Fruits can add a pop of color, flavor, and texture to snack and bakery products, but with consumers being more mindful of health and wellness, the use of fruits has expanded beyond the traditional uses. 

“Consumers are increasingly looking for products made with clean labels and natural ingredients, and fruits are a popular choice to provide natural sweetness, flavors, and colors,” shares Christine Campbell, category manager of fruits and vegetables, Global Organics. “Fruits are also being incorporated to enhance the nutritional profile on snacks and baked goods, as they are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Additionally, alternatives sweeteners derived from fruits, such as apple and pear juice concentrate, pear and apple purees, and grape juice purees and concentrates, are being used to provide better carbohydrate intake compared to sugar.”

New fruit ingredients

Global Organics recently introduced several new products with applications for snack and bakery products. Campbell shares an overview of the products and which applications these new ingredients are best suited for:

• Organic Concord Grape Puree: Concord grape puree is a valuable ingredient due to its natural flavor, intense grape taste, and ability to enhance the overall flavor profile. Its deep purple color adds visual appeal, while its high antioxidant content provides potential health benefits. The natural sugars in the puree help retain moisture, resulting in a softer texture in baked goods. Additionally, the grape puree acts as a natural preservative, extending the shelf life of products. It can be used in muffins, bars, and toppings
• Organic Passion Fruit Puree: Passion fruit puree brings a unique and exotic flavor, with a tangy and slightly sweet note. It provides a natural sweetness, reducing the need for additional sweeteners. Additionally, it contains high levels of vitamin A and vitamin C, and is rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium, iron, and phosphorous. The juice’s high water content helps retain moisture, resulting in a softer texture and improved shelf life. Examples of where this ingredient can be used include cakes, cupcakes, muffins, quick breads, cookies, fruit bars, fruit snacks, and granola bars
• Organic Guava Puree: Guava has a distinct and tropical flavor that adds a unique taste, providing a refreshing and exotic twist. The natural sweetness of guava reduces the need for additional sweeteners. Guava is rich in dietary fiber, vitamins (such as vitamin C and vitamin A), and minerals (such as potassium and magnesium). Additionally, guava puree adds a vibrant pink color to baked goods and snacks, making them visually appealing. The high water content in guava helps retain moisture, resulting in a moist and tender texture. It can be used in pastries, Danishes, muffins, breads, tart or pie fillings, fruit bars, and fruit snacks

IFF has recently introduced their newest authentic fruit snack offerings. Claire Piddington, product marketing, Taura by IFF, says, “This new product provides versatile marketing opportunities such as better-for-you indulgence or on-the-go nutrition, appealing to various consumer groups with captivating flavors like Raspberry with Mint Crisps, Orange with Cacao Nibs, and Blueberry with Roasted Coffee granules. Additionally, our functional fruit snacks are nutrient-dense, featuring options with naturally occurring sugars, added fiber, protein, as well as essential vitamins and minerals.” They are designed to be either a stand along snack or can be incorporated into a snack mix along with nuts.

New uses

Manufacturers can find other creative uses of fruit ingredients that offer new flavors, textures, and nutritional benefits across a range of snack and bakery products, according to Campbell. 

“Fruit purees and juices, such as those made from berries, apples, or mangoes, are used as natural sweeteners and flavor enhancers in baked goods like muffins, cakes, and cookies,” she says. “They can also serve as a good binding agent in gluten-free and vegan products. Fruit powders made from dehydrated fruits, are another innovative way to add concentrated fruit flavors to snacks like popcorn, chips, and cereals. Banana paste, and diced bananas are also versatile ingredients that can be used in various ways, such as banana coins, slices, or purees, and can be utilized as fillers or binding agents in snack and bakery products.”

Tony Barenie, marketing manager, Van Drunen Farms, notes, “Currently we are not seeing fruit ingredients being used in new ways as much as we are seeing an increased emphasis on their role in snack and bakery applications. For example, it is typical to see fruit in pastries, waffles, and pancakes. However, now we’re seeing more brands call out the amount of fruit in these products, and in some cases even the number of servings of fruit. Some snack and bakery brands are even going a step further and calling out health and functional attributes that fruit adds to their products, such as Omega 3s, antioxidants, and energy benefits.” 

The Washington Red Raspberry Commission was formed in 1976 to promote and support the raspberry industry. 

