What Is the Development of Food Products? The difficult procedure required to release a new or enhanced product onto the market is called product development. This is done in the food sector by creating foods that appeal to the target market and fill in any gaps in their present preferences and demands is called Food product development.
Developing the product concept
The word “design” hasn’t been frequently utilized in the food sector outside of packaging and advertising. The term “product development” has been used to describe the process of creating a product and has associations with laboratory formulation and sensory panels. The adoption of food product design and the integration of food product design with other fields of design, however, may now have tangible advantages.
In equal partnership with engineers, marketers, and consumer researchers, product design is a crucial component in the process of creating new products (Bleich and Bleich, 1993). All of these elements are combined in the product’s technology.
- Throughout the PD Process, consumer researchers develop the link between the consumer and the product.
- Market analysts do market research and develop the marketing and distribution plans for the market strategies.
- Together, the food engineer and technologist conduct product and process research for co-engineering, and they develop the physical distribution and manufacturing processes.
- The designer of food products investigates the social and cultural contexts before creating the all-encompassing product.
All of these need to be included from the start of the PD Process. All factors come together when the product idea and design specifications are developed, and as the project moves forward, the participants realize what is required for product design, production, and marketing to suit the needs, wants, and Food Product Development behaviors of customers.
The process of product design is constrained by a set of criteria (product design specification), which include the performance, appearance, cost, and essential and desired product functions (Dasgupta, 1996). Although this is typical in many industrial fields, the food industry is just now starting to accept it. First, a product concept is developed by customers, product designers, and frequently marketers; then, developers and
- determining customer needs;
- defining the desired product brief;
- examination of rival items;
- creation of concepts;
Between these sections, the project team collaborates. First, they research the market, aiming to translate the demands into more precise phrases in the product brief while also researching the rival goods. Then, in order to develop particular product concepts, they return to the consumers with more clearly defined product kinds. Finally, they incorporate the product concepts into more precise and in-depth product descriptions before asking consumers for their feedback once again.
From the first concept through the final product specifications governing manufacturing and the final product proposition serving as the foundation for marketing, the product concept advances throughout the product development project.
Product Development Key Stages
- Ideation
- Formulation
- Processing
- Commercialization
Ideation
Coming up with the original idea is frequently the most challenging step in the product development process. It might be difficult to develop a new food product that people would buy because there are so many food products already on the market. It is preferable to just get in and begin coming up with ideas. Concepts may then be honed and streamlined from there. Ideas can originate from many different places. Some concepts are for an entirely new product, while others are for an expansion of an already-existing product line. Finding the target market is crucial when ideas have been created. To find out what is fresh and forthcoming, trends are attentively watched. Food Product Development Ideas for new items frequently come from trends. Trends evolve with time,
Customers from beyond the Midwest might not enjoy certain flavors or may not even be familiar with them. There could not be a big enough market share for your product if both your target market and the product category it belongs to are tiny. Realizing that not everyone will share your preferences may also be difficult. We frequently create goods that we enjoy, but occasionally you may need to create a product for a target market that excludes you.
Formulation
- creating the new item!
- procure components and create a product on a modest scale in a laboratory.
- Create a “gold standard” version of the new item.
- Potential problems
- Ingredient sourcing and cost information
- Shelf life of the product (often not evaluated during formulation but must be taken into account early in the process)
- Is it possible to manufacture the product on a huge scale?
- Avoid violating copyright and patents
Processing
- The formulating procedure is “scaled up” to create more of the product.
- Frequently, the technique is “scaled up” several times.
- test pilot plants
- testing of plants
- With scale-up, products evolve constantly.
- Testing for Quality & Proximate Analysis is carried out to establish standards, identify potential food safety issues, and calculate shelf life.
- Process efficiency, rework required, and other factors can be included in processing trials and runs to get a more precise product cost.
Processing Important Issues:
- Sensory Qualities
- Specifications for the Product’s Nutritional Profile
- Overall Functionality Shelf Life
Commercialization
- deciding on packaging
- making a label (with a logo, nutritional information, etc.)
- settling expenses and producing product material or advertising
Key Team Members
To create a new food product, several jobs are necessary. When each member brings their own area of knowledge to the table, a product development team may be quite effective. Food Product Development The difficulty is in successfully communicating to ensure that everyone is aware of the project’s status and objectives. Important team members include those involved in product development, engineering, production, buying, quality control, regulatory, marketing, sales, and top management.. The roles they often play are listed below.
Engineering and Production
- Process design is determined in part by engineers and production managers:
- Design and Maintenance of Equipment
Marketing & Sales
- defines the market for the product and positioning
- by using consumer data and polls, confirms that consumers require a new product.
