According to Euromonitor International’s 2015 report Biscuits and Snacks in the U.S., “energy and nutrition bars emerged as one of the fastest growing categories in packaged food, with value sales growing by 88% in current terms.”

However, nothing will circumvent your nutrition bar’s success more drastically than a brief shelf life. As a matter of fact, shelf life and hardening of bars is an overriding concern in nutrition bar production. When it comes to nutrition bars, consumers want the same things they want in all of their favorite foods: appealing taste and favorable texture. No one wants a bar to be rock-hard, tough or brittle. Although consumers want protein to be a key ingredient in their nutrition bars, it can be the main culprit in preventing optimal shelf life.

The key to effectively managing and extending shelf life involves the prevention or slowing of hardening by managing moisture content and maintaining an appealing texture. Hardness is the key contributor to recommended usage dates; product safety and efficacy have the capacity to last much longer, but organoleptic quality determines consumer appeal and therefore, shelf life.

At Nellson, our excellent in-house R&D department of over 40 food scientists, technicians and regulatory personnel—works hard to extend your nutrition bar’s softness, by using key protein ingredients, processing steps, and fibers to extend shelf life stability. We also consistently use fresh, superior ingredients to improve the shelf life, from start to finish. See how we do it.

Let Nellson’s expertise help you meet your unique challenges. We have the knowledge and experience to manage the moisture content and counteract the challenges that typically would shorten a dairy protein bar’s shelf life. We work with all of our customers every day to solve their unique challenges, from formulation and supply problems to marketing solutions.

Find out more about how we can help you make a better bar.