Kavita Karnik, M. Sci, Ph.D., Global Head of Nutrition, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs at Tate & Lyle. He is responsible for providing evidence-based scientific support to the company’s ingredient portfolio through strategic nutrition science research and education. Additionally, he leads the Regulatory and Scientific Affairs group, which manages the global regulatory approval and claims strategy for Tate & Lyle products.
Previously, Dr. Carnick held various global roles in nutrition and health-related commercial environments for corporations such as Unilever, Pfizer and Nestlé. He was also involved in academic research at various universities.
In this essay, Kavita explores how food science can help meet the nutritional needs of current and future generations.
Let’s embrace food science and the solutions it offers
Written by Kavita Karnik
In the food industry, we are increasingly seeing an emphasis on how a food is made rather than the nutritional composition of the finished product. As a doctor by training with 20+ years of experience in nutritional science, I know that a food’s nutritional credentials and health effects are determined by its salt, sugar, fat, calorie, and micronutrient content, not the number of steps in its production. However, these steps are not foolproof.
It is the industrialized process that has driven food safety standards, enabled the fortification of everyday products to address nutritional deficiencies, and brought products to people with special dietary needs. These are just some of the many benefits that prepared and packaged foods bring to our daily lives.
Improving nutritional credentials
The World Wildlife Fund estimates that to feed a rapidly growing population, we will need to produce more food in the next four decades than in the last 8,000 years. I truly believe that science and innovation are at the heart of how we do this in a more sustainable way, and the plant-based sector is a clear example of this at work.
At Tate & Lyle, a global producer of ingredients that reduce sugar, fat and calories and add fiber and protein, we work with customers to find opportunities to improve the nutritional credentials of their products. We are often asked the question: What can be done to make plant-based foods and beverages look and taste like their traditional counterparts, but also to be nutritious? As brands overcome the challenges of taste and texture, we see them prioritizing nutrition, and that’s only going to get easier as new technologies and advancements and bedding enter.
Enhancing nutrition through processing
The ‘processed’ nature of many plant-based products is arguably part of the nutritional boost, plant-based mayonnaise as an example. Traditional mayo emulsifies acids such as eggs, oil and lemon juice to create a rich texture. It has a normal fat content of 65% and when made at home usually lasts a few days in the fridge.
“We must partner to reduce the environmental impact of our food system”
Our food scientists can replace the egg and replicate the emulsion using vegetable oils and complementary, functional plant-based proteins that work well together to increase viscosity and help retain its squeezability, soft gel appearance and shape. They can reduce fat content to 40% or below and increase shelf-life to materially reduce waste, while providing the luxury dining experience people expect and the convenience they appreciate.
Ultimately, we need to partner to reduce the environmental impact of our food system and ensure enough nutritious food for future generations. Science and technology, including innovative ingredients and production techniques, will play a major role in how we meet these challenges, and we should celebrate their place in the future of food and drink.