- creates an advertising plan
- observes the sales of rivals and the launch of new products
- aids in product package design, especially when it comes to appealing the target market.
- influenced the product’s name
- Process limiting
- Production costs (overhead expenses, line speeds)
- Sanitation Training for Employees
- Additionally, they might support package design, shelf life, and handling.
- Cost
- Public Safety
- Customer Service
Engineering and Productio
- Design and Maintenance of Equipment
- Process limiting
- Production costs (overhead expenses, line speeds)
- Sanitation Training for Employees
- Additionally, they might support package design, shelf life, and handling.
- Cost
- Public Safety
- Customer Service
- Recognise sensory characteristics
- Test the shelf life
- Knowledge of Food Safety Issues
- Check the procedure
- Think about Nutrition
Challenges of Product Development
- Not everyone will agree with your concept just because you believe it’s a good one.
- There are instances when things just do not function as they should (scale-up alters product attributes, shelf life is insufficient, low customer approval, etc.).
- Costs and sources of ingredients
- Processing and resource constraints
- It can be challenging to communicate with a multidimensional team because each background has its own:
- Area of Specialisation
- Objectives and Goals
- understanding of other disciplines
- Depending on the firm structure, there may be overlap or gaps in the functions.
The food business is one of the most difficult to get into since 15,000 new goods are introduced to the market every year. Sadly, two out of every three freshly released items do not prosper over time.
A poor approach for food product development is the main cause of such failures.
The direction of food product development has significantly shifted since the pandemic, from the sorts of items being generated to the development process itself. Although there is now a lower entrance hurdle, creating a product that people want to buy is more difficult than ever.
An essential component of a brand’s operations and marketing is product development. It’s crucial to comprehend the steps involved in creating, launching, and promoting a new product to your target market.
Development of FOOD products entails more than just making the
The ideal recipe. Organisations need to carefully prepare, work diligently, and
Investing a lot of effort on research to create new foods
products. It is crucial to do the following before starting a new development project:
to create precise goals and schedules that incorporate the future
direction of the company. Companies develop new products in an effort to increase sales and expand into new markets.
regional markets, rising sales, boosting brand fervour, or
taking up more market share.
Numerous thousands of new products are introduced by both major and small
New foods are released annually. the duration devoted to creating new foods
items can last anywhere from six months and five years, depending on how
modern innovations and technologies.
IDEA GENERATION
Different methods are used by businesses to come up with ideas for new items.
The fundamental concept creation may fall within the purview of marketing teams, who may also get support from researchers. Input from customers might also inspire ideas. Some businesses might not require this stage, particularly if they make a living by revitalising their rivals’ products. Having a store brand product that is sold and is quite similar to a name brand product is an illustration of this. The process of generating business ideas might also include brainstorming sessions with participation from different departments. The main procedures in creating a new food product may be broken down into four phases after concept generation: screening, feasibility, test marketing, and commercialization. Completing idea generation requires learning about popular ingredients and customer preferences.
SCREENING
The most important stage of a product development endeavor is screening. A company can decide whether to invest time and money in a business or to give up altogether by thoroughly evaluating product concepts. Project concepts should align with the objectives of the organization. Project managers should continually evaluate concepts to determine whether the market has changed in its acceptance of the concept, ingredient accessibility, and regulatory issues. Smaller businesses may hire outside agencies to help with market research.
Collaboration between departments during the screening stage aids in the assessment of the various product development factors, such as financial and legal considerations, process and equipment accessibility, purchasing power and ingredient accessibility, market shifts, and consumer perceptions. To properly screen products, markets must be examined and customer research must be conducted.
Consumer testing is crucial for product evaluation. Companies cannot determine consumer wants, preferences, or readiness to buy without doing consumer testing. Initial screening may produce data that may be helpful for upcoming marketing plans.
FEASIBILITY
Regulations, technology, and finances are all factors that affect a business’s viability. By establishing an interdepartmental team, the resources will be accessible to address any initial attainability queries that may be raised at any point along the development process.
Regulations
Companies must be aware of the state and/or federal agencies that control a product before they begin a project. generally speaking, goods sold
State agencies control activities that take place locally (and do not cross state borders).
Depending on the type of food, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are in charge of a product that crosses state boundaries. Some states permit small food processing enterprises to operate out of a person’s house, but there must be strong walls separating the processing section from the living area and no direct access from the living area to the processing area. Knowing the local zoning laws is important since some local governments forbid in-home commercial food manufacturing.
In accordance with 21 CFR 321(f), “food” is defined as “a raw, cooked, or processed edible material, ice, beverage, or component used or intended for use or
for sale in whole or in part, for use as chewing gum or for human consumption.
