New products from Swedish root vegetables

Purpose and goal

The project aimed to develop new functional food ingredients and products from underutilized Swedish root vegetables. It evaluated how various processing methods impact taste, texture, and consistency.

Challenge

Traditionally, a few root vegetables like potatoes and carrots dominate consumption, though significant knowledge and experience exist for others such as Jerusalem artichoke, beetroot, and parsnip. These vegetables are climate-smart, resilient, and can be cultivated across large parts of Sweden, reducing waste. Swedish consumers generally view local root vegetables positively, associating them with health benefits. However, these vegetables are often only consumed roasted or boiled, despite their high fiber and starch content making them ideal as functional food ingredients, such as natural thickeners or prebiotic products.

Solution

The project focused on three traditional and underutilized Swedish root vegetables: Jerusalem artichoke, beetroot, and parsnip, due to their high fiber, starch, and antioxidant content. Various food products and ingredients were developed from these raw materials in collaboration with industry partners, including ready meals, soups, snack products, and functional thickeners.

Impact

The project aims to significantly expand the market for Swedish root vegetables in processed food products and ingredients, where willingness to pay, margins, and customer base are significantly larger. This will increase demand for the raw materials, leading to increased production and profitability for food-producing companies and farmers. Establishing a strong domestic market for these raw materials will naturally lead to increased international sales, with the long-term effect being increased export of products and ingredients from Swedish root vegetables.

Publications

Andersson, J.; Garrido-Bañuelos, G.; Bergdoll, M.; Vilaplana, F.; Menzel, C.; Mihnea, M.; Lopez-Sanchez, P. Comparison of Steaming and Boiling of Root Vegetables for Enhancing Carbohydrate Content and Sensory Profile. Journal of Food Engineering 2022, 312, 110754. 
Fulltext

Garrido-Bañuelos, G.; Lopez-Sanchez, P.; Mihnea, M. Role of Continuous Phase and Particle Properties on the Sensory Perception of Root Vegetable Purées Evaluated by an Expert Panel and Naïve Consumers. Journal of Texture Studies 2023, 54 (4), 532–540. 
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