Tate & Lyle Says Metabolic Health Is Reshaping Food Reformulation

According to a report by Tate & Lyle PLC released on July 21, the growing focus on metabolic health among consumers is creating opportunities for food and beverage manufacturers. The research called “Future-Proofing Nutrition: Designing Products for Lifelong Metabolic Wellness” focuses on the way advances in nutrition science, changing customer expectations, and evolving regulation are reshaping product development strategies across the industry.

Due to these changes in demand and trends, consumers and retailers are both starting to look beyond sugar reduction when searching for measures for nutritional wellbeing, with the report highlighting a growing awareness of the relationship between diet, blood glucose management and long-term health outcomes.

According to the World Obesity Federation, more than 50% of the world’s population is expected to be living with overweight or obesity by 2035, while there are already 530m adults worldwide living with type 2 diabetes. Simultaneously, buyers are, according to the report, becoming increasingly more conscious of the way food and drinks affect their blood glucose levels, with 65% of Europeans recognizing that sugar foods can contribute to unhealthy blood sugar spikes.

Due to these trends, manufacturers are forced to respond with healthier alternatives and improve their nutritional profiles, these challenges requiring them to adopt a broader approach to reformulation, focusing on nutrients and ingredients that support healthier dietary patterns.

A key theme of the Tate & Lyle analysis is the role of soluble fiber in helping operators meet multiple nutritional objectives at the same time, since the ingredient is said to be able to help increase fiber intake, support sugar reduction strategies, and help moderate post-meal blood glucose responses. The report states that in the UK, adults consume an average of just 16.4g of fiber per day, compared with the recommended intake of 30g, highlighting the opportunity for food and beverage brands to help consumers increase fibre intake through everyday products.

Dr Pippa Gibson, Nutrition Business Partner EMEA at Tate & Lyle, said: “Our understanding of metabolic health has evolved significantly in recent years. Rather than focusing on single nutrients in isolation, there is growing recognition of how overall dietary patterns can support long-term health, including healthier blood glucose responses and increased fibre intake. […] This presents an important opportunity for food and beverage manufacturers. Reformulation is no longer just about reducing sugar. It is about creating products with improved nutritional profiles that continue to deliver the taste and texture consumers expect. Soluble fibre has an important role to play because it can help manufacturers address several nutritional priorities at once. By supporting fibre enrichment, enabling sugar reduction and helping to moderate post-meal blood glucose responses, it offers a practical way to develop products that better align with evolving consumer needs and public health priorities.”