The requirements for certain food items as outlined in the federal rules code are stated in standards of identification. Any product of Food Product Development wishing to utilize a certain name must adhere to strict requirements. For instance, “applesauce” must adhere to tight rules for ingredient inclusion in order to be labelled as such (21 CFR 145.110). If unsweetened, “applesauce” must have a soluble solids concentration of at least 9% and 16.5%, respectively, as determined by a refractometer. Apples should be the main component of the product; other components are optional.
Technology
The required tools, facilities, and manufacturing procedures must be created before a new food product may be introduced. The project should be abandoned when it is discovered that the goods are not technologically possible.
Formulation
The optimal mix of components, processing guidelines, and packaging options will be used to produce the desired product. At this stage, accurate statistical analysis and meticulous record keeping are essential. An experimental design will reduce the number of prototypes to be built after some first testing, which will save time and money. A laboratory notebook should contain full descriptions of all formulae and experiments. Each entry should have all required information.
Ingredients
When selecting components, it is important to take into account whether the product will be sold year-round or only during certain seasons. To verify quality and cost-effectiveness, product developers typically look at many suppliers of the same product. Larger businesses would need to locate many suppliers of the same product to meet demand.
If more than one source is engaged, each provider must adhere to strict product criteria.
Processing
What equipment do you already have if there is a facility currently in place?
Whenever feasible, businesses aim to create freshly designed items on existing owned machinery. New product development initiatives frequently concentrate on extending product lines utilizing existing facilities and equipment because purchasing new equipment is a significant financial investment. Because of this, Food Product Development developers should be aware of the machinery that is available where the final product will be manufactured.
Considerations should be given to what the discrepancies in the equipment that is available are and how they may be resolved to generate goods that are economically comparable if the product will be produced in more than one facility.
Facilities
It is important to take into account the processing facility.
The water supply and sewage systems will need to be assessed if the firm has just bought a new facility. Consideration should be given to the inside conditions of the plant, such as temperature and relative humidity regulation. Without controls for these variables, facilities in hot, humid climates may need to change their operational procedures in order to produce quality food.
Distribution
Foods that need particular delivery requirements include frozen and chilled goods. Organizations ought to take particular distribution costs into account. The area where the product will be accessible in is another factor in distribution. Will the product be distributed locally or nationally? The packing requirements may also be impacted by the delivery radius.
Shelf Life
How long a product will maintain its perceived quality in the eyes of the consumer is determined by its shelf life. When thinking about distribution routes, a product’s shelf life is crucial. Accelerated or real-time testing can be used to evaluate shelf life.
Safety
The threats to users’ safety should be taken into account by new product creators. The history of outbreaks and the safety hazards associated with specific product categories might provide information on risk factors that processors should be aware of. For instance, following a significant epidemic of salmonella in early 2009 that resulted in more than 400 illnesses and at least five fatalities, peanut butter makers are required to apply controls to screen for potential contamination. Food Product Development Some items are prone to the development of microbial pathogens and deterioration. Additionally, allergens and physical pollutants, such as metal shavings from manufacturing equipment, might endanger consumer safety.
TEST MARKETING
The next natural stage is product development and test marketing if your screening and feasibility testing reveal a product’s potential for launch. At this point, investing in equipment is not advised.
Ingredients, advertising, and packaging supplies should be the major expenses. Pilot plants are used by large corporations to produce smaller quantities of novel food products for test marketing. Pilot plants can be utilized for free by new businesses at a number of local colleges or community centers. As an alternative, the test product might be produced using competent machinery at an authorized food processing plant in your neighborhood.
Consumer testing are occasionally carried out as in-home usage tests at this point. Consumers evaluate the product’s likes and dislikes before a company launches it.
A final formula should be presented in weight % basis as it is no longer a “recipe” at the time of test marketing. several resources for
You should have all the components on hand. These need to be of excellent quality and exhibit little variation between shipments.
The procedure must be sufficient to produce a high-quality, secure output. For certain items, check for state or federal requirements on processing variables like the ultimate interior temperature. Food Product Development Consumers should find packaging pleasant, and it should also offer protection from infection. Using code packaging can make it easier to monitor distribution and shelf life.
To determine if your market test was successful or unsuccessful, documentation will be essential. All should maintain records.
COMMERCIALIZATION
If your market test is successful, your product will be prepared for sale. The item can still be made at a current food facility.
a Commercialization should include the advertising of products as a key component.
Companies that can afford to finance nationwide marketing campaigns might employ a variety of strategies to draw attention to their goods. Savings coupons, national television ads, online advertisements, and product demonstrations are typical techniques for selling new items.
Reference
- https://iastate.pressbooks.pub/foodproductdevelopment/chapter/chapter-1/
- https://nzifst.org.nz/resources/foodproductdevelopment/Chapter-3-1-2.htm
- https://easy4learning.com/
