Noochy Crisp, a crispy nutritional yeast snack developed over the course of three years by Gnosis by Lesaffre, received the Best Tasting Functional Food award at Vitafoods Europe.
 
Noochy Crisp is the first extruded nutritional yeast in the form of a small crisp. With its unique texture, it’s considered ideal to add to soups and salads, or used as an ingredient for nutritional bars. Nutritional yeast, a species known as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is popularly used in vegan cooking. Yeast cells are killed during manufacturing and are deactivated in the final product, and deliver a savory flavor.
 
Think of Noochy Crisp as a healthy crouton, Antoine Vanhove, product manager for Noochy Crisp, said. “Nutritional yeast is a highly versatile source of key nutrients. It’s a complete ingredient, non-GMO, and sustainable way to improve the fiber, vitamins, protein, and minerals we consume. It’s also a health-forward, earth-friendly, dairy-free complement to the piquant popcorns, salads, and many more foods and beverages we love.” Additionally, the ingredient is fat-free and sugar-free.

Noochy Crisp scored an “A” on the Nutri-score scale, a European nutrition label that rates the nutritional quality of food products, due to its strong zinc, fiber, and protein content. According to in-house analysis by Gnosis by Lesaffre, sales of nutritional yeast products have grown 36% in 2020.
 
“Some may use it to achieve their daily nutrition goals; it may be others’ method of choice for supporting their immune health. Some may sprinkle it on their foods for a superfood support; others might be more interested in its nutritive benefits,” Vanhove said.
 
Gnosis by Lesaffre is a specialist in the world of fermented ingredients, with a portfolio of ingredients that harness the activities of micro-organisms that can transform compounds into nutritional and functional ingredients, all centered by a platform of biotransformation (transformation from hydrophobic to hydrophilic molecules) to make ingredients as available as possible for targeted health benefits. “Gnosis by Lesaffre’s nutritional yeasts are produced with the highest quality standards in the regions that they are sold, giving brands an unmatched opportunity to appeal to consumers seeking unique, locally sourced products,” Vanhove said.
 
Vanhove noted that the types of consumers he sees as the best fit for Noochy Crisp are those he calls “Enlightened Eaters,” an audience which looks out for alternate, natural, and slightly unconventional foods. Typically, “they are open to new culinary experiences but are likely aiming to consume fewer animal-based products, whether for personal health, sustainability, and/or animal welfare reasons,” Vanhove said. “They will welcome nutritional yeast into their daily lives with open arms, recognizing that nutritional yeast is a simple, tasty, and effective method to improve their health and wellbeing.”