols
Apple polyphenols are primarily derived from apple peels, particularly immature green apples, which are rich in polyphenols. The polyphenol content in immature fruits is approximately 10 times higher than that of ripe fruits. Apple polyphenols encompass a diverse range of phenols, including chlorogenic acid, catechin, epicatechin, apple condensed tannin, root peel, root skin, and anthocyanin.
BGG
BGG is a reputable supplier of apple polyphenol food ingredients. They possess the process of extracting apple polyphenols from immature green apples and have obtained intellectual property protection in China and the United States. Furthermore, BGG has conducted clinical trials investigating the role of apple polyphenols in weight management and has received strong scientific research endorsement. Notably, BGG’s apple polyphenols are marketed in the Korean market, where their jelly bars and oral solutions have gained popularity among consumers.
As a byproduct of the wine and juice industry, grape seeds contain a high polyphenol content, ranging from 60 to 70%. The primary polyphenols include catechins, epicatechins, proanthocyanins, and proanthocyanidins (OPC), which are the core active ingredients. Grape seed polyphenols have garnered significant market recognition and have long been the cornerstone of the oral beauty market. Notably, the 2024 Swisse grape seed niacinamide tablets available on Taobao Online stand out in comparison to similar products.
Lychee polyphenols
In addition to the aforementioned polyphenols, another polyphenol is extracted from lychees. Lychee polyphenols are a specific type of polyphenolic substance derived from lychees. Different parts of lychees, such as the flesh, kernels, and shells, contain a diverse range of polyphenols. The polyphenols found in lychee fruit primarily consist of protocatechic acid, catechins, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, epicatechins, butylic acid, p-coumic acid, rutin, valeric acid, and others.
Numerous products utilise this raw material. For instance, lychee polyphenol vegetarian capsules are designed to provide a dual effect of “fatigue reduction and weight management.” Low molecular weight polyphenols were obtained through low-temperature extraction, resulting in a threefold increase in absorption rate. Trial testing has been conducted to validate the efficacy of this process.
Polyphenol compounds
Concurrently, the application of single polyphenol ingredients has also emerged as an optimistic direction for certain enterprises.
For example, a dietary supplement launched by one such enterprise incorporates pomegranate extract, keratin, turmeric, bitter orange (fruit), green tea (leaf extract), grape extract (skin and seeds), organic blueberry fruit extract, apple extract, wild cherry berry extract (berry), olive extract (fruit), acai berry (fruit), Noli (fruit), alfalfa (whole plant), hawthorn berry powder, and celery extract (seeds).
The product comprises over 10 components, including pomegranate, turmeric, and blueberry, that are rich in plant polyphenols. These polyphenols are amplified through synergy, emphasising plant-based and natural ingredients.
In light of the approval of stevia polyphenols, more polyphenols are anticipated to be considered for inclusion in the list of new food ingredients in the future. Polyphenols, due to their high purity and antioxidant properties, are expected to gain popularity as a raw material in the food and health food industries. They will play a significant role in dietary supplements, beverages, snacks, dairy products, and other sectors.
Another innovation on this site: a direct translation of an interesting article in the Chinese food industry press. This time: an interview with Bai Houzeng, Director of the Sports and Nutritional Food Branch of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology
Introduction
After more than 20 years of accumulation and development, China’s sports and nutritional food industry has sunk from the “pyramid” professional competitive market to the mass fitness market, and the products have also developed from the original protein powder to today’s diversified products such as protein bars, creatine powder, electrolyte drinks and energy glue. According to the In-depth Market Analysis and Development Trend Forecast Report of China’s Sports Nutritional Food Industry from 2024 to 2030, it is expected that by 2027, the number of people who regular visit sport schools in China will rise to 460 million, and the demand for sports nutrition food will be further increased. How to continue to innovate in the fierce competition, cultivate new productivity, and constantly meet the increasingly diversified consumer demand has become a new issue facing the development of the sports nutrition food industry. At the beginning of the New Year, the reporter interviewed Bai Houzeng, director of the Sports Nutrition Food Branch of the Chinese Society of Food Science and Technology. From the comment of this practitioner who has worked hard in the field of sports nutrition food for more than 20 years, the development vein of the sports nutrition food industry can be clearly seen. In the development of the industry, scientific and technological innovation has always accompanied him and escorted the industry.
