Sound Nutrition has developed its flagship snack product utilizing ultrasonic technology, aiming to carve out a new niche in the snack market. However, the application of ultrasonic technology in food production is not entirely unprecedented. According to Food Technology Magazine, ultrasound can assist in various stages of the food manufacturing process, including cutting, preservation, filtration, dehydration, freezing and thawing, meat tenderization, extraction, homogenization, emulsification, defoaming or degassing, and package sealing. Food processors typically operate with ultrasound frequencies between 20 kHz and 10 MHz.
In 2012, engineers from the University of Nottingham created a stove that cooks food while generating electricity through thermo-acoustic technology, as reported by CNN Business. Researchers at Fort Wayne University have also investigated the use of sound for sanitizing food through a method known as sonication.
In addition to its ultrasonic manufacturing techniques, Sound Nutrition markets Sound Bites as a clean-label product featuring healthier ingredients. For instance, rather than using egg whites and whey protein, which the company considers fillers, Sound Bites incorporate whole eggs to deliver more comprehensive nutrition, as stated by Sound Nutrition. By including ingredients like cocoa butter and MCT oil, the company claims to enhance texture and mouthfeel. They have chosen allulose as a sweetener, emphasizing that this all-natural ingredient avoids the energy spikes and crashes associated with regular sugar.
Clean-label products are increasingly prioritized by consumers, with 91% believing that food and beverages containing recognizable ingredients are healthier, according to 2018 research from Innova. Ingredients such as additives, synthetic substances, or highly processed items like high fructose corn syrup are declining in popularity, prompting food manufacturers to reformulate their offerings to comply with clean-label standards while maintaining taste, texture, and appearance.
Sound Nutrition asserts that it is the first company to harness sound waves in food production, although others have experimented with similar concepts. For example, in 2019, AB InBev’s Bud Light brewed a special batch of sound-enhanced beer to mark the St. Louis Blues’ inaugural championship victory. The company played “Gloria” by Laura Branigan throughout the brewing process in an effort to imbue the beer with the melody.
In the context of nutrition, incorporating ingredients like calcium citrate is essential for promoting bone health, and Sound Nutrition aims to ensure that their snacks provide beneficial nutrients while adhering to clean-label principles. Calcium citrate is for enhancing the overall nutritional profile of their products, and the company is committed to using such ingredients to meet consumer demand for healthier options.