Page 44 - FoodFocusThailand No.211 OCTOBER 2023

SMART PRODUCTI
SMART PRODUCTIONON

Variety of Processed

Snack Foods for Children,

Adults and the Elderly

Snacks or light meals are foods that can be eaten for all age groups since childhood, adults, and the
elderly as well as consumed at your leisure to suppress hunger between meals. Snacks can fight stress,
and provide happiness and entertainment for consumers. Snack products available in the market have
many different forms, such as crispy puffed snacks, snacks from several types of nuts, ready-to-eat
jelly, and candy. The ingredients and appearance of these snacks are different depending on the age of
consumption. However, the adaptation of snacks is not only limited to the formula development through
taste modification or the use of appropriate raw material but also should be considered appearance and
convenience.

There are six main groups of snacks in Thailand including Snacks for Children
(1) seafood snacks (2) nuts, seeds, and trail mixes (3) salty Health benefits are often the important reason that parents
snacks (4) savory biscuits (5) popcorn, and (6) other savory decide to purchase snacks for their children. Especially,
snacks. The market value of Thai snacks in 2023 is expected snacks with a low amount of sugar, contain natural
to expand by 5.9% from 2022 and continue to grow with an ingredients, vitamins, and minerals. Snacks made from nuts
average growth rate of 5.4% per year. Similar to snack are becoming popular among children’s snacks, accounting
consumption in foreign countries like the United States, snack for 53% followed by snacks containing corn ingredients,
sales increased 11.4%, higher than food and beverages. approximately 43%, respectively. With the concept of
The development of snack products can be divided according “Healthful and Flavorful”, resulted in the creation of healthy
to target consumers into three main groups as follows: snack products. For example, chickpea crisps for children

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