Kangbite ad
Q: What stages of development have China’s sports and nutritional food industry gone through?
Bai Houzeng: China’s sports nutrition food industry has gone through the initial stage, growth stage and rapid development stage, and is currently in the stage of rapid development.
The initial stage of the sports nutrition food industry began in the late 1980s. With the vigourous development of the Olympic economy and national fitness, the sports nutrition food industry began to enter China. In the early development of China’s sports and nutritional food industry, it was mainly concentrated in the professional athletes group, with a single product type and a relatively small market scale. In 2001, Kangbite, China’s first professional sports nutrition food enterprise integrating research and development, production and sales, was established, taking the lead in introducing the scientific concept of sports nutrition into the field of competitive sports.
At the beginning of the 21st century, with the increase in public health awareness and the growth of the sports population, sports nutrition began to expand to a wider range of fitness enthusiasts and the mass market. Through the joint efforts of the science and technology community and the industry community, the construction of sports nutrition food standards was launched in 2004. In 2015, the National Standard for Food Safety General Rules for Sports Nutritional Food was released. In 2017, Compit became the first enterprise in China to obtain a license for the production of sports nutrition food and produce its own brand products. In 2019, sports nutritional food was included in the China Sports Industry Catalogue. Since then, China’s sports nutritional food industry has entered the stage of standardised development. The types and quantities of sports nutritional food have grown rapidly, and the market scale has been expanding.
In recent years, thanks to the support of national policies and the promotion of the “Healthy China” strategy, China’s sports and nutritional food market has entered a stage of rapid development. Domestic and foreign brands have entered the market one after another. The demand for subdivisions is increasingly vigourous, and the market scale continues to expand.
Q: Can you talk about the current situation and problems of the development of China’s sports nutrition food industry?
Bai Hou Zeng: After more than 20 years of accumulation and precipitation, China’s sports nutrition food industry has formed a relatively complete industrial chain, with a rich variety of products in the market and huge market potential.
At present, China’s sports and nutritional food market is growing rapidly, and the development of categories is showing a global trend. The top three categories in China’s sports nutrition food market are protein powder, sports drinks and energy bars. This is different from foreign markets. For example, the top three categories in the U.S. sports nutrition food market are sports drinks, protein powders, energy bars and gels (gel).
According to relevant data, from 2017 to 2023, the market size of energy bars and protein bars in China increased from RMB 1.31 billion to RMB 2.45 billion, and it is expected to reach RMB 4.513 billion in 2028. Relevant data predicts that from 2022 to 2028, among the world’s 18 major sports and nutritional food markets, China’s market scale is predicted to rank sixth in the world, with an average compound annual growth rate of up to 40%, which is far higher than the average growth rate of the global sports and nutritional food industry.
Q: In recent years, the development of China’s sports nutrition food industry has pressed the “fast forward button”. What do you think are the main factors that promote industrial development?
Bai Hou Zeng: The rapid development of China’s sports and nutritional food industry is mainly due to the support of policies, the increasing demand for mass consumption and the continuous improvement of standards.
In terms of policy support, in recent years, “Several Opinions on Promoting the Development of the Health Service Industry”, “Healthy China 2030” Planning Outline” and “Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Healthy Development of the Food Industry” have been issued successively. In July 2021, the State Council issued the National Fitness Plan (2021-2025), which promoted the high-quality development of the sports nutrition food industry at the national level. In 2022, the “Opinions on Building a Higher-level National Fitness Public Service System” issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council pointed out that by 2025, a higher-level national fitness public service system will be basically established, and the per capita stadium area will reach 2.6 square metres, and you will often participate in sports The proportion of people exercising reached 38.5%. By 2035, a universal fitness public service system suitable for modern socialist countries will be fully established, and the proportion of people who regularly participate in physical exercise will reach more than 45%. Sports, fitness and sports and leisure will become a common way of life, and people’s physical literacy and health level will be at the forefront of the world.