“All of our existing frozen raspberry formats are made with 100% Washinton-grown fruit that’s picked at the peak of ripeness and frozen using just cold air within hours of being harvested,  locking in the natural color, flavor, and nutritional benefits of raspberries,” explains Henry Bierlink, executive director, Washington Red Raspberry Commission. 

Bierlink indicates there are many frozen formats available but those they see being used most frequently are IQF Whole & Broken (Crumbles) and Purees (with or without seeds). “For bakers, these various formats offer convenience and consistent quality straight from the freezer without the need for additional prep work. We’ve also heard from professional bakers that frozen raspberries offer better baking results. This may be due to the fact that raspberries bred for the frozen market have less moisture and are smaller in size,” he adds.

Raspberries work in many baking applications including yeast breads, quick breads, pastries, and cakes, and can pair well with:

• fruits such as lemon, key lime, apricot, peach, and plum
• spices and herbs such as mint, ginger, cinnamon, chili, or thyme
• dairy and cheese such as goat cheese, ricotta, yogurt, or custard
• chocolate or vanilla flavors

The organization has ongoing partnerships with the Bread Bakers Guild of America and the Retail Bakers of America and has worked with professional bakers and chefs to create several new recipes and items using raspberries.

U.S.-grown Montmorency tart cherries are gaining attention for their versatility in the snack and bakery industry. These tart cherries are known for their on-trend sweet-sour taste and unique nutrient profile. According to data shared by the Cherry Industry Administrative Board, product innovations featuring tart cherries are up 94% in the past six years. Heather Weber, executive director, Cherry Industry Administrative Board, relates, “Tart cherries are incredibly versatile for both savory and sweet snack applications and are great to enjoy on their own, too. Snacks made with tart cherries—such as nutrition bars, energy bites, trail mix, granola, jerky, and other meat snacks—make up a large category of new innovations.”

Courtesy of the Washington Red Raspberry Commission

Weber shares additional benefits of using tart cherries:

• The fruit is available in a variety of forms year-round, including dried, frozen, juice, and juice concentrate.
• Tart cherries provide a multi-faceted, sweet-tart flavor profile that can be used in a variety of products.
• The cherries can provide a burst of eye-catching bright ruby red color.
• They are one of the few natural food sources of melatonin, the sleep hormone that regulates the body’s circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle.
• Tart cherries are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and copper. 

Trending fruit flavors

Catherine Hogan—category marketing lead, bakery and bars, cereal, and confectionery, North America, IFF—says she is seeing the current fruit flavors run the spectrum of classic and traditional to culturally influenced. 

“Strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry are the mainstream berries that are popular in bakery. For citrus, lemon and lime dominate for their refreshingly bright taste,” she reports. “Established flavors such as apple, banana, peach, and cherry are must-haves for breakfast Danishes, muffins, and dessert pies. Tropical flavors are also growing in popularity, with mango, pineapple, and coconut leading, and passionfruit, guava, and dragon fruit being up and coming.” 

“Based on current fruit flavor trends, varietal-type berry flavors such as blackberry, boysenberry, and elderberry, and in the citrus category, yuzu, Meyer lemon, and blood orange are examples that can deliver an elevated taste experience to snack and bakery products. Combination flavors are a great way to create a new taste experience, whether paring two familiar flavors like lemon and berries, or introducing a new and unfamiliar taste with a familiar anchor flavor,” continues Hogan. “Examples include strawberry and guava, passionfruit and peach, lime, and coconut.

Barenie notes one of the major flavor trends they are seeing within the snack and bakery category is the rise of sweet paired with other flavors such as spicy, savory, herbal, etc. “This trend is exciting because fruits pair so well with smoky and spicy flavor profiles,” he shares. Chili mango is a great example. Pineapple jalapeño is another flavor combination we are seeing across categories.”

Barenie goes on to share the company is also seeing growth within fruity and herbal combinations such as lemon thyme and watermelon mint, which have been popular in beverages but are now appearing in other categories like snack and bakery. In addition, based on the trend reports the company believes blackberry will grow in popularity as a fruit flavor. “We predict that blackberry flavor paired with citrus will permeate snack, bakery, and beverage launches this year, similar to what the industry saw with peach flavor in 2023.”