Angeliki Petsa is a Senior Food Scientist with a passion for innovation and sustainability in the food industry. She has been a member of the strategic leadership team at Unismack since 2014, initially involved in the commercial growth of key export markets (Europe, Australia, South Africa) and nowadays overseeing all aspects of customer services and excellence; this involves anything from food safety and quality standards to operational support of existing and new commercial partnerships for ensuring a positive customer experience.
Her research interests include food product development, food ingredient functionality, and the application of novel processing techniques for the development of healthy and sustainable food products.
Angeliki started off by talking about Unismack’s business model which includes Conceptualization, Research, Design/Development & Production of high quality, delicious, baked, ‘better-for-you’ snacks (chips –crisps-crackers) since 2006.
Angeliki highlighted the need for healthier snack options in the market, especially considering the rising incidence of food allergies and intolerances. She went on to explain the unique challenges of developing allergen-free snacks, as well as the importance of nutritionally balanced formulations that are still delicious and appealing to consumers.
She talked about the changing consumer behaviour, elaborating that consumers are becoming increasingly health-conscious, and are looking towards a more ‘natural’ diet. Petsa adds that, the real fight is on the label, consumers are paying more attention to ingredient lists, choosing clean ingredients and avoiding ‘chemical-sounding’ alternatives
Gluten-free options continue to gorw dramatically in demand, since gluten is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, barley, and rye but it does not provide essenital nutrients. So, as she elaborates, the popularity of gluten-free diet is not necessarily related to intolerance symptoms but since gluten triggers inflammation in people with celiac disease, consumers decided that maybe avoiding it will also help them.
Since gluten-free products are in demand, what are the challanges of gluten-free baking? Angeliki provided a great overview of these challanges, such as creating gluten-free baked snack crackers with comparable volume and texture, what starches can be used to add bulk to the snack crackers, and finally elaborates on the mixing and processing methods for gluten and allergen free baking process.
Petsa discusses the importance of using high-quality ingredients, such as whole grains and seeds, to increase the nutritional value of snack crackers. She also emphasizes the need to develop new and unique products that meet the needs of new consumer habits.
Angeliki Petsa’s presentation on “The Art of Developing and Producing Nutritionally Rewarding, Allergen-Free Snack Crackers” was a testament to the power of passion and innovation in creating successful and sustainable food products. Her personal journey and technical insights provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of creating healthier and allergen-free snack options.
If you are interested in creating snack crackers that are both nutritionally rewarding and delicious, Angeliki Petsa’s presentation is a must-read. Her insights into the art of combining high nutrition values with great taste, and managing the baking-processing challenges will provide valuable knowledge for anyone in the snack cracker industry.
By downloading this presentation, you’ll gain access to valuable strategies for using high-quality ingredients, unique formulations, and processing techniques to maintain the nutritional value of ingredients while achieving desired taste and texture. Don’t miss out on this valuable resource. Download Angeliki Petsa’s presentation today and take your snack cracker production to the next level!