At the same time, the increasing demand of the masses is also an important factor in the rapid development of the sports and nutritional food industry. With the help of policies, attention from all walks of life to the sports industry continues to increase, and the enthusiasm of the people to participate in sports continues to rise. Data shows that the proportion of people who regularly participate in physical exercise in China has reached 37.2%. By the end of 2023, China’s per capita stadium area had reached 2.89 square metres, which had exceeded the standard of 2.6 square metres per capita planned by the 14th Five-Year Plan. As more and more people participate in various sports and fitness activities, the demand for effective sports nutritional food solutions is also increasing.
In addition, the continuous improvement of standards has also promoted the development of the sports and nutritional food industry. The General Provisions of the National Standard for Food Safety and Sports Nutritional Food clearly states that China defines sports nutritional food as the physiological and metabolic status, exercise ability and the requirements of the sports population (referring to the people who participate in physical exercise 3 or more times a week, the duration of 30 minutes or more each time, and the intensity of each exercise reaches medium or above) Food specially processed for the special needs of certain nutrients. In addition, the “Quality Management Standard for Food Production Enterprises Part 1: Sports Nutritional Food” was implemented in 2022. This is the first local standard for quality management standards classified by food category names issued by Beijing, and it is also the first quality management standard formulated for sports and nutritional food production enterprises in China. It plays an important guiding role in standardising the production behaviour of sports nutritional food production enterprises in Beijing, improving the quality management ability and integrity awareness of enterprises, improving the quality and safety level of sports nutritional food, and promoting the high-quality development of the industry.
Q: What do you think is the core of the development of China’s sports nutrition food industry?
Bai Houzeng: In the development of China’s sports and nutritional food industry, the core of scientific and technological innovation has always been indispensable. It can be said that scientific and technological innovation is the “life gate” of the sports and nutritional food industry.
The consumer group of sports nutritional food extends from professional athletes to the mass fitness group, but the products are not simple “copying”, and innovation is more difficult. Because the needs of the mass fitness group are different from those of professional athletes, when enterprises carry out product research and development and innovation, they should start from the market demand and comprehensively consider the taste, nutritional distribution ratio, cost and application scenarios. Especially for different sports scenarios, the products are very different. For example, although marathon runners and cross-country runners are all running, the products designed and developed are quite different. What is particularly impressive is the process of successful research and development of energy glue by domestic enterprises. From contact concept, research and development innovation to product implementation, it has been polished for 1 year. The penetration rate of energy glue in marathons is as high as 86%.
With the help of policies, the escort of standards, the support of science and technology, the drive of innovation, and adhering to the original intention of “making people’s lives better”, China’s sports and nutritional food industry is making great strides into an era of great development.
sugar-free tea beverage undoubtedly were the major trend in the Chinese beverage industry in 2023. Tea drinks in general are healthier and more refreshing than all those funny bubble teas that Chinese consumers started drinking in the years before.
With the growing concern for health, moving on to sugar-free tea beverages was a logical step. Data show that the year-on-year growth rate of sugar-free tea in 2023 was as high as 110%, the market size exceeded RMB 10 billion. That year saw the introduction of 64 new sugar-free tea products.
It seems that the next step for 2024 is adding more nutritious ingredients, in particular herbal extracts from TCM plants. This also fits in with the ongoing ‘national trend’ (guochao), which explains why the new drinks category is referred to as ‘Chinese health water’ (zhongshi yangshengshui). A market survey dating 2024 predicts that the compound annual growth rate will exceed 88% over the next five years. By 2028, sales are expected to exceed RMB 10 billion.
It is too early to say that these health waters will canabalise the entire market for sugar-free tea drinks, but they will certainly take a considerable part of it.
Let’s look at a few of health waters that are already on the market.
Genki Forrest – red bean and barleyHaowangshui – dried orange peelKeyang – green bean
Nestlé
Foreign players have also noted the TCM trend. Nestlé China has launched two new beverages: white mulberry oolong and hawthorn tangerine peel in 2024.
Cheese consumption has been increasing at an incredible speed in China during the past few years, considering that not so long ago, almost all Chinese were abhorred about the smell of cheese. Cheese supply volume in China has surged from 140,000 tons to 270,000 tons during the period 2017-2022. This figure is expected to maintain double-digit growth, far above the world average for the coming years.
