Tastings to be held at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences at the end of January

Less sweets, more fruit and vegetables: this year too, the goal of eating healthier from now on is one of the most popular New Year's resolutions. But even supposedly healthy foods often contain large amounts of sugar. The "Reformulation strategies for organic foods" (ReformBio) project at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences is looking for ways to reduce the sugar content in processed organic foods without compromising on flavour and texture. From 19 to 28 January, visitors to the International Green Week will be able to sample the product developments. If you don't want to travel to Berlin for a taste test: tastings will take place at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences at the end of January. Interested parties who regularly consume organic food should contact the project team at reformbio@hs-bremerhaven.de.

Crunchy muesli, fruit yoghurt and biscuits: project manager Dipl.-Ing. Kirsten Buchecker and colleague Lisa Nitze have already found new, sugar-reduced recipes for a number of foods. The biggest challenge so far has been fruit yoghurt. In contrast to the other products, only sugar reduction was used here instead of other sweeteners. However, because the sugar forms structures in combination with thickeners that provide the desired consistency, the yoghurt becomes runny when the sugar is reduced by 25 per cent. Permitted thickeners have a flavour of their own or ensure that the fruit can no longer be tasted. As the addition of flavourings is not permitted in the organic sector, the project team works with food pairing to emphasise the natural flavour of the fruit. "The combination of mango and kohlrabi is particularly unusual. If the fruit mixture is left to infuse for a day, the cabbage flavour of the kohlrabi disappears and the mango flavour is enhanced," explains Kirsten Buchecker. The researchers want to find out during the tastings whether the yoghurt can also score points with consumers. The results of the sensory consumer tests will be incorporated into further product development.

The project team is happy to pass on their findings, for example at the International Green Week in Berlin. There, the scientists are involved in the school class programme and explain to the pupils how sugar reduction strategies work. They also give a presentation on sugar reduction and food pairing. The scientists are delighted to have the opportunity to be part of the event programme. "We were invited to the Green Week because we are a particularly consumer-friendly project within the Federal Organic Farming Programme. This shows us that we are on the right track," says Kisten Buchecker.

The scientists will not only be presenting their findings at the International Green Week. Visitors to BIOFACH 2024 from 12 to 16 February in Nuremberg will also be able to test the product developments. "Together with the University of Göttingen and the Bund Naturwaren und Naturkost (BNN), we will be giving a presentation on sugar reduction strategies for organic products. We can also be found at the joint stand of the state of Bremen on all days of the fair," says Lisa Nitze Buchecker. During the trade fair, she and Kirsten Buchecker will also be presenting their findings to manufacturers and associations.