Stealth functionality involves incorporating unusual ingredients with nutritional benefits in a way that doesn't compromise the taste of the sweet, making the added health benefits a pleasant surprise or subtle enhancement.

“Brands are realising they can’t rely on taste alone – functionality is pulling in health-conscious consumers,” says Julie Johnson, President of HealthFocus International (quoted in the article: Flavour or Function? The Challenge of Getting Both Right published in Confectionery News)

To create functional sweets, product developers and manufacturers are getting incredibly creative with their ingredients. Here are some of the more unusual ones popping up in our packets of sweets. 

For Added Nutrition & Wellness:

• Seaweed and Algae: Incorporated as both edible packaging and as an added nutritional extract within the confectionery itself.
• Edible Botanicals: Unexpected ingredients like rosemary or thyme are being infused for subtle flavours and potential calming or antioxidant properties.
• Functional Mushrooms: Extracts from mushrooms like Lion's Mane (for focus) or Reishi (for relaxation) are appearing in chocolates and gummies.
• Insect Protein: Protein-rich cricket flour (and other insect-based ingredients) are being used by adventurous brands in bars and chocolates for a functional boost.
• Upcycled Ingredients: Turning fruit and vegetable waste into powders that can add fibre and nutrients to sweets, while also addressing sustainability concerns.

For Unique Textures & Experiences:

• Popping Candy with a Twist: Instead of just sugar, imagine popping elements made with encapsulated probiotics or vitamins that release with a fun fizz.
• Oleogels: These are created by structuring plant-based oils to mimic the texture of fats, offering a vegan alternative with potentially different nutritional profiles.
• Fermented Ingredients: Some confectionery is experimenting with fermented fruit or even vegetable purees to add unique tangy notes and potentially gut-friendly benefits.

For Sugar Alternatives with Added Perks:

• Allulose: Found naturally in small quantities in fruits, it tastes like sugar but with significantly fewer calories and minimal impact on blood sugar.
• Maltitol and Erythritol with Added Extracts: While these are more common sugar alcohols, they're being combined with botanical extracts for added antioxidant or other functional benefits.

Functional sweets are a really exciting space where culinary inventiveness meets health and wellness. ISM Middle East is the ideal platform where regional and international innovators can introduce their wellness-forward sweets to the right audience who are ready to embrace the next-generation of functional foods, and cater to ever-changing consumer needs.