Although the average cheese consumption in China is far below many Western countries as well as Japan and Korea, it has significantly increased from 80g/person/year in 2017 to 130g/person/year in 2021. At the 2022 China Cheese Development Summit Forum, the Dairy Association of China released an action plan, proposing that the national cheese production would reach 500,000 tons by 2025. Much of the cheese sold in China is processed, but non-processed is increasing.
A uniquely Chinese development is that Chinese cheese producers are focusing their own R&D on developing one-bite cheese snacks, for all ages, but in particular for children. This is partly a result of the pressure of the Chinese authorities to increase dairy consumption among children. Such products include cheese sticks, cheese slices, cheese strips, etc. Cheese sticks form the most popular type, which was first launched by Milkana, but was popularized by Milkground. Presently, driven by the increasingly intensive market competition, dairy enterprises have rolled out a wide range of cheese sticks with distinctive features. Apart from various funny shapes, including ‘cheese lollies’, they are also experimenting with flavours. A good example are Milkana’s strawberry flavoured cheese sticks.
This ad by Milkground presents their range of cheese sticks in various flavors: coconut, grape and natural. It promises a calcium content 7 times that of liquid milk. It has added Vitamin D. The animals indicate how fast your child will grow, if you let them snack on Milkground cheese sticks.
The current trend towards more nutritious snacks is also influencing the design of cheese sticks. Dr Cheese has launched a cheese stick sandwiched between two layers of dried seaweed.
Cheespirit has launched a series of innovative products in 2023: ‘Vegetable & Fruit Growing Up Cheese Sticks’. The company claims to have selected 8 kinds of ‘super vegetables and fruits’ to create high-calcium and high-VC cheese sticks, containing 3% dietary fibre. The calcium is 100% milk calcium, with a 1.8:1 calcium-phosphorus ratio. The product contains 40% whey protein, as well as algal oil DHA and various trace elements derived from vegetables and fruits, providing nutrients such as protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and other basic nutrients needed by children. It contains no preservatives. It uses two innovative two-colour-flavours: Lele orange (tomato, carrot and apple compound flavour) that contains β-carotene; and absolute purple (purple sweet potato, purple cabbage blueberry complex flavour) containing anthocyanins to help the children’s growth.
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In the turbulent and increasingly diversified Chinese beverage market, sugar-free and low-fat have become the choices of more and more consumers. The following picture is taken from an influencer promoting ‘clean label’ products. However, official food and beverage labelling has only just started in China. As you can see, this influencer follows international practice.
Nutrition information (100 gr): energy 174 kjoules; protein: 4.4 gr; fat: 1.4 r; carbohydrates: 2.8 gr; sodium: 7 mg.
Ingredients: potable water, black beans, black rice, sesame.
According a recent survey, the market size of China’s sugar-free beverage industry has increased from RMB 2.26 billion in 2015 to 19.96 billion in 2022, and is expected to reach RMB 61.56 billion in 2025. In addition, according another survey, 75% of consumers believe that health is a focus issue in choosing which beverages to buy. In addition to taste, ingredients have become one of the most important beverage purchase considerations for consumers.
To meet the needs of consumers and guide them to make healthier decisions, projects for beverage grading have been proposed. Recently, Shanghai has started the first batch of pilot projects for the grading of ‘nutritional choice’ for beverages, and mainstream brands such as Naixue tea and Bawang Chagee tea have been selected as the first objects for testing, which has caused heated discussions in the industry.
Beverage grading
As the name suggests, beverage grading is the classification and rating of beverages based on certain criteria. These criteria usually include the ingredients, texture, taste, etc., of the beverage. The ‘Nutritional Choice’ grading piloted in Shanghai is based on the content of non-dairy sugar, saturated fat, transfat and non-sugar sweeteners in beverages, and comprehensively classifies beverages through four grades from A to D, in decreasing order. This allows consumers to make more rational consumption choices.
According to Shanghai Centre of Disease Control, the ‘Nutritional Choice’ beverage classification method mainly refers to domestic and foreign standards, and the full indication ‘Nutritional Choice’ can be used in various contexts, such as beverage packaging, ordering procedures, and menus. The classification of a beverage’s grade depends on its ‘shortcomings’. For example, if a beverage has a sugar content of C, saturated fat and transfat of A and no added non-sugar sweeteners, the beverage will be classified as C.
