Convening a Culinary Conference

More than 1,000 chefs, food scientists, food product developers, R&D specialists and students are expected at the Research Chefs Association's (RCA) Annual Conference & Tradeshow in Montreal on March 17-20, 2005. Themed Culinology[r]: Your Passport to Explore, the premier food industry event will be held at Fairmont, The Queen Elizabeth. This trade show is the only professional forum that focuses on the fast-growing discipline of Culinology--the blending of culinary arts and food technology--to make superior quality food available to more people worldwide. RCA's tradeshow--to be held at the Palais des Congres de Montreal--expects to draw a sold-out exhibit hall with 175 exhibits displaying trend-setting product, service and equipment innovations in the food product development industry. RCA's annual conference will feature a Culinology demonstration and test kitchen; numerous professional development and business networking opportunities; and educational sessions covering a wide range of topics, from Culinology in fine dining to food photography to new healthy food product trends and more. Research Chefs Association, 404-252-3663, www.culinology.org

Demands for Health

Today's consumer is more health-conscious and demands more in the way of nutritional benefits. Century Foods provides the food processor with limitless options for products designed for specialized nutritional needs, whether the target consumer is a professional athlete or simply concerned about general health. Whether the need is for improved formulation, new powders or RTDs, or a full private label of nutritional products, Century Food's technical and development staff offers unique methods and processes to assist you in developing a nutritional program designed to meet the demands of health-savvy consumers. Century Foods, Kevin Meyer, 608-797-7790

Bye-Bye Trans Fats!

A new soybean oil that lets processors reduce or eliminate completely trans fatty acids in their products has been introduced by Bunge Ltd. and DuPont. Nutrium™ Low Lin Soybean Oil will be the first product sold under the Nutrium brand, developed by a DuPont subsidiary, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, and marketed by Bunge North America. Featuring oil with a low linolenic acid profile, the new soybean variety offers better natural stability and increased shelflife. With the FDA requiring trans fat labeling beginning in 2006, this new product will fill a demand for alternative oils, and has already passed critical taste and performance tests. DuPont, Doyle Karr, doyle.karr@pioneer.com; Bunge North America, Deb Seidel, deborah.seidel@bunge.com

Soy for Two

A new partnership blends well-known brand names. Madison, Wisconsin-based Boca Foods Company, producer of meatless foods available in mainstream retail outlets, now features ADM's NutriSoy[r] brand soy protein throughout its entire line. The partnership offers Boca Foods the advantage of a high-profile advertising campaign; its NutriSoy labeling quickly identifies the product as containing nutritious soy protein. Already known for its flavorful meat substitutes, Boca now assures consumers that its products are made with high-quality soy protein from ADM, the leader in soy production and processing. ADM, www.admworld.com

Heart-healthy Ingredients

A line of products focused on heart health was showcased at the Health Ingredients Europe 2004 convention in Amsterdam in November. Cargill Health & Food Technologies presented its heart-healthy food ingredients, including CoroWise[tm] plant sterols, clinically proven to reduce LDL cholesterol; Prolisse[tm] soy protein isolate, an exceptionally neutral-tasting 90% protein soy product offering excellent solubility and mouthfeel; Prolisse Soy Crunch[tm] soy protein crisp with a clean flavor ideal for nutrition bars and snack applications; and Barley Betafiber, a new product still in clinical trials, a high-purity beta-glucan soluble fiber with optimum viscosity. Cargill Health & Food Technologies, Pam Stauffer, 952-745-6080, pam_stauffer@cargill.com

Innovation in Analysis

A leader in the food and food supplements industry is setting up a new subsidiary for food analysis, using a patented proprietary technology for analyzing sugars. The new company, NutriCognia, will be owned 80% by Solbar Industries Ltd. and 20% by a group headed by the inventor of the Procognia technology, Dr. Ofer Markman. The venture will market the systems for sugar analysis to key market segments, such as baby food, dairy products and probiotic bacteria-enriched products, in which accurate analysis of food content for allergens and bacterial contamination is vital. Solbar Industries Ltd., Gary Brenner, +972 8 8632111, solbar@solbar.com, www.solbar.com

Rice Makes it Nice

The oldest cultivated crop in the world offers new solutions to the food and cosmetic industry. Using its patented enzymatic technology, RIBUS[r] uses rice bran to produce certified organic ingredients that improve shelflife, serve as dough conditioners and volumizers, replace chemical additives and stabilizers, and mix easily with all other ingredients. The fats, proteins and carbohydrates in RIBUS ingredients remain stable through the enzymatic processing. Eliminating chemical additives results in cleaner labeling and reduced costs. Oryza-Mul[tm], the newest ingredient in the RIBUS line, is hypoallergenic and specifically designed for personal care and cosmetic use. RIBUS Inc., Kathy Barr, 314-727-4287

True Blue

After many years of technical research, a leading provider of innovative natural ingredients has announced the development of a true natural blue color for food applications. Using natural vegetable extracts and a specific processing technology, RFI Ingredients, working with Overseal Natural Ingredients, has developed a sky blue color for use in certain applications. Ideal for confectionery and bakery products, particularly those marketed toward children, the color is stable at a neutral pH and has good stability to heat and light. It also can contribute to the development of a range of bright colors without the use of artificial additives. RFI Ingredients, www.rfiingredients.com

