An English start-up is struggling to convince sceptics that it has found a way to square the ultimate Italian indulgence with a healthy lifestyle.
Forti is launching a brand of gelato that will contain three times its usual amount of protein, without affecting its taste.
The company promises 40g of protein in each 480ml tub, and hopes to launch the product in British supermarkets by the end of the year.
But experts believe it is impossible to make a gelato with enough protein to be labelled as a health food without sacrificing flavour and texture.
“The idea of healthy gelato, for us, is tough,” said Daniele Taverna, who co-founded Gelato Village in Leicester more than a decade ago.
“It’s one of those fashionable things. Industries do need to find new ways to sell things to find a new audience – but high protein is not something we buy into or understand.”
Italian start-up Forti believe they have squared the circle of a healthy gelato
Luca Musolesi, a gelato expert based in Italy, added: “Most people who eat gelato don’t care about protein, they want something pleasurable, indulgent. High-protein gelato doesn’t taste as good as normal gelato, there’s no way around it.
“People don’t eat gelato as a functional food, no matter how much companies try. It will never be a healthy milkshake for the morning.
“It’s very hard to reconcile the happiness of gelato with the functionality of protein.”
Under UK law, at least 12 per cent of a food’s energy value must be provided by protein for a provider to claim it is a ‘source of protein’.
And a fifth of the energy value must come from protein for the product to be labelled ‘high protein’.
But fats and sugars have traditionally been intrinsic to ensuring that gelato has a smooth, creamy texture and sweet taste.
The process is so complex that several apps and calculators have been created to allow gelato makers to experiment with and document their ingredient ratios, in a process called “gelato balancing”.
The claims have been greeted with scepticism at Gelato Village in Leicester – https://www.instagram.com/gelatovillage/?hl=en-gb
“We need to be careful of sacrificing flavour and texture for a health trend,” said Morgan Morano, co-founder of GelatoLab, which offers training in making the dessert. “It’ll affect the texture – probably make it a little harder, a little chalkier.
“High protein or low sugar affects the integrity of the structure, the science – you’ll get an off taste.”
Ms Morano, who is based in the US, added: “You can find good gelato, okay gelato, everywhere. But you can’t find great gelato everywhere. I think it’s about serving a different audience, because people who want a great artisan gelato aren’t concerned about protein.”
The Forti founders said they “learnt a lot” about gelato while developing their product – including the risks of trying to boost protein in the traditional treat.
Under UK law, at least 12 per cent of a food’s energy value must be provided by protein for a provider to claim it is a ‘source of protein’ – Frank Bienewald/é 2016 Frank Bienewald
Milan Nandha, a co-founder, said: “There will always be purists. This might divide opinion. But I have a background in innovation, and that’s what we do.
“We’ve talked to a lot of chefs and experts, it’s a technical process all about being laser-focused on only putting in what’s needed for texture and flavour. We played around the ratios and combinations of milks, creams and milk powders, which we blend to create a dairy base.”
“Every time you create a new flavour, you have to rebalance. We went from one chocolate to another in development and we had to rebalance the whole thing, our whole dairy base,” Mr Nandha said.
High-protein gelatos have previously made their way into Italian shops, Mr Musolesi said. But sellers have rarely succeeded.
“The first companies in Europe who made high-protein gelato, they’re already dead, they’re gone,” Mr Musolesi said. “These products do very well if you reach the right audience – but it’s a small audience. Most people who don’t care about protein. They want something pleasurable, indulgent.”
Mr Nandha said: “We don’t believe protein is just a fashionable thing. If the last few years have taught us anything, protein-enriched foods are a new staple in the supermarket.
“In terms of texture, we’ve spent a lot of time developing this and have had incredible feedback from thousands of people to evidence we have a top-quality product.”
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Dining and Cooking