Singapore as example
In December 2022, the Singaporian government began to officially implement a classification policy for prepackaged beverages in the retail market, which also used four grades according to the sugar content and saturated fat content: A, B, C, and D. ‘A class (dark green)’, ‘B class (light green)’, ‘C class (yellow)’, ‘D class (red)’. Grade A means that sugar content and saturated fat are the lowest, and grade D represents the highest content. In addition to packaged beverages, all kinds of handmade beverages such as freshly squeezed juice and milk tea will also be labeled in this way soon. The labeling is the responsibility of the manufacturer, importer or distributor.
It is understood that milk tea brands like Nai Xue, Bawang Chagee, Happy Lemon, and Hangzhou Leyuan are the first batch of brands to try out the ‘nutritional choice’ classification. On March 27, Naixue’s Shanghai stores and ordering outlets fully implemented the ‘Nutritional Choice’ logo, and Naixue’s ready-to-drink (RTD) products were also superscripted with the ‘Nutritional Choice’ logo. The data show that Naixue’s tea freshly made drinks and RTD bottled beverage products are mostly concentrated in the A and B grade ranges, with obvious health attributes and high recommended values. It is worth mentioning that after the introduction of the ‘Nutritional Choice’ label, the number of consumers choosing grades A and B has increased significantly.
As for Bawang Chagee, the medium-sized cup with less sugar is classified as B-grade, and the Oriental Iced Tea as A-grade. Bawang Chagee also emphasizes healthy sugar, promoting the choice of low GI foods (glycemic index less than 55), food GI value less than or equal to 55, are good choices, but this does not mean that the lower the GI value, the better. Tea lovers also need to choose according to their own situation to avoid falling into knowledge misunderstandings.
In addition, Zerup Zero Sugar Drink, Watsons Soda, Suntory Sugar-Free Oolong Tea, etc., are classified as Grade A, F&N Ice Cream Soda, Wahaha AD Calcium Milk are classified as Grade B, FairPrice Whole Milk, Nongfu Spring Brand Tea, Green Oolong Tea, Yuzu Green Tea, Coconut Palm Coconut Water, Benasong Coffee and other products are all classified as Grade C.
Future
The ‘Nutritional Choice’ classification has enabled the beverage industry to move towards a more professional and refined business. With the continuous promotion of the ‘grading system’, more brands may join the ranks in the future. This will also be extended to food. Compared to beverages, there are more types of foods, and the content and proportion of nutrients are more complex. For example, a food can be evaluated based on the content of key nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals in the food. At the same time, the content of nutrients such as sodium and sugar that are not conducive to health in food can also be considered, so as to evaluate the nutritional value of food more comprehensively.
Chinese cuisine is one of the longest surviving culinary traditions in the world. The Chinese preference for pyrotechnics has made cooked food a dietary habit passed down from generation to generation. Cooked food not only has a higher safety, but also tends to stimulate a more pleasant sensory experience due to the colour and aroma produced by heating.
Latest raw products
However, in recent years, more and more domestic brands have begun to turn around and successively launched foods with the concept of ‘raw’ (sheng 生). Luckin Coffee first launched ‘raw coconut latte’ and ‘raw cheese latte’ and quickly became an explosive series.
Luckin Coffee ads promoting products containing ‘raw coconut’. Note that the word ‘raw’ does not appear in the English text
Raw cheese here refers to the use of very young cream cheese. For most Chinese consumers, ‘cheese’ was connotated with the processed cheese that was before that moment the typical cheese for sale in Chinese supermarkets.
Entering 2023, the concept of ‘raw’ food really took off. Starbucks launched a ‘Green Coffee Series’ featuring concentrated fruit juice mixed with green bean extract.
Pepsi launched the diet soda ‘Raw Coke’. Pepsi uses the term shengshuang ciji, literally ‘raw fresh stimulating’, indicating that consumers start linking the concept of raw to that of fresh and that it has an uplifting effect.