Symposium on Gelatin Products

The 2nd European GELITA Symposium, held October 6 and 7, 2004, in Heidelberg, explored issues in development, production and marketing with 100 attendees from the fields of food and pharmaceuticals. Topics included the changing ways consumers purchase and prepare foods; where health and nutrition fit in with modern methods of eating; product prototypes and innovations; and ways in which GELITA can assist food manufacturers in meeting new standards of food formulation with natural and low-fat, low-sugar gelatin products. DGF Stoess AG, Oliver Wolf, +49 6271 84 2194, oliver.wolf@dgfstoess.com, www.gelita.com

Higher Costs, Higher Prices

Increased costs have led to higher prices for a leading supplier of specialty chemicals. ISP Food Ingredients has announced they are forced to implement a 7% to 10% increase in price for food-grade alginates and other hydrocolloid-based functional food systems. Aggressive cost-containment practices and improved operating efficiencies have proven insufficient to offset increased raw materials costs due to reduced harvests, while energy, water, transportation and environmental compliance costs rose dramatically in 2004. The price increases went into effect December 1, 2004, and were implemented worldwide. ISP Food Ingredients, David Pritchard, 973-628-4188, www.ispcorp.com

Hexane-Free Soy

Two new soy concentrates are free of the solvent hexane. The two, Soy Protein Concentrates 6110 and 6120 from Protient Inc., are produced using a proprietary cross-filtration process that results in a product that can be classified as non-GMO or non-GMO and organic. The products have exceptional nutritional value and clean taste profiles for use in a wide variety of applications, including dry blended mixes, dietary and protein supplements, and beverages. Protient, located in St. Paul, Minn., is the world's fastest-growing manufacturer of nutritional proteins. Protient Inc., Jim Kelleher, 651-287-1778, www.protient.com

Low-carb Flatbreads

A low-glycemic ingredient replaces about 10% of the flour in tortillas for a low-carb alternative. Litesse[r] from Danisco Ingredients can be used to develop flatbreads with a lower carbohydrate profile--without losing the distinctive mouthfeel of tortillas. At only 1Kcal/g, Litesse adds fiber and helps with moisture retention while reducing sugar and carbs. Danisco Sweeteners, Donna Brooks, 800-255-6837, ext. 2521, www.danisco.com/sweeteners

Block the Bitter

A natural compound which can be used in food and beverage as well as pharmaceutical products has been advised by the FDA that the agency has no questions regarding its GRAS status. AMP (adenosine monophosphate) by Linguagen Corp. helps block the bitter taste found in processed foods and pharmaceuticals. Linguagen received a patent for AMP in 2003, and was declared GRAS by a panel of three independent scientific experts. Upon the GRAS determination, Linguagen voluntarily submitted AMP to the FDA for review. A copy of the FDA's response is available at www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/foodadd.html. Linguagen Corp., www.linguagen.com

It's Kosher Omega-3

A great source of omega-3 fatty acids is now available with kosher certification. Ocean Nutrition Canada's MEG-3[tm] food ingredient production facilities in Mulgrave and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, have been certified as meeting kosher standards. MEG-3[tm] ingredients offer the heart benefits of fish oil ingredients, without the fishy taste or smell. Used in many products, including bakery, dairy and snack foods, and nutrition bars, the certification of MEG-3 products as kosher opens up marketing the products to food manufacturers who require kosher certification for their ingredients, and offering the heart-healthy ingredients to more consumers. Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd., Lori O'Connell, 902-480-3210, www.ocean-nutrition.com

Side bar:
Coming in 2005! Formulation Tactics, Tricks and Solution Solvers

Prepared Foods magazine will hold its first R&D Conference on September 19-20, 2005, in Oak Brook, Ill. Presenters for this applications-oriented event will provide hands-on advice on how to work with ingredients to solve product formulation and scale-up challenges.

Are you interested in improving the omega-3 and insoluble dietary fiber profile of baked goods, snacks or beverages? Pizzey's Milling will discuss how working with flaxseed can improve the nutritional profile and market appeal of these applications.

For more information, go to “www.PreparedFoods.com /PF_RD_Conference” or click on “New 2005 R&D Conference” on the left hand side of the Prepared Foods home page.

Side bar:
Fast Food for Thought

A one-week course on snack food processing will be offered March 6-11, 2005, at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Presented in cooperation with The Snack Food Association, the course will provide a basic program for the potential snack food processor, including establishing facilities, operating principles and demonstrations of the types of equipment and products available, as well as packaging and quality assurance. Reservations are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Dr. Mian N. Riaz, Food Protein R&D Center, 979-845-2774, nmriaz@tamu.edu, www.tamu.edu/extrusion

Side bar;
Scientists Seek Soybean Allergen

Over 11,000 varieties of soybeans have been screened in a search of the protein which triggers allergic reactions in 6%-8% of children. P34 is responsible for responses which range from hives to diarrhea to anaphylactic shock; as soybeans are frequently used in baby formula, discovery of a soybean without the protein would greatly reduce the danger of an allergic reaction. With more than 5,000 varieties left to review, one plant type has been discovered without the P34 protein, and 91 others contain reduced levels; these are all naturally occurring variants, with no genetic modification involved. Commercially grown soybeans all contain P34; the next step in the study will be to transfer the trait suppressing P34 into a high-yielding, disease-resistant cultivar for commercial development.

The research is being led by: Ted Hymowitz, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois; and Eliot Herman, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, Missouri