The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has published Cargill’s request to protect its intellectual property (IP) covering a ‘high protein egg chip’.
According to the application (available here), which was filed in 2017 and made public last month, the product feeds into changing snacking behaviour.
“Snacking has expanded to occur at all times in the day and is often looked upon as a meal replacement,” according to the US-headquartered firm.
“The demand for healthier snacks continues to grow with an emphasis on products bearing claims for protein, absence of gluten, and being made from a simple list of ingredients.”
One popular snack cited by the food giant was crisps, a product it described as usually fried, with a high fat and carbohydrate content.
“Very low-density snack products are also common in the marketplace, such as popcorn and cheese curls or cheese puffs,” the firm continued. “These products often also have high fat and carbohydrate content.”
With low – or no – levels of fat or gluten, Cargill’s proposed snack product has been formulated to offer a healthier alternative within the snacking category.
The earliest the patent is likely to be granted would be around July 2020…”so we don’t have more information to share at this time,” a Cargill spokesperson told FoodNavigator.