Manner Coffee launched draft beer latte (the Chinese word for draft beer, shengpi, includes the word ‘raw’. One influencer describes his first sip of this brew as follows: ‘The first bite is a little like the barley aroma in beer, but it is not very beery, it feels more milky, and it is a good latte, I like the milky taste in this one’.
The word raw squeezed (shengzha) is highlighted in red on the bottle to indicate that it is an important feature of this product.
Development
The first ‘raw’ foods were made with raw coconut. In 2021, the concept of ‘raw coconut’ became popular with the popular series of Luckin Raw Coconut Latte. Using cold-pressed raw coconut milk as the base and using the raw extraction process, the product retains the authentic taste of coconut meat and the rich coconut aroma.
‘Raw coconut’ generally refers to coconut milk, which is made by grinding mature coconut meat mixed with coconut water or water. Using ‘raw’ to describe fruit and vegetable categories, the public will always mentally connect this with fresh and natural, coupled with the sweeter and smoother taste characteristics of coconut milk, ‘raw coconut’ is more likely to be recognized and loved in the public’s sensory cognition.
Today, the concept of raw coconut is still a popular element of beverage innovation. According to incomplete statistics, in June and July 2023 alone, there were more than ten new products featuring raw coconut as a major ingredient.
Different from the classic pairing of raw coconut latte, many coffee brands have begun to combine ‘raw coconut’ with cold brew and Americano. For example, Tim’s launched Watermelon Raw Coconut Cold Brew, which uses fresh sweet watermelon juice with rich raw coconut milk. Heytea combines seasonal honey dew melon with raw coconut milk. Weiquan combines Indonesian coconut milk with small grain oats.
In recent years, Luckin has also carried out many innovations based on the raw coconut classic series, and successively launched new products such as Ice Absorbing Raw Coconut Latte and Touching Fish Raw Coconut Latte this year. The Iced Coconut Latte enhances the coconut aroma experience in a 2.0 plant-based formula infused with Luckin’s original cooling factor, while the Touching Fish Raw Coconut Latte adds konjac to it.
Touching Fish Raw Coconut Latte; the add indicates that the product contains no fat
In addition, the concept of ‘raw pressing’ has also begun to extend from the application of fruit and vegetable raw materials to tea processing. On June 4, Uni-President launched the Uni-President Chaguowang Gaoshan Raw Green Tea, advertised as: ‘one mouthful of raw pressing, double freshness’. The product combines fresh tea with the same amount of water, crushes at cell level to obtain raw fresh tea concentrate, and adopts nitrogen sealing, 70-90 °C high-temperature tea brewing and UHT technologies to restore the original taste of freshly brewed tea.
In October last year, Luckin launched a blockbuster new Raw Cheese Latte. The product combines classic New Zealand raw cheese (referring to immature cheese) with mellow milk and espresso, retaining the cheesy and slightly salty flavour, and presenting a cheesecake-like experience with a silky texture and rich milk aroma. After the success of the ‘raw cheese’ series, Luckin has successively launched Orange Flavoured Raw Cheese Latte and Tiramisu Love Cheese this year.
Luckin’s Raw Cheese Latte; Jojo is a comic strip figure. The ad includes a pun with that name Jo dengle = jiu deng le 久等了 (sorry to let you wait so long)
Today’s ‘raw cheese’ is generally made of cheese raw materials such as cream cheese and cheddar cheese with different degrees of fermentation with milk and coconut milk. Compared to the single salty cheese flavour, raw cheese provides a stronger cheese aroma, smoother blending with the drink, and a more recognizable flavour.
In addition to the application in coffee, the concept of ‘liquid cheese’ like raw cheese has gradually been applied to milk tea and fruit tea. In December last year, the first raw cheese series was launched on Chabaidao. For the first time, raw cheese was added to milk tea, and two classic cheese flavours, imported raw cheese from New Zealand and Denmark were blended to obtain a more layered cheese aroma.
In March this 2023, Naixue launched a new series of multi-fruit pulp Domineering Cheese, focusing on ‘fresh fruit’ and ‘milk base’, combining fresh pulp with raw buttermilk and raw buttermilk and raw buttermilk jelly, presenting a more chewy and more complex flavoured milk tea experience.
