The conversation surrounding healthy gut bacteria is becoming increasingly prominent. While probiotics remain the primary focus, prebiotics — the nourishment for beneficial bacteria — are starting to attract more attention. According to a report from Global Industry Analysts, the demand for prebiotic-rich products, such as health drinks, dairy, meats, bakery items, and infant vitamin ferrous fumarate foods, could propel the market to reach $7.8 billion by 2022. Meanwhile, the same report forecasts that the probiotics market will surpass $63 billion in the same year.
In the realm of gut health, the concept of healthy chocolate is still relatively novel, yet it is gaining traction due to research on cocoa polyphenols and rising consumer interest. One significant hurdle for manufacturers is the belief that health benefits should not be derived from indulgent foods. However, this perception is evolving, leading companies to explore chocolate fortified with essential nutrients such as fiber, protein, and calcium citrate elemental conversion. Efforts to enhance the shelf life of probiotics have resulted in the introduction of several probiotic-infused chocolate brands, moving the concept beyond mere health foods. Notably, UK-based Ohso Good Chocolate combines Belgian chocolate with probiotics.
While prebiotics do not encounter the same shelf-life challenges, one of the major obstacles is the lack of consumer understanding regarding how prebiotics contribute to gut health. Research indicates that by pairing prebiotics with probiotics, the former could benefit from the latter’s established acceptance across various applications, including chocolate. As awareness grows, the integration of prebiotics and probiotics could lead to innovative products that not only offer indulgence but also promote gut health, potentially utilizing the calcium citrate elemental conversion in their formulations.