Global Functional Flours Market Size, Share, Opportunities And Trends By Source (Cereals, Legumes), By Type (Specialty Flour, Conventional Flour), By Application (Bakery, Savory Snacks, Soup And Sauces, Ready To Eat Products, Others), And By Geography - Forecasts From 2023 To 2028

The functional flour market is expected to witness significant growth during the forecasted period.

Functional flours are a specific class of ingredients made from a hydrothermal process that make health claims beyond those made by conventional wheat flour and also have a longer shelf life. In addition, functional flour may contain herbs, vitamins, and even nutraceuticals. Hydrothermal processes change the gluten & starch content of flour and microorganisms & enzymes are also inactivated. Some examples of functional flour include malted wheat flour, bean flour, toasted malted wheat flour etc.

Functional flour can be used in the food sector in a wide variety of ways. For making batters to cover vegetables, meat, and fish hydrothermally treated flour is ideally suited due to its cold viscosity being adjusted. Cakes with high sugar & fat content and soups & sauces employ functional flours as a thickening and texturizing agent. Less gluten is present in products manufactured from genetically modified grains such as maize, bean, wheat & rice than in products made from ordinary wheat flour. Due to the health advantages and growing customer knowledge of their own health, functional flours are chosen over traditional product alternatives which are propelling the demand for the global market.

However, stringent rules and regulations implemented by the government along with unstable prices of raw materials are anticipated to obstruct the growth of the global market during the projection period.

The global market for functional flour is categorized into various segments which include – the source of the flour, type of flour, application and geographical region.

During the anticipation period, the global market for functional flour will grow due to an increase in consumer demand for speciality products.

Increasing demand for nutrient-enriched foods is expected to drive the market as a result of people's busy lifestyles and a growing understanding of the health advantages of certain foods. The market for functional foods has grown exponentially as consumers' interest in nutrition and health has increased. All industrialised nations worldwide are witnessing an increase in the incidence of obesity. For instance, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, data a little over 42 per cent of American people are thought to be obese, while around 30.7 per cent are thought to be overweight. Overweight and obese conditions affect more than two-thirds of American people. WHO thinks that in some countries obesity kills more people than starvation and food insecurity do.

Customers are therefore more likely to choose meals with functional components to lower their chance of developing specific illnesses including obesity, cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes as a fast-paced lifestyle, everyday hustle and high amount of stress have increased the incidences of such health conditions. Additional elements that are boosting market expansion for functional flours include rising disposable income, ease of transportation, longer shelf life and rising health concerns among the general population.

Since functional flours contain lower or no amount of gluten than conventional wheat flour therefore the high prevalence of gluten allergies is also propelling the market growth. An allergic reaction to gluten might make a person itch, throw up, cause indigestion, make them nauseous, have trouble breathing or cause anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can be fatal. According to CDC, almost 6 per cent of the US population is gluten intolerant.

North America is anticipated to hold a significant amount of the global functional flour market share during the forecast period

Functional flour is becoming more and more popular because of its cost-saving, nutritional advantages, thickening, texture, and flavour improvements. Yet, the industry is mostly driven by the movement towards gluten-free and clean labelling in this region. With a high knowledge of product efficiency and a need for luxury items, North America is expected to witness significant growth. The market for functional food items has been growing in countries like the United States and Canada according to new trends in functional bars. A high prevalence of gluten intolerance is also spurring growth in this region. The North American market is being driven by the rise in the consumption of nutritive convenience foods and fortified foods as well as the rising health consciousness. Consumers in the region are implementing preventative healthcare practises, such as consuming wholesome food, since the healthcare expenditure trend is increasing daily. This element is boosting the region's overall sales of functional flours even more. The prime market in North America includes Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Market Key Developments

• In June 2021, a novel functional rice flour has been introduced by Ulrick & Short that the company says enhances viscosity, texture, and structure in gluten-free bread applications. The newest product in Ulrick & Short's functional flour line, Fazenda Nutrigel, was introduced last year in response to the expanding gluten-free trend in the bread industry. The novel component has been developed to enhance moisture, softness, and structure in both sweet and savoury bakery applications, including bread, cakes, muffins, batters, and coatings. It purportedly functions as a viscosity regulator in the bakery.
• In October 2022, Cargill introduced a maltodextrin replacement made from rice flour. The new soluble SimPure rice flour from Cargill is a clean-label product that resembles maltodextrin in terms of flavour, texture, and function. You can use this component in place of maltodextrin.
• In June 2021, to make up for the poor dietary fibre intake of Europeans, Limagrain Ingredients introduced "LifyWheat," a flour made from fibre-rich wheat. According to reports, white wheat flour contains resistant starch and has 10 times more fibre than regular fibre.

 Global Functional Flours Market Scope:

Segmentation:

• By Source
  • Cereals
  • Legumes
• By Type
  • Specialty Flour
  • Conventional Flour
• By Application
  • Bakery
  • Savory Snacks
  • Soup and Sauces
  • Ready To Eat Products
  • Others
• By Geography
  • North America
    • USA
    • Canada
    • Others
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Others
  • Europe
    • Germany
    • UK
    • France
    • Others
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Israel
    • Others
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • India
    • Taiwan
    • Thailand
    • Indonesia
    • Others