Naixue’s cherry blossom cheese tea
Novel, fun, raw and wild experience
Through cooking, processed food often loses the tart taste of the raw material itself, or generates new substances during the reaction process, obtaining new flavours and nutrition.
As the consumption environment and emotional experiences of food become more personalized, people begin to pursue more particular taste experiences at different levels, and the functional and nutritional demands of products are more segmented.
The concept of unpasteurized draft beer is not uncommon in China. Compared with pasteurized beer, draft beer is not sterilized at high temperature, and generally removes the remaining yeast and impurities in beer by diatomaceous earth filtration.
The flavour and freshness of draft beer are higher than that of pasteurize beer, and the bubbles are more abundant, and it often produces a stronger sense of tartness when drinking it from a can.
Pepsi’s raw cola is based on the treatment of draft beer, using a non-heating physical sterilization method different from traditional cola sterilization, preserving the aroma of spices in cola as much as possible and reducing the decomposition of carbon dioxide in cola.
Therefore, compared to ordinary Coke, PepsiCo’s bubble experience is more powerful, more exciting, and the flavour more refreshing. After being chilled, raw cola produces a stronger sense of raw and dry mouthfeel (see the illustration above).
This concept has also migrated to other types of beverage. In June this year, Manner launched the Aranya Theatre Festival Limited Draft Beer Latte, which pairs the aroma of malt beer with rich nutty coffee, borrowing the concept of ‘draft beer’ to bring consumers a novel coffee experience.
Manner Coffee’s Draf Beer Latte
In freshly ground coffee and packaged coffee, coffee beans are roasted and ground for a stronger coffee flavour and a higher caffeine content. However, with the development of coffee categories and changes in consumer demand, consumers’ demand for coffee is not limited to supplementing energy through caffeine, for example, people who are caffeine intolerant want to get a low-caffeine drinking experience.
In May this year, Starbucks launched a new generation of ‘Starbucks Raw Coffee’ series in China, with four types: Powdered Green Coffee, Powdered Lime Raw Coffee, Magic Purple Raw Coffee, and Mangzi Lime Raw Coffee. All products in this series are light caffeine drinks, extracted from raw Arabica green beans, blended with real juice and dried fruit. The caffeine content of a single cup is about 1/3 of the same cup of Americano.
On June 13, Starbucks China launched four new raw coffee series and then launched a new frost series. Based on the original green coffee series, the product and ice cubes are whipped into a soft frost to bring a summer frost experience.
Two recent Starbucks products
Japanese origin
Tracing the origins of the application of the concept of raw food in these categories, we can see that most of them originated from the Japanese food market, where raw food is an important part of the diet.
The relatively scarce supply of raw materials and the concept of living in accordance with nature have subtly cultivated the dietary preference and food culture of Japanese consumers towards raw food. The Japanese want to maximize the natural and fresh flavour and nutritional value of the ingredients themselves, as evidenced by the traditional Japanese diet of sashimi and raw soy sauce.
Since then, the concept of raw has gradually broadened to include ‘fresh’, ‘natural’ and ‘simple’. It has become a consumer attitude.
Take for example the raw chocolate that spread from Japan to China. Raw chocolate is made by adding fresh cream and other ingredients to melted chocolate, resulting in a silky, delicate product with a soft texture. This referred to as ‘Nama Chocolate’.
‘Nama’ (written with the same character 生) corresponds to the Japanese meaning of ‘fresh’ and ‘pure’, and originally means ‘fresh chocolate’. Because fresh cream (in Japanese: 生乳油 nama gyuyu) is added to the chocolate making process, it was rendered raw chocolate in Chinese.
The raw toast that has recently become hot in China is also a new baking category that has developed rapidly in the Japanese market. The earliest research and development concept for raw toast was to provide the elderly with a soft and chewable toast, and to provide more choices for children with egg allergies. Therefore, the original raw toast recipe did not add eggs but honey. The characteristics of raw toast are soft and dense, easy to bite off and melting in the mouth. The shelf life of this raw toast is only 1-2 days, which is in line with the concept of freshness, simplicity and purity in the concept of ‘raw’, even though there is nothing raw about it.
Peverelli on Chinese food and culture 